Almost Gone : The World's Rarest Animals

Thousands of animal species have vanished in the last two centuries, and many others, like the Amur leopard, are almost gone.Read and find out about the world's most fascinating endangered animals ... before they disappear!On the cover: Amur LeopardSiberia (Russia), China and KoreaFewer than 40 leftThis solitary hunter is the rarest of the big cats.

It lives in the dense forests of one small section of northeast Asia, where it hunts rabbits, badgers and deer.

The Amur leopard is a good swimmer and climber, and often hides its kill in trees.

It can weigh as much as one hundred fifty pounds and has a thick fur coat to help it survive in cold, snowy weather.

Illegal hunting and habitat destruction have greatly endangered these leopards.