DNA metabarcoding analysis of the North China and Amur Leopards' feeding habits

Leopards Panthera pardus are top predators that play a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem balance and stability by exerting top-down control on prey species populations through direct predation. Despite their wide distribution, in recent years leopard populations have become endangered in many regions due to increasing anthropogenic activity. Studying the feeding habits of endangered species provides insight into their survival from the perspective of their trophic niche and can help identify factors contributing to their decline, aiding in the development of targeted conservation strategies. In this study, the North China leopard (P. p. japonensis) and Amur leopard (P. p. orientalis) were selected as the study objects. A total of 97 fecal samples were collected throughout their typical habitats, 83 of which were confirmed as originating from leopards using molecular identification. DNA metabarcoding identified 13 prey species for the North China leopard and 15 for the Amur leopard, with small- and medium-sized prey (< 37 kg) comprising over 75% of biomass intake. Among all the prey species, roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) provided the highest biomass contribution-41.69% for the North China leopard and 29.2% for the Amur leopard. In addition, the frequent occurrence of domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) in their diet (> 5.8%) highlights the impact of anthropogenic activities on leopard feeding habits. To support leopard conservation, it is recommended to protect all prey species within reserves and reduce anthropogenic interference in these habitats.