How do you study a predator with both camouflage and stealth that make it virtually invisible in the forest? Even jaguars poop. A team of researchers led by the University of Cincinnati applied genetic and isotopic analyses to jaguar scat to investigate the habitat needs of the big cats in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Preserve […]
Tag: leopards

In Sri Lanka, humans mistakenly attempt to ‘rescue’ leopard cubs
From time to time, there are media flashes about leopard cubs being rescued and some reports carry moving video footage of how well-meaning village folk, especially estate workers in the central hills, hand these cubs over to wildlife authorities. Unlike the majestic and fiery demeanor of leopard moms and dads, leopard cubs are cuddlesome balls […]

Honey production sweetens snow leopard conservation in Kyrgyzstan
SHAMSHY, Kyrgyzstan — “I was only 9 when I first saw a snow leopard with my father. He was a ranger bringing injured animals found in the mountains to the veterinarian,” says Asanbek Sasukilov, 62, a beekeeper and herder. “I was sitting close to the cage. Suddenly, the snow leopard started to roar, and I […]

Study shows Javan leopard habitat shrinking, but real picture may be worse
Across the Indonesian island of Java, suitable habitat for Javan leopards shrunk by more than 1,300 square kilometers, or 500 square miles, between 2000 and 2020. That’s according to a recently published study that sought to map the remaining living space in which the big cat can still survive. Researchers looked at a set of […]

Himalayan catfight looms as tigers, leopards venture into snow leopard land
KATHMANDU — A tiger sits quietly surrounded by trees, observing something in the distance. It then roars and darts toward its target: a leopard that jumps down from a tree. The two big cats confront one another, but with the leopard taking the submissive stance of lying on the ground, the standoff doesn’t escalate into […]

US Zoo shut down and police called in after rare leopard escapes enclosure
A clouded leopard that escaped its enclosure at a zoo in the US state of Texas has been found following an extensive search which resulted in the zoo going into lockdown. The leopard was eventually located not far from its enclosure following several hours of frantic searching. The zoo said that the animal does not […]

Fuming hippo chases terrified tourists as safari comes inches away from jaws of beast
A furious hippo has chased down a boat packed with safari-going tourists who found themselves just inches away from the jaws of a wild beast. The now-viral video showcased tourists aboard a speedboat, taking in the sights of their surroundings and a close-by hippopotamus that took more than an interest in them. They were just […]

Leopards, sharks and glass frogs win new protections, while hippos face tragic losses
A couple of weeks ago, I told you about our work at the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora—known as CITES. This conference is so important because it shapes how wild animals in trade are treated across the globe and can curb commercial […]