As apex predators, lions (Panthera leo) roam the African savanna, and occasionally even the rainforests, as the only social big cats. A small, isolated population of Asiatic lions (Panthera leo persica), an endangered subspecies, is found in the scrublands of the Indian state of Gujarat. Their majestic manes, thunderous roars and regal presence have piqued […]
Tag: tigers
Indonesia court hands down ‘heaviest sentence’ yet for tiger poacher in Sumatra
A court in Indonesia has sentenced a man to five years in prison for the killing of a critically endangered Sumatran tiger in September last year in North Sumatra province. “As far as I know, it’s the heaviest sentence ever imposed for crimes involving protected wildlife in Indonesia,” Iding Achmad Haidir, chair of the Sumatran […]
Nepal announces its snow leopard population after first-of-its-kind assessment
KATHMANDU — Following decades of speculation, skepticism and lack of consensus, Nepal’s government has announced the country’s first-ever consolidated national estimate of snow leopards (Panther uncia): 397 individuals. The figure, which translates to 1.56 individuals per 100 square kilometers (38.6 square miles), was reported by an expert committee following months of work which involved aggregating […]
Police arrest couple for breeding and selling exotic cats in Spain
Police have arrested two people suspected of breeding and selling exotic cats in Spain. Officers detained the pair at a property in Manacor, on the island of Majorca, after finding 19 exotic cats including a desert lynx and two servals, according to a statement from the Guardia Civil on Monday. “The detainees sold different animal […]
Petition: Save Big Cats in Vietnam from Deadly Bird Flu Outbreak
A panther, three lions, and 47 tigers have recently died at various zoos in Vietnam due to an outbreak of the H5N1 bird flu virus. This heart-wrenching loss highlights the urgent need for change in how we treat and care for these magnificent animals. In a matter of only a few weeks in August and […]
Rare Colocolo Cat Captured on Trail Cam in Chile Sauntering up as if on a Catwalk (Watch)
A conservation nonprofit in Chile has delighted South American ecologists with the daytime camera trap footage of a Pampas cat, an extremely rare, non-endangered, and little-understood small wildcat species. Named after the characteristic South American environment they thrive in, the “Colocolo,” to use the local name, looks like a small lynx, or large house cat. […]
Nevada man arrested after 7 ’emotional support’ tigers are seized from his home
A Nevada man who was arrested Wednesday after seven tigers were seized from his home said they were his “emotional support animals.” Officials raided Karl Mitchell’s home in Pahrump on Wednesday morning and arrested him on suspicion of resisting arrest. Mitchell, 71, did not have a special conditions animal permit to own the animals, which […]
Uganda’s lions in decline, hyenas thriving – new findings from country’s biggest ever carnivore count
For nearly 15 years almost no information was available on the population status of Uganda’s large carnivores, including those in its largest national park, Murchison Falls. These species represent a critical part of Uganda’s growing tourism economy. The country is home to the famed tree-climbing lions, which are much sought after for this unique behaviour. […]