Short story HOW I BECAME AN AMUR LEOPARD

DÉBORA FREITAS, Nº5, 8º B

How I became an Amur leopard

- Mum, mum! Can we go to the zoo today? – Emily said.

- Of course we can, dear. Go prepare your things, mum and dad are coming.

On the way to the zoo Emily’s dad asked her a question:

- Emily why is it so important for you to go to the zoo today?

- It’s very important because the Amur Leopard is in the zoo.

- And tomorrow?

- Tomorrow, they are going to a natural park because they are critically endangered animals. There are

only sixty Amur leopards in the world. Also, they are a special leopard because they are the only specie who can

live in the snow.

- You have a pure heart, Emily – Said her father with a smile from ear to ear.

When they arrived home they had dinner and went to bed:

- Mum when I grow up I will protect all Amur leopards in the world, it’s a promise.

- When you get there you will know what to do. But now go to sleep.

- … So we must protect all Amur leopards by doing little things like giving money for institutions, for

example.

- Thank you, Emily. Your work was fantastic!

- Thank you Professor Smith, protect all Amur Leopards is my dream.

With twenty one years old Emily is keeping her promise by giving interviews and travelling to fight for the

survival of Amur leopards.

One day she decide to travel to their natural habitat: Russia.

When she arrived, she met a man who explained her that all Russian Amur Leopards were killed by

hunters because of their beautiful, spotted fur. Emily was furious, angry and frustrated by that horrible crime so

she made a decision: It was time to take an action!

Ever since she was a little girl, she saved money for any emergency and now it was the time. But how was

she going to use it? Emily started walking around the village thinking about it when she had an idea: She was

going to build a special school in a little village near the cold forest mountain of Russia, dedicated to teach

persons about Amur leopards and their critical situation.

At the beginning, the villagers didn’t like the idea and thought it was very strange that a British lady was

going to build a school near the natural habitat of Amur leopards. Maybe she was the secret hunter and the

school was only a distraction!

On the opening day some villagers went to the school in order to found out if Emily was the Amur

leopard’s killer or just a teacher.

- Hello, welcome to the “Amur Leopard’s School”. How can I help you?

- What can people do here?

- My mission here is to protect Amur Leopards by teaching people about their natural habitat, living

conditions and, more importantly, to stop illegally hunt.

- That´s great! We thought you were the killer but now we know we were wrong. Can we help you?

- Of course! That would be great.

Together Emily and those villagers started to give classes to the locals and soon the school was always full.

“The Amur leopard is a very special leopard because it is the only kind of leopard who can live in the snow.

It runs very fast and jumps really high, it is a solitary animal. Several males sometimes follow and fight over a

female. They usually live for 10/15 years. Nowadays there are only 60 Amur Leopards alive so they are a critically

endangered species.

WE HAVE TO STOP THE ILLEGAL HUNT OF AMUR LEOPARDS!”

One day the school organized a visit to the Forest Mountains but in the middle of the visit they found a

mansion with a giant carpet made of Amur leopard´s fur. Everybody was chocked!

- Do you know who lives here?

- I don´t know but I heard some stories about a very dangerous hunter who lives in a really big mansion.

- That is very suspicious we have to investigate.

Emily was about to enter the house when she fell on a really big and dark hole with many dead leopards

without fur. Emily horrified called the police and screamed for help.

When the policeman came they arrested the man and took him to the police station for questioning. Emily

and the people from the village also went there to find out the truth and to make sure that man was going to pay

for his crimes.

One year later, Emily and the people from the “Amur leopard’s School” were invited by the President of

Russia and the Queen of England for a special ceremony. They were recognized by their work protecting the

Amur leopard and now there is the ”Emily and villagers Natural Park” in Russia dedicated to the Amur leopards.

- Finally I fulfilled my promise, mum.