Cats.

“I know I'm not alone here when I choose the lion. There is something truly awe-inspiring about the power and beauty of these magnificent cats. Lions have enthralled humans for as long as we have existed. Living alongside cave lions shaped our earliest behaviours.”
- Dr. Amy Dickman, Conservationist

Cheetah Conservation Fund |

Ewaso Lions |

Felidae Conservation Fund |

Cheetah Conservation Fund | Ewaso Lions | Felidae Conservation Fund |

Lion Landscapes |

Panthera |

Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation |

Lion Landscapes | Panthera | Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation |

Snow Leopard Trust |

The Big Cat Initiative |

WildCats Conservation Alliance |

Snow Leopard Trust | The Big Cat Initiative | WildCats Conservation Alliance |

Who Helps Big Cats?

While there are a number of conservation programs focused on the preservation of big and small cats, as well as the environments they live in, a handful of them really go above and beyond to target the issues that affect the survival of individual cats, ultimately affecting the survival of the species as a whole. These organizations aim to provide tangible solutions to lessen the adverse affects of human-wildlife conflict among the communities living alongside these cats, thereby ensuring that both man and animal can coexist peacefully.

Meet the Cats of the World.

Lion

Panthera leo

There are currently two main subspecies of this iconic big cat: the African lion and the Asiatic lion. A subpopulation of African lions, called the West African lion, is currently listed as Critically Endangered — there are only about 120-370 of these cats left in the wild, and their populations are severely fragmented. Asiatic lions are considered endangered, but their population is stable.

Lions are the only social big cat outside of mothers raising cubs. They live in large groups made of related females, and either a single male lion or his coalition of brothers. Females do all of the hunting in a carefully coordinated strategy, while the males’ role in the pride is to defend their territory.

Lions, the hallmark symbol for power and strength, are no more free from significant threats in the wild than the animals at the bottom of the food chain. In fact, lions are particularly susceptible to the human-wildlife conflict, poaching for bushmeat and the illegal wildlife trade, and natural prey decline. Conservation organizations work closely with local pastoral communities on solutions to prevent lions from killing their livestock and prevent the retaliation killing of lions in response deceased cattle.

Tiger

Panthera tigris

Tigers once roamed all throughout the continent of Asia, but their territories have greatly dwindled down to small pockets of their former homes. Today, they’ve lost over 95% of that habitat to deforestation, urban development, wildfires, and floods. Their remaining numbers are further affected by retaliatory killings, poachers, and the illegal wildlife trade, as they are highly coveted for the furs and bones for traditional medicine practices and for social status.

There are six extant subspecies of tigers: the Amur tiger, also known as the Siberian tiger; the Northern Indochinese tiger; the Malayan tiger; the Sumatran tiger; the Bengal tiger; and the South China tiger, which has not been observed in the wild since the 1970s and may possibly be extinct.

Tigers are the largest of all the big cats, and live in solitary until a female gives birth. Cubs will stay with her for approximately two years before they will leave to find their own territories. Oftentimes, females will establish a territory near their mother’s, while males will travel farther once they reach independence.

Jaguar

Panthera onca

Like many big cats, jaguars face habitat loss due to illegal logging and deforestation, and they are also hunted by poachers for body parts to be sold on the black market. Oftentimes, they are killed by farmers for perceived or prevented livestock killings. Conservation organizations are working in Central and South America to ease the human-wildlife conflicts that ensnare these beautiful cats.

Jaguars are often confused with leopards and cheetahs for their similar coat patterns; however, upon learning the difference, it’s very easy to spot these cats apart from their cousins. Unlike the slender frame and wholly black spots of the cheetah, jaguars are the third biggest cat in the genus Panthera — they are stocky and muscular with large heads and strong jaws. In fact, pound for pound, jaguars have the strongest bite force of any animal on the planet except for alligators and crocodiles. Their gorgeous coats have brown spots inside the black called “rosettes.”

Cheetah

Acinonyx jubatus

The fastest land animal in the world struggles to outrun a series of threats in the wild affecting their survival rate. Populations are greatly fragmented due to habitat loss from deforestation and agricultural expansion — and this is a dire threat for an animal with already low genetic diversity. Due to the fragmentation, inbreeding occurs, which ultimately causes low birth rate.

Cheetahs are physically built for speed. In a quick burst of energy that propels them forward, they can reach speeds of around 70mph in three seconds flat! When they reach top speed, their full stride can reach 22 feet long, and their tail acts as a rudder to control their balance as they chase prey into sudden sharp turns. Such feats require ample oxygen, and nature has an answer for this as well — cheetahs are equipped with large lungs and nostrils for extra oxygen intake. But they can only sustain this 70-mph speed for around 30 seconds before their run runs out!

Puma concolor

Mountain Lion

While mountain lions are classified as “Least Concern,” they still face considerable threats in the wild including habitat loss, disease (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus), and legal hunting. In Latin America, illegal poaching of both these cats and the prey they need to survive is a significant problem.

A cat by any other name! Mountain lions have a diverse range of names they go by including catamount, puma, cougar, and panther. Unlike leopards and jaguars, they cannot exhibit melanism, so the term “black panther” is a misnomer. Their range spans through over 23 countries across North, Central, and South America, though they are largely absent from the eastern coast of the U.S. except for a small population in Florida referred to as the Florida Panther.

Snow Leopard

Panthera uncia

Snow leopard numbers in the wild continue to decline as climate change and human activity force them higher and higher into the mountains. Human settlements have increased grazing space for livestock and as the natural meadows and springs are replaced by grassland for herds, the tree line moves higher into the mountains, and mountain goats and other prey these cats rely on become scarce. Unfortunately, these beautiful cats are also poached for the wildlife trade.

“The Ghost of the Mountain” — snow leopards are incredibly elusive, shy cats. Its light fur blends in with its mountainous home, giving it the perfect camouflage to remain unseen. Their large paws act as natural snow shoes, preventing them from sinking into snow as they hunt, and an extra fluffy tail serves as both a means for balance up high in the mountains, and as blanket to stay warm when wrapped around their body.

Unlike other big cats, snow leopards cannot roar due to the physiology of their throats. Instead, they make a vocalization called a “chuff,” with sounds like a short burst of air puffed out of their mouth and nose.

Leopard

Panthera pardus

Both African and Amur leopards fall prey to habitat loss and poaching. They are hunted mercilessly for their beautiful coats and other body parts, sold on the black market in the illegal wildlife trade. Critically endangered Amur leopards have a high cub mortality rate due to the harsh conditions of their native habitat. It is estimated that there around 80 individuals left in the wild, a number down from 90 just ten years ago.

Leopards are strong, agile hunters with nocturnal eyesight seven times stronger than a human. Upon catching prey, they will often hoist it — sometimes heavier than their own body weight — high up into a tree for safe keeping from other predators who might take the opportunity for an easy steal. Both subspecies can exhibit melanism, meaning they are born with a recessive gene that causes black fur — although their spots are still visible underneath. This makes black Amur leopards the rarest cat in the world.