An appeal has been launched to save one of the world's endangered creatures from extinction.

Twycross Zoo has set up a fund to save the Amur leopard, one of the rarest big cats in the world with fewer than 40 left in the wild.

The leopards, which are only found in Russia, have been disappearing because of poaching, development, inbreeding and forest fires that are set deliberately to stimulate the growth of certain plants.

The zoo, which has two of the animals in a captive breeding programme, has been working on conservation projects for the Amur leopard and other species for years.

It is concerned about problems which have arisen in the Kedrovaya Pad Nature Reserve, in the Primorski region of Russia.

There is disagreement between Russian state agencies involved in the work and the reserve has been left without the funds needed to continue.

A spokesman for the zoo said: "The reserve's staff have not been paid since June and the director has used his own money to keep it afloat. Twenty-four of the 32 staff have been forced to take holiday due to wage delays and no patrols have been sent out as there is no fuel.

"This is risking the survival of the Amur leopard as patrols are not there to protect the region from poachers, loggers or forest fires."

The spokesman called on people to support the appeal by donating to the Amur leopard SOS fund.

"All the proceeds will be sent directly to the reserve," she said.

To donate, call 01827 880250.