South Korean researchers have, for the first time in the world, mapped the genome of the Amur leopard which is one of the world's most endangered cats.
 
The National Institute of Biological Resources under the Environment Ministry announced on Tuesday that together with the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, it completely sequenced the DNA of an Amur leopard after a year-and-a-half of joint research. The achievement came as the institute took part in an international consortium on decoding the genome of the cat family.
 
The latest achievement is significant in that a foundation has been established to preserve and revive the species.
 
Together with tigers, Amur leopards roamed South Korea in the past. It is estimated that there are currently only between 60 to 70 Amur leopards in Primorsky Krai of southeastern Russia. It has been classified as “critically endangered” since 1996 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.