An injured leopard traveled 320 kilometers across the Caucasus

A male Caucasian leopard named Aren traveled nearly 320 kilometers from Armenia to Georgia despite suffering a leg injury from a landmine.

Researchers tracked his movements using surveillance cameras, which provided new data on how the species moves between different territories. Aren lived in the mountains and ravines of the Vayots Dzor region in Armenia. Experts believe the leopard began his journey to find new territory and a mate as the local population grew and competition for space increased.

He was last seen in Georgia in 2025, having been first recorded in Armenia in 2022. His journey serves as evidence that maintaining connected environments is vital for large mammals to migrate and survive. The Armenian government and environmental organizations established a 562-square-kilometer wildlife corridor in Vayots Dzor to support these movements. This corridor links a state forest, a private nature reserve, and a community-managed area.

The initiative helps protect the Caucasian leopard along with other species like the Syrian brown bear, the bezoar goat, and the mouflon. The Caucasian leopard population faced near extinction in Armenia due to hunting during the Soviet occupation. Since the species was first recorded in the country in 2005, experts have noted signs of recovery and estimate that between 8 and 10 individuals now live in Armenia.

Globally, the population of this subspecies is estimated to be between 750 and 1,044 individuals across four regions in 11 countries.