The Amur leopard was listed as “critically endangered” in 1996. In a 2007 census only 14-20 adult Amur leopards, and five or six cubs were found. Today the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) announced that while the animal is still incredibly vulnerable its numbers have rebounded sharply.

At least 57 of the cats are now roaming Land of the Leopard National Park in Russia with an additional 8 to 12 animals in China. That means that the big cats numbers have more than doubled in less than a decade.

The census was taken using hidden camera traps to take ten thousand photos over 900,000 acres of leopard habitat. Individuals were then identified by the unique patterns of their spots in order to make an accurate population count.

“Such a strong rebound in Amur leopard numbers is further proof that even the most critically endangered big cats can recover if we protect their habitat and work together on conservation efforts. There’s still a lot of work to be done in order to secure a safe future for the Amur leopard, but these numbers demonstrate that things are moving in the right direction,” said Dr. Barney Long in a statement. Long leads Asian species conservation for WWF in the US.

Established in 2012, Land of the Leopard National Park includes the entire known breeding range of the Amur leopards. It covers and area of 650,000 acres and is also home to the Amur tiger more commonly known as the Siberian Tiger, another animal that appears to be on the rebound.

“The national park became the main organizational force for leopard protection and research,” according to Yury Darman, head of WWF Russia Amur Branch and a member of the Supervisory Board of The Amur Leopards Center.

Prior to the creation of the park and the enactment of protection measures, the animal was driven to the brink by the same factors that threaten many species. Specifically poaching, habitat degradation due to development and inbreeding which becomes a concern when a species numbers dwindle beyond a certain level.

While few animals in the world are as endangered as the Amur leopard, very few have enjoyed the kind of robust conservation effort that has surrounded the leopard. The Amur Leopard and Tiger Alliance (ALTA) is a collective which includes Russian and western conservation organizations working to protect the species in Russia and China.

Conservation measures enacted to date include four anti-poaching teams, a task force who cooperate with local police officials, continual monitoring of the organization using camera traps and satellite images, carefully developed land use plans and compensation to local farmers for livestock kills. Additionally a broad public education campaign has been enacted. It includes both traditional media awareness campaigns and outreach to schools.

While Russia’s leopard population is still a subject of considerable concern, more attention is now being turned to the leopards habitat in China.