Ghost of the Winter Forest

Solitary, elusive, and heartbreakingly rare, the Amur leopard moves like a whisper through the snowy forests of the Russian Far East. With fewer than 100 individuals left in the wild, it is one of the most endangered big cats on Earth. This portrait captures a fleeting moment — the warmth of a fading sun, the hush of snow under paw, and the quiet resilience of a creature fighting extinction. Painted with reverence and detail, this piece invites reflection on what we stand to lose, and why these animals deserve our protection.