It is one of the planet’s most endangered big cats, with just a few dozen rarely-seen individuals surviving in the remote forests of the Russian far east.

Now camera traps set by conservationists suggest the Amur leopard, Russia's most elusive predator, is experiencing a remarkable come back.

Images captured by scientists working in Russia’s Land of the Leopard National Park in late 2015 and early 2016 show no fewer than 16 young leopards.

That’s up from six cubs recorded in 2014, and raises hopes that the near extinct species could make a recovery.