Our animals onsite @ WHF
African lions
 | Kafara |
 | Manzi |
 | Tiny |
 | Themba |
| Scientific Name | Panthera leo |
| Common Name | African lion |
| Distinguishing Features | Lions are considered to be the most social of all felids, prefering to live in either in prides of related females, with 1 or 2 males, and their cubs, or coalitions of related or unrelated males. Average pride is 4 to 6 adult females (plus males and their cubs), however where prey is abundant up to 20 females have been observed in one pride. Where prey is scarce pride numbers can be as low as 2 or 3 adult females. Lions do not do well living a solitary lifestyle, psychologically or physically (being as muscular at the rear as the front means that it is very difficult for lions to groom their own rear ends and other members of the pride assist). Lions exhibit sexual dimorphism, with adult males being the only felids to exhibit prominent manes. It is believed that the mane serves several functions including; increased protection during fighting; enabling distinguishing of gender at a distance and an indicator of individual fitness and dominance. Mane development is strongly linked to testosterone and believed to be linked to lion's unique social system. Lions are also the only cats to have tufted tails. These tufts are the last few vertibrae fused together. It is believed that this enhances communication between lions (especially when hunting) as well as being a good toy for cubs and a handy fly swat (!) |
| Weight | Males weigh on average 150 - 250 kg and can be 1.7 - 2.5 m long and up to 1.2 m tall. Females are significantly smaller at 120 - 180 kg, 1.4 - 1.7 m long and up to 1.06 m tall |
| Diet | Lions favour antelope (including gazelles), zebra, warthog and buffalo but will also hunt other smaller carnivores. Certain prides have developed specific features and strategies for hunting certain specific types of prey such as giraffe, hippo, rhino and elephant. |
| Breeding | Pride females frequently come into season and give birth together, this allows the lionesses to share nursing and cub care. Between 1 and 6 cubs (average 2-4) are born after a gestation period of 98 - 114 days. Cubs are born spotted, blind and helpless but grow quickly being introduced to meat at between 6 - 8 weeks and being fully weaned at three months at which point their spots fade. Males will leave their natal pride at between 2 - 4 years and roam far to find/establish their own prides. They may be forced out of the pride at a younger age if there is a pride takeover. They are unlikely to take another pride over until they are between 4 and 5 years, coalitions of 2-4 males are more successful at pride takeover. Female cubs will generally stay in the pride with their mothers and aunts but approximately 1/3 will disperse at between 2 - 3 years. Females who stay within the natal pride, on average give birth at 5 years. Females who disperse give birth later, on average, at approximately 8 years. |
| Longevity | Up to 15 years in the wild, up to 30 years in captivity (the original WHF lions; Mitzi, Maisie and Pagan lived to the grand old ages of 30, 32 and 28). |
| Interesting Facts | A lion roar can be heard for over 8 km. Lions are inactive up to 21 hours in a day (our boys probably exceed this in the summer!). A lion uses its roar to reconnect with members of its own pride, or express dominance over its territory/warn off intruders. In general it is the females of the pride who hunt communally, in the cooler darkness of early morning. They are successful, on average, every forth attempt. There is a strict hierarchy in the pride, whereby males eat first, then females, and finally cubs have the leftovers. |
| Historic Distribution | Lion were formerly found from north Africa through south-west Asia (until approximately 150 years ago), west into Europe (until approximately 2,000 years ago), and east into India. Currently the only remnant of this widespread population, outside of Africa, is the very vulnerable, isolated population of the Asiatic Lion P. leo persica in the 1,400 km² Gir Forest National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary. It is estimated that lions disappeared from the desert on the edge of Niger’s Aïr Mountains (Atlas Mountains) approximately 60 years ago. |
| Geographic range/countries | African lions are found in most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Countries where lions are found include; Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, ; Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. |
| Habitat | Lions are found in a range of different habitats, absent only from tropical rainforest and inner Sahara desert. They seem to prefer open woodland, thick bush, scrub and long grass. They can get moisture from prey and plant matter so can survive in very arid conditions. They have been found at elevations of more than 4,000 m in the Bale Mountains and on Kilimanjaro. |
| IUCN Red List Category | Vulnerable (VU) |
| CITES Appendix | Appendix II (Endangered Panthera leo persica is included on Appendix 1). |
| Est. wild population | Estimated 39,000 lions in 2002 (75,800 in 1980!) |
| Captive population | In 2010, 169 males and 196 females in ISIS registered collections in Europe, USA, Mexico, Asia and Australasia. |
| Captive breeding information | There is an EEP for Asiatic lions, but currently none for African lions. Populations of African lions in captivity (including white lions) are managed between collections. |
| Threats | Us!! Human conflict, retaliatory killing, agriculture, prey-base depletion. Poisoned carcasses. Disease. Unsustainable trophy hunting-hunters only want healthy large males, no cubs born for 2 years, 39,000 lions (potentially only 2000 - 8000 males). |
| Conservation Strategies | (see further info tab) Project Life Lion - vaccinating lions from canine distemper and rabies. Sending lions to UWEC in Uganda for education, to act as ambassadors and for possible reintroduction (Zaara and Bisa). Protection against and education for poisonnings. |
Amur leopards
 | Artur |
 | Xizi |
 | Argun |
 | Artem |
| Scientific Name | Panthera pardus orientalis |
| Common Name | Amur leopard, Far-Eastern leopard, Korean leopard |
| Distinguishing Features | Amur leopards are slightly heavier than leopards from warmer climates, with paler, much longer, thicker fur, and larger rosettes which are more widely spaced. Fur grows between 2.5 cm in the summer to 7.5 cm in winter, this is due to the cold Russian winters but mild summers living next to the sea of Japan. Amur leopards have larger feet (to help distribute weight in the snow) and bushier tails (for warmth) than leopards from warmer climates. As with other leopards, Amur leopards have long tails and longer back limbs than front limbs for agile climbing, jumping and balance. |
| Weight | Adult males weigh on average 32 - 48 kg (but can weigh up to 75 kg!!!); Females tend to be lighter at 25 - 43 kg |
| Diet | Favourite prey of the Amur leopard include Sika deer (Cervus nippon) and Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) but they are opportunistic and consummative hunters so will hunt and eat a variety of different species (anything that moves!) |
| Breeding | Like most cats, Amur leopards are solitary except when breeding/rearing cubs. In the wild, Amur leopards are seasonal breeders, mating in the winter and giving birth to 2 - 4 blind, helpless cubs in late spring/early summer, after a gestation period of approximately 96 days. Cubs grow quickly, are introduced to meat at approximately 6 - 8 weeks and are weaned after approximately 12 weeks. They will however continue to suckle for as long as the female will allow. Males leave their mother between 18 months to 2 years old and roam far to find new territories. Females leave slightly later and may establish territories overlapping their mother. Males reach sexual maturity at between 3 and 4 years, females slightly earlier, however they will not breed until they have established their own territory. |
| Longevity | Amur leopards can live 10 - 15 years in the wild ("Leopold" a camera-trap study leopard was recorded as over 13 years old in the wild - a good sign that although there is only a very small population of Amur leopards left in the wild there appears to be little inbreeding depression). They can live up to 20 years in captivity. |
| Interesting Facts | Amur leopards are the rarest of the big cat sub-species, at only 30 -35 wild individuals. They are incredible acrobats, exceptionally agile jumpers and climbers, able to leap 12 m horizontally and 6 m vertically. Exceptionally efficient muscles enable leopards to take down prey 5 times their own weight, and carry it vertically up trees to cache. |
| Historic Distribution | Amur leopards used to populate North-East China, the Far-East of Russia and the Korean peninsular |
| Geographic range/countries | Few individual Amur leopards (4-5) remain in Hunchun National Park in the North-East of China, the remaining population exist in the Primorskye Krai area of Far-Eastern Russia. |
| Habitat | Amur leopards are terrestrial, semi-arboreal cats living in temperate forests in the Russian Far East, and experiencing harsh winters, extreme cold and deep snow. |
| IUCN Red List Category | Critically Endangered (CR) |
| CITES Appendix | Appendix 1 (all commercial trade, import and export in leopard/leopard parts is prohibited). |
| Est. wild population | Current estimates are 28 - 30 remaining wild Amur leopards. 2007 census counted 14 - 20 adults and 5 - 6 cubs in South-western Primorye, 20 - 21 adults and 4 -5 cubs were counted in 2003, and 13-16 adults and 1 - 3 were counted in the 2000 census. |
| Captive population | In 2010: 55 males, 38 females and 3 unknowns in Europe; 32 males and 45 females in North America; 1 male and 1 female in Mexico; and 1 male and 1 female in Japan. The captive population suffers from slight hybridisation. One of the original founding leopard "Founder 2" was a North Chinese/Amur leopard hybrid. Due to the lack of available new founders and the critical status of the Amur leopard, this founding gene is being "bred out". In order to be part of the breeding programme a leopard must be less than 20% "Founder 2". |
| Captive breeding information | WHF participates in the European Endangered Species Breeding Programme (EEP) for Amur leopards. Our leopards Xizi and Artur successfully bred and reared cubs in 2008. |
| Threats | Amur leopards are threatened by habitat loss/fragmentation primarily due to the practise of setting fire to the forest in the Russian Far-East in order to plant ferns for Russian and Chinese dishes. Setting fire to the under-story of large areas of forest causes bark damage and stops new seedlings from growing. This over a long period of time reduces forest to grassland removing the necessary cover for Amur leopards and their prey. Amur leopards are also poached for the illegal wildlife trade, primarily for the domestic market, are killed in retaliation to livestock predation, and their prey is poached. Development in their habitat threatens the Amur leopard, especially the search for finite resources. |
| Conservation Strategies | Two of the charities supported by WHF; 21st Century Tiger and Wildlife Vets International, are part of a coalition of 13 NGOs called the Amur Leopard and Tiger Alliance (ALTA). ALTA work in China and Russia raising awareness and support by funding anti-poaching and fire-fighting patrols; organising livestock compensation schemes, educating local communities about leopard conservation and forest fires; organising "Leopard Days" and "Tiger Days" involving educational workshops for children about Amur leopards and tigers; and funding public awareness broadcasts about Amur leopards. ALTA also are involved in the scientific study on the health and population of the remaining wild Amur leopards and tigers. The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) obtained a three-year grant from the UK Darwin Initiative Fund to perform health screens on wild Amur leopards and their prey. Claudia Schoene, a ZSL veterinary surgeon currently involved in the health monitoring in Russia, has worked with the Amur leopards at WHF. WHF consultant expert veterinary surgeon, Dr John Lewis, is actively involved in the Amur leopard programme. WHF has financially supported this work and helped towards airfares so the vets can get to the Russian far east. Amur leopards at WHF have also been used to test field equipment and provide baseline data. Uniquely to most endangered felids, a "re-introduction" programme is being organised for Amur leopards. Individuals born in captivity in Europe and America will be relocated to a large breeding compound in Sikhote-Alin National Park in the Far East of Russia, to breed. These individuals will remain in the compound however when their cubs reach dispersing age (18 month - 2 years) the parents will be restrained and the cubs will be returned to the wild. Re-introduction in this way will prevent socialised carnivores from becoming problem animals as the cubs will have had no human contact. |
A link to Amur leopard related videos, including footage of our cubs and a training video of Amur leopard Dende at Colchester Zoo
Amur tigers
| Scientific Name | Panthera tigris altaica |
| Common Name | Amur tiger, Siberian tigers, Manchurian tigers, Korean tiger, North China tiger, Ussuri tiger, Altaic tiger |
| Distinguishing Features | Amur tigers are the largest and lightest coloured of the tiger sub-species, and the largest cats in the world. They have fewer stripes, longer fur, longer bushier tails, proportionally larger feet and a lot more visible white fur than the other tiger subspecies. These features are typical of cats from colder parts of the world. Larger bodies mean proportionally less surface area for heat loss, longer fur and bushier tails keep body temperature regulated, and larger feet help to distribute weight when walking through snow. |
| Weight | Adult males can weigh up to 300 kg and measure 3.3 m in length. Females are significantly smaller, weighing between 100 and 167 kg and measuring 2.6 m long. |
| Diet | The favourite prey of Amur tigers are large deer (e.g. Cervus elaphus) and wild boar, although they will also occasionally eat bear (approximately 3% of diet), badger and racoons. They are known to kill and eat domestic dogs. Amur tigers are powerful ambush predators - stalking and attacking from behind, biting the prey on the neck and breaking the spinal chord. Like all big cats they gorge on a kill and then fast for a number of days until opportunity or hunger inspires them to hunt again. Tigers will chase prey into water where their superior swimming ability gives an advantage. Amur tigers often cache uneaten kills in water. |
| Breeding | Like all tigers, Amur tigers are solitary except when breeding/rearing cubs. Amur tigers are seasonal breeder in the wild (although in captivity females are often brought into season by the cycles of other neighbouring female felids), mating in the winter and giving birth in the summer to 2 - 4 blind, helpless cubs after a gestation period of 103 days. Cubs grow quickly, are introduced to meat at approximately 6 - 8 weeks and are weaned after approximately 12 weeks. They will however continue to suckle for as long as the female will allow. Males leave their mother between 18 months to 2 years old and roam far to find new territories. Females leave slightly later and may establish territories overlapping their mother. Males reach sexual maturity at between 3 and 4 years, females slightly earlier, however they will not breed until they have established their own territory. |
| Longevity | Amur tigers are able to live 10 - 15 years in the wild, however few are allowed to live out a natural lifespan. In captivity they can live over 20 years. |
| Interesting Facts | The captive breeding programme for Amur tigers is the largest and longest managed programme for any tiger sub-species. The Amur tiger is one of the models for the creation of worldwide scientifically managed programmes for captive species. Amur tigers co-exist well with Amur leopards, unlike big cats in Africa, because the Amur tiger is terrestrial (on the ground) while the leopards are semi-arboreal, and they do not rival each other for prey, but they like the same coniferous woodland habitat. Signs of healthy populations of Amur tigers in Sikhote-Alin bodes well for the re-introduction of Amur leopards to that region. Populations of Amur tigers in Russia recovered from about 50 individuals in 1947 to approximately 450 today. Conservationists are hoping for the same success with Amur leopards. However, the captive Amur tiger population had 83 wild-caught founders, meaning that genes are expressed in captivity that have been lost from the wild population. By re-introducing genetic material from the captive population to the wild population, genetic diversity can be increased. This is just one way tigers in zoos are helping their wild counterparts. |
| Historic Distribution | Amur tigers have been virtually extirpated in Korea and China, with less than 20 remaining in China, and it being unknown whether any still exist in North Korea. |
| Geographic range/countries | A small population of Amur tigers reside in Northern China with the majority of the sub-species inhabiting the Russian Far East. |
| Habitat | Amur tigers are terrestrial, preferring deciduous and coniferous forests. They inhabit harsh cold environments, and mountainous terrain. They need relatively large territories in order to find enough of their declining prey. |
| IUCN Red List Category | Endangered (EN) |
| CITES Appendix | Appendix 1 (all commercial trade, import and export in tiger/tiger parts is prohibited). |
| Est. wild population | Approximately 450 in Russian Far East, less than 20 in China |
| Captive population | 208 males, 260 females and 7 unknown Amur tigers are held in 178 ISIS registered zoological collections in Europe, North America, South Africa, South America and Asia. This does not include the thousands held as "pets" or living in tiger farms in Asia. |
| Captive breeding information | WHF participates in the European Endangered Species Breeding Programme (EEP) for Amur tigers. We currently provide a home for female "Ronja(link)" who currently does not have a mate but may breed very soon. |
| Threats | Amur tigers are threatened by habit loss and degradation, including human development, logging, roads, searches for finite resources and forest fires. They also are frequently poached for illegal trade, primarily for the Traditional Asian Medicine market. There is also human-tiger conflict through retaliatory killing, and prey-base depletion. There has been recent evidence of disease affecting the ability of wild Amur tigers to hunt in Russia. Recent severe winters have significantly reduced the number of available wild prey causing starvation of Amur tigers in some cases. |
| Conservation Strategies | WHF supports 21st Century Tiger, a partnership between ZSL and Global Tiger Patrol, which work out Russia to increase awareness and understanding of Amur tigers and prevent poaching. 21st Century Tiger and Wildlife Vets International, are part of a coalition of 13 NGOs called the Amur Leopard and Tiger Alliance (ALTA). ALTA work in China and Russia raising awareness and support by funding anti-poaching and fire-fighting patrols; organising livestock compensation schemes, educating local communities about leopard conservation and forest fires; organising "Leopard Days" and "Tiger Days" involving educational workshops for children about Amur leopards and tigers; and funding public awareness broadcasts about Amur leopards. ALTA also are involved in the scientific study on the health and population of the remaining wild Amur leopards and tigers. |
Black leopards
| Scientific Name | Panthera pardus |
| Common Name | leopard |
| Distinguishing Features | Most widespead, most adaptable and smallest of the true "Big" cats ("roaring" cats). Leopards are slight, sleek, flexible, and athletic, with coats ranging from pale yellow to deep gold/tawny (with white underbelly) and patterned with black rosettes. Low centre of gravity, long tail and longer back limbs, give leopards phenomenal balance and agility, making them strong climbers and expert jumpers. Leopards feel most comfortable living semi-arboreal lifestyles (up trees). Leopards are very strong for their size, capable of catching and killing prey more than 3 times their own size (and "caching" these kills up trees). Proportionally, leopards have large skulls with powerful jaw muscles and the saggital crest enabling the cat to deliver powerful, crushing bites. Leopard whiskers are particularly long on cheeks and eyebrows, protecting eyes and assisting with movement through vegetation in darkness. Melanistic (black) individuals are not a separate sub-species but the result of a recessive gene, however they are fairly common in forested areas especially the humid forests of Asia. Melanistic leopards are not uniformly black, they still have their spot/rosette patterns and in sunlight a "ghost" pattern is visible. |
| Weight | 30 - 91 kg (170 - 280 cm long and 43 - 76 cm tall) |
| Diet | Leopards have a very varied diet which makes the species relatively successful compared to other big cats. They will hunt and consume anything from dung beetles (Scarabaeoidea) to Eland (Taurotragus derbianus). Other prey species include gazelles, wildebeest, deer, wild goats, monkeys, porcupines, rabbits, various birds, insects, carrion and sometimes livestock. Leopards hunt mainly by stalking, silently and stealthily approaching their prey as close as possible before pouncing. Leopards often store/cache kills in the forked branches of trees to be eaten at leisure avoiding scavengers on the ground. Leopards hunt mainly at night, but in marginal habitat or areas where persecution by humans is low they may hunt during the day. 92 prey species have been documented in the leopard's diet in sub-Saharan Africa. Leopards hunt smaller prey mainly where large prey is less available and can adapt very well to changes in prey base. |
| Breeding | Like most cats, leopards are solitary except when breeding/rearing cubs. In Africa, India and southern Asia, breeding is year round; in China and Russia leopards are seasonal breeders, mating in the winter and giving birth late spring/early summer. 2-4 blind, helpless cubs are born, after a gestation period of approximately 96 days. Cubs grow quickly, are introduced to meat at approximately 6 - 8 weeks and are weaned after approximately 12 weeks. They will however continue to suckle for as long as the female will allow. Males leave their mother between 18 months to 2 years old and roam far to find new territories. Females leave slightly later and may establish territories overlapping their mother. Males reach sexual maturity at between 3 and 4 years, females slightly earlier, however they will not breed until they have established their own territory. |
| Longevity | Up to 10 - 15 years in the wild; up to 23 years in captivity. |
| Interesting Facts | Melanistic (black) leopards are found fairly frequently in populations from the tropical regions in Asia. Amur leopards are the rarest of the big cat sub-species, at only 30 -35 wild individuals. They are incredible acrobats, exceptionally agile jumpers and climbers, able to leap up tp 12 m horizontally and up to 6 m vertically. Exceptionally efficient muscles enable leopards to take down prey over 3 times their own weight, and carry it vertically up trees to cache. |
| Historic Distribution | The leopard is now regionally extinct in Hong Kong, Kuwait, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Singapore, Syrian Arab Republic and Tunisia. The presence of leopards is no longer certain in Iraq, Kazakhstan, The Republic of Korea, Lebanon, Lesotho, and Mauritania. |
| Geographic range/countries | Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, India, Indonesia (Jawa), Islamic Republic of Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Liberia, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Tajikistan, United Republic of Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe. |
| Habitat | Leopards can live in a wide variety of habitats, ranging from rainforest to desert. In Africa, they are most successful in woodland, grassland savanna and forest but can also be commonly found in mountains, coastal scrub, swampy areas, shrubland, semi-desert and desert. They can live at altitudes ranging from sea level to as much as 4,600 m on Mt Kenya (Hunter et al. in press). In Southwest and Central Asia, leopards' range has been restricted to the more remote montane and rugged foothills. Through India and Southeast Asia, leopards are found in all forest types, from tropical rainforest to the temperate deciduous and alpine coniferous, they also occur in dry scrub and grasslands. |
| IUCN Red List Category | Near Threatened (NT) |
| CITES Appendix | Appendix I (leopards are protected under national legislation through most of their range) |
| Est. wild population | less than 12,829 and decreasing |
| Captive population | approximately 438 males, 427 females and 7 unknowns in ISIS registered facilities in America, Asia, Australasia, and Europe in 2010. |
| Captive breeding information | WHF participates in the European Endangered Species Breeding Programme (EEP) for Amur and North Chinese leopards. Male Amur leopard Artur and female Xizi successfully bred and reared cubs Argun and Anuy in 2008. Argun is still on site but Anuy left in February 2011 for Fukuyama City Zoo in Hiroshima, Japan as part of the breeding programme. WHF provides a home for breeding North Chinese leopard female Atara and male Tairi but as yet we have not had a recommendation to breed from them. WHF also provides a home for "retired" melanistic (black) leopard male Khan and female Mystiqu. They are 13 therefore past suitable breeding age and there is no EEP for "Black" leopards, so they are not at WHF to breed (in fact Khan can no longer breed!) but are wonderful ambassadors for leopards and WHF, and are very popular with our visitors - in particular photographic experiences! |
| Threats | Habitat loss, conversion and fragmentation; retaliatory killing for real and perceived livestock loss and other threats; competition with humans for prey and poaching of prey; poisonning (either by farmers for "predator control" or secondary poisonning from vermin); poaching for illegal trade; trophy hunting and other conflicts with humans. |
| Conservation Strategies | Livestock compensation, habitat protection, research, monitoring and education. |
Working to conserve the Cape Leopard
Cheetah
| Scientific Name | Acinonyx jubatus |
| Common Name | cheetah |
| Distinguishing Features | Cheetah are the fastest land mammal. They are perfectly adapted to reach high speeds with relatively straight limbs, slight, light frame and flexible spine. Large blood vessels, enlarged heart and lungs, pump blood/fuel quickly through the body. Extremely flexible spine (most of the muscle mass is on the spine) and lack of collar bone allow the back legs to swing in front of the front legs during sprint. Semi retractable claws give traction and a relatively long tail acts as a rudder allowing the cheetah to turn at high speed (cheetah run very fast in a straight line, the defence mechanism of their prey is to "zig-zag". Black "mascara lines" keep the sun out of the cheetah's eyes allowing the cat to hunt during the day (avoiding conflict with other felids and giving the cheetah a better chance of keeping its kill). Cheetah do not have saggital crests on their skull unlike the true "big cats" and their slender canines allow for larger nasal passages which mean they can catch their breath back whilst suffocating their prey. |
| Weight | Cheetah weigh between 34 - 54 kg, are at least 73 cm tall and 1.12 - 1.35 m long (including tail!) |
| Diet | Favourite prey are antelope, either small antelope such as Eudorcas thomsonii or the young of larger antelope such as Tragelaphus strepsiceros. Cheetah will often also hunt warthog, spring hare and game birds. Hunting technique is to stalk to as close as possible then stand, the fleeing of the intended prey acts as a catalyst for the chase, trip, kill instinct. Cheetah kill by suffocating their prey and eat quickly to avoid losing the kill to other carnivores/scavengers. |
| Breeding | Females live alone except when mating/rearing cubs. Males can live in coalitions of related individuals. Cubs are born year-round after a gestation period of 95 days. Average litter sizes are 4 -5 cubs, born blind and helpless. Cubs grow quickly, open their eyes at approximately 7 days, start to eat meat at approximately 6 -8 weeks, are fully weaned at 12 weeks but may continue to suckle for as long as the mother allows. Cubs have a thick silvery-grey mantle down their back until they are approximately three months old. It is believed that the mantle helps to camouflage the cubs in the long grass and may help them avoid predation by their resemblance to the ratel. It can also provide protection from sun and rain. Sexual maturity is reached at 20 -23 months at which cubs will disperse to establish their own territories. |
| Longevity | Wild cheetah are highly inbred and have suffered from inbreeding depression, therefore are not expected to live past 10 years in the wild, and typically not much longer in captivity at 8-12 years. |
| Interesting Facts | Cheetah can see detail from approximately 5 km away. Cheetah can reach speeds of 110 km per hour. Cheetah can accelerate 0 to 84 km per hour in under 3 seconds meaning that they out perform most sports cars. Cheetah are closely related to puma (Puma concolor) and jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi). Cheetah are easily domesticated and ancient Egyptians and Romans frequently used cheetah to hunt (hence the name "hunting leopard"). Cheetah are the largest cat to purr on the inhale. They are not true "big" cats as they cannot roar, but mew, hiss, chirrup and yowl. Physically, cheetah more closely resemble greyhounds than cats. Modern cheetah closely resemble cheetah of 200,000 years ago, making them one of the oldest extant cat species. |
| Historic Distribution | Prehistoric distribution: cheetah were common throughout Africa, Asia and Europe North America until about 20,000 years ago. In 1900, there were 100,000 cheetah in 33 African countries and 11 Asian countries. |
| Geographic range/countries | Currently cheetah are mainly found in Southern and Eastern Africa, small populations remain in Northern and Eastern Africa, and Iran. Cheetah currently exist in Algeria; Angola; Benin; Botswana; Burkina Faso; Central African Republic; Chad; The Democratic Republic of the Congo; Ethiopia; Islamic Republic of Iran; Kenya; Mozambique; Namibia; Niger; Somalia; South Africa; Sudan; United Republic of Tanzania; Togo; Uganda; Zambia; and Zimbabwe |
| Habitat | Cheetah are terrestrial cats preferring open grassy habitats, but can also be found in dry forest, savannah woodland, semi-desert and scrub. Cheetah avoid tropical rainforest. Cheetah can survive at higher altitudes in the Saharan mountains due to the availability of suitable prey. |
| IUCN Red List Category | Vulnerable (VU) |
| CITES Appendix | Appendix 1. Some legal trade of live animals and hunting trophies is allowed under Appendix 1 quotas per African country. This was allowed in an attempt to raise the economic value of cheetah to landowners providing an incentive for their conservation |
| Est. wild population | In 1975, there were 30,000 cheetah in Africa, and 200 in Iran. In 2000 there were 12,500 cheetahs in 26 African countries and 100 in Iran. The current estimated wild population is 7500 adult individuals. In one century human-cheetah conflict has reduced cheetah population to less than 13% of its original. |
| Captive population | Approximately 1400 individuals in 165 zoological collections in 65 countrites. |
| Captive breeding information | WHF participates in the European Endangered Species Breeding Programme (EEP) for cheetah by providing a home for breeding males on site. The breeding females (and any subsequent cubs) reside at our sister site Paradise Wildlife Park. Cheetah females are notoriously fussy in captivity and may refuse to breed with familiar males. Successful captive breeding either involves allowing the female to choose her mate from a range of males, or mimicking wild behaviour by keeping the breeding pair completely separate throughout the females' cycle and only introducing the pair for the purposes of breeding, whilst the female is in oestrus and immediately separating again after successful mating. We do this by keeping the male in Kent and the female (and cubs) in Hertfordshire. |
| Threats | Naturally the main threat to a cheetah is a lion, and other large carnivores. Lions kill approximately 75% of cheetah cubs. In the Serengeti National Park, only 5% of cheetah cubs make it to adulthood. Cheetah are non-confrontational and are easily frightened from their kill by anything from larger carnivores, to baboons and vultures, once frightened from a kill a cheetah will not return to it, but will have to hunt again. To avoid lions, cheetah hunt during the day and establish large territories. In Africa land is either a managed National Park, or farmland. Cheetah territories are so large that only a fraction is in a protected area, leaving most cheetah living in farmland. Farmers see cheetah as a threat to livestock and so shoot on site. Acacia bush grows out of control in Namibia and Kenya due to the decline of the rhinoceros which would eat the shoots before the plant could develop and establish. Thorns from this bush can damage cheetah eyes, injure and prevent successful hunting for cheetah. Approximately 20000 years ago there was a population bottleneck of cheetah. Currently it is estimated, based on genetics, that the entire current cheetah population restarted from one pregnant female. This makes the wild population genetically very similar and has led to problems and abnormalities in the wild population because of inbreeding. Current abnormalities include deformed sperm, low sperm count, low sperm motility, birth defects, kinked tails, ataxia, crowded lower incisors and focal palatine erosion (where molars break into roof of mouth). |
| Conservation Strategies | WHF supports the Cheetah Conservation Fund which works on behalf cheetah, in Namibia and Kenya. CCF work directly with farmers to help mitigate any negative impacts of cheetah living and reproducing in farmland. Scat found in play trees is analysed for DNA evidence of content. CCF found that less than 3% of the diet of a healthy wild cheetah was livestock - cheetah prefer wild prey!! But the loss of prey and habitat made poorly managed livestock a much easier option especially to cheetah injured by vegetation or gin traps! The four main projects are: Livestock Management: CCF educate farmers in managing their animals, securing fences, etc. and set up compensation schemes for any livestock predated by cheetah. Anatolian Shepherd Dogs: A very successful deterrent! CCF breed puppies which mature with the herd/flock and fiercely protect the livestock. Cheetah aren't confrontational animals, built for flight not fight, so avoid herds which are protected by these loyal and imposing canids. BushBlok®: CCF work to clear excess Acacia bush from Namibian farmlands in a sustainable way. This creates jobs, is sold as BushBlok® an ecological alternative to charcoal, and protects the cheetah who would otherwise be injured by the thorns. By doing this service for farmers, and creating local jobs for Namibians; this is excellent PR for the cheetah, and proceeds go to cheetah conservation. Cheetah Country Beef: CCF work with farmers to sell Namibian beef at higher prices by certifying that the farmers are using cheetah-friendly livestock management. This guarantees better prices for farmers should they work to live with the cheetah. . |
Keep up to date with CCF news
Clouded leopards
| Scientific Name | Neofelis nebulosa |
| Common Name | clouded leopard |
| Distinguishing Features | Clouded leopards have proportionally the longest canines of any felid. They have distinctive "cloud" marking of darker ellipses on a coat which varies from tawny to silvery-grey. They have proportionally large feet, short legs and very long flexible tail which gives them excellent balance and allows them to live almost entirely arboreally. ! They have very large eyes with distinctive tapetum lucidem which gives them excellent night vision, as they are almost entirely nocturnal in the wild. There is significant sexual dimorphism between male and females, with males being on average twice the size of females. |
| Weight | Clouded leopards weigh on average 15.8 - 22.7 kg and are 1.2 - 1.98 m long (including tail!). Males are twice the size and weight of females. |
| Diet | Clouded leopards hunt frequently mainly eating small mammals (including primates), birds and reptiles, they also occasionally hunt larger prey such as porcupines, small deer and wild pigs. |
| Breeding | Little is known about wild reproduction, however wild clouded leopards are believed to be solitary except when rearing cubs. Females being much lighter, smaller and more agile can escape the larger more aggressive male by climbing onto higher tree branches that cannot support the male's weight after mating. Clouded leopard kittens are born year-round after a gestation period of approximately 90 days (range 85 -100 days). The average litter size is 2, however between 1 and 5 kittens may be born in a litter. Offspring reach sexual maturity and disperse from their mother at 2. |
| Longevity | In captivity clouded leopards can live up to 17 years, little is known about the wild lifespan but it is believed to be significantly lower. |
| Interesting Facts | Clouded leopards are able to rotate their feet almost 180' to walk vertically down tree trunks and can climb by hanging underneath horizontal branches and even hang upside-down from a tree branch by their back feet!! The tendency of a clouded leopard to curl it's tail around itself when resting, coupled with their distinctive markings and long canines gives the clouded leopard protection from larger predators due to its resemblance to a reticulated python. Like the snow leopard, clouded leopards are a bridge species between "big" and small cats as they cannot roar like true "big" cats but do not purr on the inhale like small cats. They make a range of different vocalisations from chirrups, yowls, mews, and the non-threatening prusten "chuff". In 2007 the previously-thought sub-species the Bornean or Sunda clouded leopard found on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra was actually found to be genetically significantly different enough to be regarded as a separate species Neofelis diardi from the mainland species. |
| Historic Distribution | Historically clouded leopards had a wide range through China, south of the Yangtze, Bangladesh and were found on the island of Taiwan. There are few remaining currently in Bangladesh, clouded leopards are now extinct in Taiwan and drastic habitat loss coupled with prolific illegal hunting in China means current clouded leopard distribution in China is unknown. |
| Geographic range/countries | Clouded leopards are found throughout South-East Asia from southern China and central Nepal through to Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. They have also been found in the Himalayan foothills as high as 3000 m in altitude. |
| Habitat | Clouded leopards prefer primary evergreen tropical rainforest but can also be found in secondary and logged forest and grasslands, as well as in mangrove swamps, scrub and dry forests. They show preference for forested areas over open habitat. |
| IUCN Red List Category | Vulnerable (VU) |
| CITES Appendix | Appendix I - all international trade in whole animals and parts is prohibited. Hunting is prohibited through most of clouded leopard range, and restricted in Lao PDR |
| Est. wild population | Fewer than 10,000 mature individuals with no population numbering more than 1,000 |
| Captive population | 103 females, 117 males and 3 unknown in 70 ISIS registered zoological collections in Europe, North America and Asia. |
| Captive breeding information | Captive breeding of clouded leopards in Europe is monitored and controlled by the European Endangered Breeding Programme (EEP). WHF provides home for clouded leopard male Ben and female Mandalay, who are retired members of the EEP having successfully bred and reared multiple litters of offspring at Howletts Wild Animal Park. Ben and Mandalay's genetics are now well represented within the EEP. Hopefully WHF will participate more with the EEP in the future and house breeding animals. Clouded leopards pose unusual challenges in captive breeding. Introduction of two adult clouded leopards is almost impossible due to the size difference between males and females and the associated aggression. Males often kill females in captivity. In a captive environment females cannot escape males as they would in the wild. To overcome this successful breeding programmes introduce males and females at a very young, sub-adult age. It is thought that the male kitten is still heavily bonded to the mother at this point, and when separated bonds closely to the female kitten, receiving all the comfort he needs from the mother, from the new female. Captive clouded leopards therefore form strong bonds, are generally paired for life and any separation is to be avoided. By designing enclosures with a minimum of two access points to every enclosure/house this means there is nowhere in enclosures for males to corner females. When captive females are breeding enclosures are designed with nest boxes with access points small enough that only the female can enter and easily defend the nest. This removes the necessity for separating the male after breeding. Following this method females generally produce their first litter after 2 years of being with the male, and rearing is often successful. |
| Threats | As clouded leopards mainly rely on virgin rainforest they are under significant threat of habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation due to logging, agriculture and the growing oil palm industry in South-East Asia. Over 10% of habitat has been lost in the last ten year - the world's fastest regional deforestation rate (1.2-1.3% loss per year since 1990!). Clouded leopards are also under threat from the illegal wildlife trade. Pelts are sold in markets, kittens are taken illegally as pets in Asia, meat is served in local dishes and clouded leopard parts are used in the Traditional Asian Medicine market. |
| Conservation Strategies | Clouded leopards are protected under CITES. In order for clouded leopards to survive priorities are; establishing protected areas for clouded leopards and their prey, the development and enforcement of strict wildlife protection laws to eliminate poaching of clouded leopards and their prey, and further field research into clouded leopard numbers, habitat and behaviour, as there is much still unknown about this felid. The Clouded Leopard Project, through generous donations, has funded research projects studying wild clouded leopards and is working in South-East Asia trying to highlight and combat wildlife crime and raising the profile of clouded leopards. |
Keep up to date with the Clouded Leopard Project blog
Eurasian lynx
| Scientific Name | Lynx lynx |
| Common Name | Eurasian lynx |
| Distinguishing Features | The largest of the "bob" tailed cats (Bobcat, Canadian Lynx, and Iberian Lynx) showing a definite cline - animals increase in size and weight and become greyer with a less patterned coat, the further North they are found. They have one of the widest range of any cat species. Summer fur is usually spotted and a rusty red colour moulting into a longer, greyer, less patterned coat in the Winter. Lynx have relatively long legs, with the back legs being longer than the front, for balance and to aid in jumping. Their faces are framed by a ruff or beard which helps to protect their necks. They have relatively large feet which are well furred and padded to help with walking in snow. The most notable features of the lynx is the very short black "bobbed" tail and the extra long ear tufts on the edge of their ears. The best theory as to these features is that being an animal that ambushes its prey, lynx do not need the long tail for balance or steering in the hunt, and being an animal that comes from a cold part of the world it would be inefficient to pump blood through a long tail that they did not need. Cats do use their tails for communication and it is believed that having the tufts on the ears (which are also used for communication) helps the lynx to make up for the lack of tail when communicating with other cats. |
| Weight | 15 kg - 29 kg (80 - 110 cm long; 65 - 75 cm tall) |
| Diet | Mostly ungulates (especially deer e.g. Capreolus capreolus, Cervus elaphus, etc.). Eurasian lynx will eat smaller mammals (e.g. lagomorphs) when deer populations are scarce. |
| Breeding | Seasonal breeders, Eurasian lynx mate between February and April and give birth (after a gestation period of approximately 69 days) to 2 - 3 blind helpless kittens in May to June. Kittens grow quickly and are independent of mum at approximately 10 months. Females will start to breed at approximately 20 - 24 months, males at approximately 30 months. Females will breed every 1 - 3 years until they are approximately 14 (males may continue to breed up to 16-17 years). |
| Longevity | Up to 17 years in the wild. Up to 24 years in captivity |
| Interesting Facts | Eurasian lynx have a "phenotype set" more in common with larger felids than with the other "lynxes" in that they are long-lived, eat and take down prey at least half their body weight, have large territories and exist at relatively low densities. Canadian lynx, Bobcats and Iberian lynx prefer lagomorphs (hares, rabbits, etc.) whereas Eurasian lynx prefer Cervid species (deer). In some areas where there is competiton from other carnivores, lynx have been know to cache kills up trees. They have been found in the Himalayan foothills at elevations of 2,500 m. |
| Historic Distribution | Europe (mainly Western Europe), through Russia into Asia and down to the Tibetan plateau. Absent from the larger islands like Ireland and Sicily, and the Iberian peninsular (Spain/Portugal) where the Iberian lynx prevailed. Now extirpated from most of Western Europe and in Central Europe occuring mainly in the Carpathian Mountains with a small population in the south Dinaric Mountains (Greece, Macedonia, Albania) and a larger population in Fennoscandia, the Baltic states, and European Russia. Although there have been efforts to reintroduce Eurasian lynx in Switzerland, Slovenia, Italy, Czech Republic, Austria, Germany and France. |
| Geographic range/countries | Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Italy, Kazakhstan, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nepal, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. |
| Habitat | The Eurasian lynx is primarily associated with forested areas which have good ungulate populations. In Central Asia they can occur in more open, thinly wooded areas. Throughout the northern slopes of the Himalayas, Eurasian lynx have been reported both from thick scrub woodland and barren, rocky areas above the treeline. Eurasian lynx occur infrequently throughout the Tibetan plateau, and the rocky hills and mountains of the Central Asian desert regions. |
| IUCN Red List Category | Lower Concern (LC) |
| CITES Appendix | Appendix II, and protected under the Bern Convention (Appendix III) Commerical hunting (other than sport hunting) is permitted only in Russia |
| Est. wild population | Less than 8, 000 in Europe, 35, 000 in Russia and 10, 000 in the rest of Asia. |
| Captive population | 188 males, 202 females, and 9 unknowns in ISIS registered collections in Europe, America and Asia in 2011. |
| Captive breeding information | Captive breeding of Eurasian lynx is controlled by the European Stud Book (ESB). WHF provides a home for female lynx Petra who was part of the ESB but was born at Norfolk Wildlife Park and comes from a very successful line there. Therefore, Petra's genes are very well represented in the stud book and it was difficult to find her a suitable unrelated mate. |
| Threats | The biggest threat to the Eurasian lynx is the illegal skin trade, followed by habitat loss and prey-base depletion. |
| Conservation Strategies | Reintroduction/relocation. |
Hybrid tigers
 | Tamair |
 | Indy |
 | Bruno |
 | Padmini |
| Scientific Name | Panthera tigris |
| Common Name | tiger |
| Distinguishing Features | Tigers as a species show a "cline". A cline is when different populations of the same species look significantly different over its geographic range. Tigers in more northern habitats are larger with greater hair densities, paler coat colour and longer fur than their southern counterparts. Tigers have a distinctive stripe patterns on their fur and skin. This pattern is as individual to a single tiger as fingerprints are to humans. The stripes work to break up the tigers outline, helping to camouflage the felid in the sunlight dappling between trees and long grass. Tigers are very slender at the rear to aid in grooming their rear end, enabling them to live a solitary lifestyle (unlike lions which being stocky at the rear need other members of the pride to keep their bottoms clean!). Most of the strength in a tiger comes from their front limbs, strong bones support powerful muscles which enable tigers to take down and hold large prey, aid in swimming and climbing. When a tiger climbs a tree they tend to pull themselves up using their front limbs rather than jump up like the more agile cats (e.g. leopards). Hind legs of the tiger are slightly longer than their front legs to enable the cats to leap up to 10 m. They have padded paws which act like shock absorbers and facilitate a silent stalk of prey. Tiger claws are slightly curved to grasp and hold large prey and to enable head first climbing. < BR /> Tigers have the largest canines proportionally of any of the big cats, and the saggital crest on the skull facilitates a crushing powerful bite to prey. To aid in sensory perception, tigers have whiskers on their muzzle (mystacial) that help the felid to navigate in the dark, and sense prey, eyebrows (superciliary), cheeks, back of knees on front limbs (carpal) and throughout the body (Tylotrich). |
| Weight | Tiger weights can range from the very large male Amur and Indian sub-species (220 - 300 kg and 2.9 - 3.3 m) to the smallest Sumatran sub-species (female weighing 90 kg and measuring 2.2 m). |
| Diet | Tigers are powerful ambush predators - stalking and attacking from behind, biting the prey on the neck and breaking the spinal chord. Like all big cats they gorge on a kill and then fast for a number of days until opportunity or hunger inspires them to hunt again. Tigers will chase prey into water where their superior swimming ability gives an advantage. Like all big cats, tigers use their canines in the hunt and kill (they fit around the vertebrae like a key in a lock, suffocating their prey and breaking the spine), they eat by plucking fur and feathers with the small incisors, stripping fur and flesh off bones with the very rough papillae on their tongue, and shearing and scissoring through flesh and bone using their very powerful carnassial (back) teeth. Tigers hunt a range of different prey, deer, bovids and pigs making up the majority of their diet across the different ranges but they will also hunt and eat primates and smaller prey such as porcupines. |
| Breeding | Tigers are solitary except when breeding/rearing cubs. 2 - 4 blind, helpless cubs are born after a gestation period of 103 days. Cubs grow quickly, are introduced to meat at approximately 6 - 8 weeks and are weaned after approximately 12 weeks. They will however continue to suckle for as long as the female will allow. Adult teeth grow before "milk" teeth fall out, so that the tiger is never without a full complement of teeth! (scary when they hiss at you with 2 sets of teeth!). Males leave their mother between 18 months to 2 years old and roam far to find new territories. Females leave slightly later and may establish territories overlapping their mother. Male territories are much larger than female's and generally incorporate 4 or 5 females'. Males reach sexual maturity at between 3 and 4 years, females slightly earlier, however they will not breed until they have established their own territory. |
| Longevity | Tigers are able to live 10 - 15 years in the wild, however few are allowed to live out a natural lifespan. In captivity they can live over 20 years. |
| Interesting Facts | Tigers have 500 taste buds compared to a humans' 9000. Tigers see six times better than us in the dark. Hearing is the most acute sense. Tiger ears act like satellites rotating toward sound and tigers can hear up to 60 KHz whereas human hearing can only hear as high as 20 KHz. Tigers have white spots on their ears to enable cubs to follow their mother and as communication tools. Tigers vocalisations range from a loud call used when taking down prey, calling to their young or signalling sexual receptivity that can be heard over 3 km away, to a low moan often heard whilst tigers are calming patrolling their territory. Tigers also make the non-threatening prusten ("chuff") greeting. The stripe pattern on the top of all tigers' heads resembles the Chinese symbol for "wang" which means king. Tigers are not very agile in trees and have to climb down backwards or jump down Tigers territories are larger where prey is less abundant Tigers communicate using scent (urine, faeces, scent glands) and their tails. A twitching or swishing tiger tail can mean aggression or excitement! Scent glands on the mothers' feet, enable tiger cubs to follow mother's footsteps! Tigers will frequently patrol and mark their territories Although solitary, when tigers were more common they were frequently reported collaborating on hunts, sharing kills and collecting at water. They can be leucocystic (white with blue eyes) this is caused by an uncommon recessive gene in the Indian tiger sub-species (Panthera tigris tigris), melanistic and "Maltese" or blue individuals have also been reported in India in the past. |
| Historic Distribution | Tigers previously roamed widely across Asia, from Turkey in the west to the Far East of Russia. In the last 100 years, tigers have disappeared from southwest and central Asia, from Java and Bali in Indonesia and from large areas of Southeast and Eastern Asia. Tigers have lost 93% of their historic range. 4 out of the 9 tiger sub-species are now considered to be extinct in the wild; Panthera tigris amoyensis (South China Tiger), Panthera tigris balica (Bali tiger), Panthera tigris sondaica (Javan tiger) and Panthera tigris virgata (Caspian tiger). |
| Geographic range/countries | Bangladesh; Bhutan; Cambodia; China; India; Indonesia (Sumatera); Lao PDR; Malaysia (Peninsular); Myanmar; Nepal; Russia; Thailand; Viet Nam. The 5 remaining extant sub-species are found in Far East Russia and North East China (Amur tiger Panthera tigris altaica ), Indochina (North of Malaysia) (Indochinese tiger Panthera tigris corbetti ), the Malayan peninsular (Malay tiger Panthera tigris jacksoni ), Sumatra (Sumatran tiger Panthera tigris sumatrae ) and the Indian sub-continent (Bengal tiger Panthera tigris tigris ). |
| Habitat | Tigers are terrestrial felids found only in Asia, in forested areas with long grass for cover, tigers avoid expanses of open space. Most tiger range is found in tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests. Other common habitat are temperate and broadleaf mixed forests, and tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests. Tigers are also found in coniferous forest, mangrove forest, and tropical grass and shrubland. Tigers have also been observed at 4,500 m in Bhutan. |
| IUCN Red List Category | Endangered (EN) |
| CITES Appendix | Appendix 1 (all commercial trade, import and export in tiger/tiger parts is prohibited). |
| Est. wild population | According to IUCN (2010) gloabl wild tiger population is no more than 5,066 but could be as low as 3,062 wild individuals. |
| Captive population | 15,000 - 20,000. There are more tigers kept as "pets" in the USA than wild in the whole of Asia. |
| Captive breeding information | WHF participates in the European Endangered Species Breeding Programme (EEP) for two of the nine tiger sub-species (Amur and Sumatran tigers). WHF also provides a home for a number of sub-species hybrid tigers. These cats are assets to our site, and showcases for visitors (especially if our breeding animals have cubs and are therefore "off-show") but WHF does not breed hybrid animals. There is no conservation value in breeding sub-species hybrid tigers as you are not preserving any particular sub-species and it is difficult to use hybrid animals (not present in the wild) for education and non-invasive research. WHF follows the Secretary of State's Standards of Modern Zoo Practice, the highest standards of welfare for captive animals, which recommends that sub-species hybrids are not bred. |
| Threats | Tigers, as a species, throughout all their ranges are significantly in decline, primarily due to poaching for trade and habitat loss. In January 2010 the tiger was named by WWF as the species most at risk of extinction The greatest threat to a tiger is us All tigers are threatened by habit loss and degradation, including human development, logging, roads, searches for finite resources and forest fires. They also are frequently poached for illegal trade, primarily for the Traditional Asian Medicine market. There is also human-tiger conflict through retaliatory killing, and prey-base depletion. |
| Conservation Strategies | As all tigers have individual scents, dogs are being trained to detect a tiger by its individual smell to assist in estimating wild tiger populations. WHF supports 21st Century Tiger, a partnership between ZSL and Global Tiger Patrol, which work all over Asia increasing awareness and understanding of tigers, monitoring numbers and preventing poaching/deforestation where possible. 21st Century Tiger and Wildlife Vets International, are part of a coalition of 13 NGOs called the Amur Leopard and Tiger Alliance (ALTA). ALTA work in China and Russia raising awareness and support by funding anti-poaching and fire-fighting patrols; organising livestock compensation schemes, educating local communities about leopard conservation and forest fires; organising "Leopard Days" and "Tiger Days" involving educational workshops for children about Amur leopards and tigers; and funding public awareness broadcasts about Amur leopards. ALTA also are involved in the scientific study on the health and population of the remaining wild Amur leopards and tigers. WHF consultant vet Dr John Lewis, and Wildlife Vets International (WVI) are currently investigating human-tiger conflict in the Sundarbans National Park in Bangladesh, where an important population of Bengal tigers (approximately 300-500) roam, but where an average of 20 - 30 villagers per year are killed by the tigers. WVI are involved in educating about tiger management, improving local attitude to the tiger, investigating diseases transmitted to tigers by feral cats and dogs, aiming to reduce the numbers of villagers and tigers killed per year, and assisting the Sundarbans Tiger Project with tiger conservation (see further info tab). |
North Chinese leopards
| Scientific Name | Panthera pardus japonensis |
| Common Name | North Chinese leopard |
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Pallas' cats
| Scientific Name | Otocolobus manul |
| Common Name | Pallas' cat, manul |
| Distinguishing Features | Pallas' cats are small, stocky felids, well adapted to live in mountainous regions. They have the longest, thickest fur proportionally of any felid to protect them from the harsh extreme cold. Like their snow leopard neighbour, they have proportionally small ears to avoid heat loss. These ears are set low down on the head so that when the Pallas' cat is scouting for prey in the rocks and shrubs, their ears don't give their location away. Their legs are strong and short to aid in balance and their irises constrict into circular pupils (unlike other small felids) to give them a wider field of vision on rocky terrain. |
| Weight | Pallas' cats weigh on average 2 - 4.5 kg and are 70 - 96 cm long including tail! |
| Diet | Pallas' cats hunt almost exclusively pika (Ochotonidae). Where these hare-like animals are abundant, pika make up 89% of Pallas' cat diet. In areas of less pika abundance, other rodents are consumed. Pallas' cats hunt frequently spring-autumn, by searching for pika burrows and "fishing" these animals out using their very dexterous paws. Pallas' cats tend to increase weight and food consumption during the autumn to prepare for the winter and breeding season when food is less available and they undergo a semi-hibernation. |
| Breeding | Wild observations suggest Pallas' cats are solitary except during the breeding season and when rearing kittens. They are seasonal breeders, mating during the winter with most kittens born in April and May after a gestation period of 74 to 75 days. Breeding activity is strongly affected by light (photo-period) and extreme male weight gain in the Autumn months is related to increases in testosterone in readiness for the breeding season. Pallas' cat litter sizes are unusually large for a felid (6-8 kittens). Kittens are born blind and helpless but grow quickly, moult their juvenile coat at approximately 2 months and are adult-sized at 8 months. Females are sexually mature at 12 months (males slightly later) and will disperse from mother. |
| Longevity | In captivity Pallas' cats can live up to 12 years, little is known about the wild lifespan but it is believed to be significantly lower. |
| Interesting Facts | The defence mechanism of a Pallas' cat is to freeze and pretend to be a rock! Pallas' cats are unusually quiet felids (rocks don't make much noise!) but they do make bird-like chirrups and barks when calling for mates, and yowls during fighting. They can purr. When Peter Pallas first discovered these cats, he suggested that they were the ancestors of the Persian breed of domestic cats because of their flat faces, long hair and stocky build. This is not true, domestic cats are related to the African wildcat. With their round pupils and low-set ears they resemble marmosets or small monkeys (or Gizmo!). It is estimated that Pallas' cats diverged from a leopard cat ancestor approximately 5.19 million years ago. |
| Historic Distribution | Populations in the south west of Pallas' cat range are declining, and they have been extirpated from the eastern-most part of their range. Their presence is no longer certain in Bhutan or Nepal. |
| Geographic range/countries | Pallas' cats are found in Afghanistan; Armenia; Azerbaijan; China; India; Islamic Republic of Iran; Kazakhstan; Kyrgyzstan; Mongolia; Pakistan; Russian Federation; Tajikistan; Turkmenistan; and Uzbekistan |
| Habitat | Pallas' cats prefer stony alpine desert, mountain steppe grasslands, uplands and inter-mountain depressions. Preferred habitats are exposed rock outcrops and expanses of talus (wherever there are pika!). They tend to avoid lowland sandy desert basins (except along river courses). Pallas' cats can be found at altitudes of up to 5,000 m. |
| IUCN Red List Category | Near Threatened (NT) but could qualify as (VU) in the near future (2007) |
| CITES Appendix | Appendix II - Pallas' cats are legally protected from hunting in most of their range except Mongolia where there is no protection and they are legally hunted as trophies (despite being NT) |
| Est. wild population | Approximately 5,000 Pallas' cats remain in Russia, populations are significantly higher in Mongolian steppe grasslands (5 per 100 square km) and the Tibetan plateau, but the felids are very rare and uncommon in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Iran, and populations are small and threatened in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan. |
| Captive population | Approximately 73 males, 83 females and 2 unknown live in 81 ISIS registered zoological collections in Europe, North America and Asia. |
| Captive breeding information | WHF participate in the European Endangered Species Breeding Programme (EEP) for Pallas' cat. In 2010 our Pallas' cats female Tula and male Wei Shand successfully bred and raised 4 Pallas' kittens; 2 males - Caspian and Aduva, and 2 females - Pamir and Ulan Bator. The parasite Toxoplasma gondii which causes Toxoplasmosis cannot survive in harsh cold environments or at high altitudes. This means that wild Pallas' cats unlike nearly all other cats, do not come into contact with the parasite and therefore are naturally naive to the disease. In captivity the parasite is abundant (in wildlife, water, soil and other felids) but as a species they have not been kept in captivity long enough to build up any immunity to the parasite and mothers pass no immunity on to their offspring even if they have been exposed. Therefore there is a high mortality rate in captive Pallas' cats due to Toxoplasma related disorders, this especially affects immune-compromised individuals, pregnant dams, kittens and geriatric animals (there is approximately a 60% mortality rate in Pallas' kitten born in North American zoos due to Toxoplasmosis). To help to combat this problem food is frozen at -18' and thawed before provided to the cats, and during the breeding season and whilst pregnant females are given anti-parasitic medication which they then pass through their milk to the offspring. Kittens are then medicated at 1, 3, 5 and 9 weeks with the same medication. |
| Threats | Pallas' cats suffer from depletion of their prey base and habitat loss/degradation. Pika are considered to be vermin and are eradicated by poisoning on a large scale, so Pallas' cats also suffer from secondary poisoning. Pallas' cats are also killed by domestic dogs and can catch toxoplasmosis from domestic cats, which being naive to the parasite proves fatal for Pallas' cats. Pallas' cat fur is sort after for it's warmth and durability in Mongolia where there are regular hunting seasons for the felid. They were heavily persecuted for their fur in Russia and China also however since the late 1980s this has declined. Pallas' cat organs and fat are used in traditional medicines in Russia and Mongolia. Occasionally the felids are killed accidentally by gin traps and snares meant for other animals, or mistaken for rodents and shot. |
| Conservation Strategies | The "Pallas' Cat Study and Conservation Programme" is a charitable organisation set up by the Siberian Environmental Centre (Novosibirsk) in order to support and develop initiatives dedicated to the study of Pallas' cats. Their work includes collecting data pertaining to the true conservation status of the felid, as little data is available other than that the species is in decline. They also provide assistance and funding to conservation work related to this species. |
Pumas
| Scientific Name | Puma concolor |
| Common Name | puma, cougar, panther, catamount, mountain lion, red tiger, deer tiger |
| Distinguishing Features | Pumas are found in two colour phases; yellow/tawny shades of buff and cinnamon, or grey shades of silver, slate and blue. They have developed adaptations for life in the mountains including a long tail for balance, large feet for balance and weight distributions, relatively small rounded ears to prevent heat loss, and longer hind legs for agile, jumping climbing and balance. Hairs between the pads of their feet enable them to hunt and stalk relatively silently. Over their range larger animals are found towards the far northern and southern extremes and smaller animals are equatorial. They have exceptionally powerful muscles capable of taking down very large prey. |
| Weight | Male pumas weigh between 61 - 103 kg and are 1 - 2 m long (including tail!). Females are smaller at 36 - 60 kg and 0.9 - 1.5 m. |
| Diet | 60-80% of puma diet is deer spp (between 39-48 kg). Pumas will also eat other ungulates, beavers, porcupines, hares, wild hogs and birds. Pumas hunt by stalking and pouncing, usually attacking their prey from the rear and jumping onto the back before killing by a bite to the neck/throat and suffocating their prey/severing the spinal chord. Pumas will consume a large carcass over several days, unusually digging and burying uneaten kills to cache, until opportunity or hunger inspire the puma to hunt again. |
| Breeding | Adult puma are solitary except when mating/rearing kittens. Offspring are mainly born year-round after a gestation period of 90 - 96 days. However puma become more seasonal breeders the further north (most kittens being born April - September) and south (birth peak from February - June) in their ranges. Average litter sizes are 1 -6 blind, helpless and spotted kittens. Kittens grow quickly, open their eyes at approximately 7 days, start to eat meat at approximately 6 -8 weeks, are fully weaned at 12 weeks but may continue to suckle for as long as the mother allows. The spots start to fade at approximately 6 months, when juveniles start making their own kills. Dispersing age is approximately 12 -18 months at sexual maturity however puma will not start breeding until they have established their own territories; males usually at 3 years and females at 2.5 years. Puma territories are large and male territories overlap multiple female territories. Dispersing juvenile litter mates will stay together until territories have been found/established. |
| Longevity | Puma can live up to 18 years in the wild if left to die of natural causes. Pumas can live over 20 years in captivity. |
| Interesting Facts | Puma have very strong instinct to dig/bury prey and faeces. If no suitable substrate can be found, puma will used fallen leaves/or scratch up grass to cover faeces and uneaten prey. Puma are the strongest cat gram for gram, and adult males are easily capable of taking adult horses. Puma have the largest range of any cat (from Canada to South America) and have the most different common names (often called cougar, panther, mountain lion, catamount etc.). Puma vocalise using a range of different hisses, yowls, chirrups and mews. They also frequently "scream", the reason for this is suspected to be to attract suitable mates for breeding. Puma spend most of their day walking at under 16 km per hour or feeding. Puma roam between 15 and 20 km per day and can leap 4.5 m vertically up trees and 12 m horizontally. Puma can also sprint up to 80 km per hour. You are more likely to be struck by lightning in North America than attacked by a puma. If you are attacked it is likely to be by a juvenile individual as puma become more elusive/fearful of humans as they mature. The Mountain Lion Foundation offer advice for people entering puma habitat, advising to have dogs on leads, pick children up, not to run or turn their backs on puma and to make lots of noise, should they encounter a wild puma, to avoid attack or injury. |
| Historic Distribution | Although relatively common puma numbers are in decline, and they have been extirpated from their former range in Eastern USA with the exception of a very small endangered population remaining in Florida |
| Geographic range/countries | Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, United States, Venezuela |
| Habitat | Puma are mainly terrestrial but will climb/swim if provoked. They prefer the forests, swamps, mountains, grasslands and deserts of Northern Central and Southern Americas. |
| IUCN Red List Category | Least Concern (LC) |
| CITES Appendix | Appendix II. (Eastern and Central American populations Appendix I). Hunting is controlled or prohibited throughout the range. |
| Est. wild population | Less than 50,000 individuals across entire range and decreasing. |
| Captive population | 183 males, 224 females and 5 unknowns in 183 ISIS registered zoological collections worldwide |
| Captive breeding information | WHF currently has no immediate plans to breed our female puma Valentina and Viktoria as there is no current EEP or ESB for puma, and being relatively large felids require a lot of care and therefore are not currently popular in European zoological collections. WHF will not breed cats if a home for the offspring cannot be guaranteed. However puma are currently in decline and like all large predators face many threats, and our puma are young, so it is possible that we may breed puma in the future as they become rarer in the wild and captive breeding becomes necessary. |
| Threats | Wild puma face threats from habitat loss and fragmentation, and poaching of their wild prey base. There is human-puma conflict as residential areas move more into wilderness and puma are persecuted by retaliatory hunting due to livestock depredation, and due to the fear that they pose a threat to human life. There have been reported incidents of puma killing people in western Canada and the US in recent years. Puma are legally hunted in many western US states, although hunting was banned by popular referendum in California in 1990. Trophy hunting causes ecological problems because hunters want the biggest kill (trophy) they can find and so remove the dominant males from the population. This causes problems to puma social structure and stability because not only are the healthy genes removed from the ecosystem, but also the lack of dominant male animals causes dispersing juvenile males to enter the empty territory. These juveniles are very often the problem animals that attack people, enter residential areas and attack domestic animals. This allows hunters to kill these juveniles as "problem" animals. The juveniles also cause problems with female puma (especially with kittens) forcing the females higher into the mountains where there prey base changes, causing environmental problems when they change prey from for example white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to big-horn sheep (Ovis canadensis) a favourite game animal. These females are then also allowed to be hunted as "problem" animals, and this escalates the decline of puma. In 2002 Catherine Lambert radio-collared 52 puma in Washington state to study their reproductive activities and over half of these collared animals were shot by hunters. Officials were taking the rise in "problem" animals as being a sign of an increase in puma populations, when actually the species are in decline and it is the trophy hunting and subsequent removal of healthy dominant adult males that causes the increases human-puma conflict. Road traffic incidents are the principal threat to the endangered Florida panther sub-population. Heavy traffic on roads also threatens puma movement and dispersal. |
| Conservation Strategies | The Mountain Lion Foundation is a non-profit organisation which aims raise awareness and increase protection of puma and their habitat. They campaign for protection legislation, and against hunting legislation and keep interested parties updated through their regular blog and newsletters. Felidae Conservation Fund have two current studies monitoring puma populations via camera-traps and radio-collars in the Santa Cruz Mountains of the San Francisco Bay Area and the Chilean Patagonia. These studies aim to increase knowledge of this elusive cat and the predator-prey relationship. |
Rusty-spotted cats
| Scientific Name | Prionailurus rubiginosus |
| Common Name | rusty spotted cat |
| Distinguishing Features | |
| Weight | |
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| Habitat |
| IUCN Red List Category | Vulnerable (VU) |
| CITES Appendix | Indian sub-species Appendix I, Sri Lankan sup-species Appendix II. The species is fully protected over most of its range, with hunting and international trade banned in India, and Sri Lanka - although domestic trade is uncontrolled in Sri Lanka. |
| Est. wild population | Effective population size is below 10,000 individuals but no single population is over 1000 and the species is in decline. |
| Captive population | In 2011 there were 20 males, 28 females and 2 unknowns at 7 ISIS registered collections in Europe, Asia and America. |
| Captive breeding information | Captive breeding of rusty spotted cats in Europe is controlled and monitored by the European Endangered Species Breeding Programme (EEP). WHF rusty spotted cats Chan and Nuwara are breeding members of the EEP but there are no current plans to breed rusty spotted cats at WHF. |
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Serval
| Scientific Name | Leptailurus serval |
| Common Name | serval |
| Distinguishing Features | Small felid with tawny/golden fur patterned with black spots and bars. Longest legs and largest ears proportionally of any felid Long legs enable the serval to jump the highest vertically proportionally of any cat. Large ears enable the serval to hear rodents burrowing under the ground |
| Weight | 7 - 12 kg (70 - 100 cm long and 45 - 60 cm tall) |
| Diet | Small mammals (especially rodents). Serval prefer larger rodents but will eat more smaller rodents if larger ones are not available. Where rodents are less abundant serval hunt a variety of birds, reptiles, frogs (another favourite prey species), fish and insects. Serval are very successful hunters and rarely (if ever) take livestock or large prey. |
| Breeding | Servals are aseasonal breeders but peaks have been observed correlating to wet seasons where prey is more abundant. 1 - 3 blind helpless kittens are born after a gestation period of approximately 73 days. Kittens are independent of their mother by 6 - 8 months and whilst dispersing may circulate within their mother's territory for up to and over 1 year. Serval reach sexual maturity between 18 and 24 months. |
| Longevity | Up to 19 years (in captivity) |
| Interesting Facts | A serval can leap over 10 foot vertically (which is as high as a tiger jumps) Serval can catch and eat up to 4,000 rodents a year Serval long legs help with walking in the long grass, serval move in bounds and hops which scare prey into breaking cover where serval can leap up to 3.6 m vertically to catch birds Hearing is very directional and the large satellite-like ears pinpoint sound at night or in very dense vegetation. Long loose digits can "fish" rodents out of burrows, and prey is often stunned by the serval raining down blow after powerful blow with their front paws |
| Historic Distribution | Serval range widely across sub-Saharan Africa, only being absent from tropical rainforest and the Saharan desert. They are regionally extinct in Algeria and their presence is unknown in Lesotho. They became extinct in Tunisia, but a population was relocated to that area using East African stock. |
| Geographic range/countries | Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, United Republic of Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe |
| Habitat | Serval are terrestrial felids prefering well watered savanna long grass environments, reed beds and ripe vegetation. They also have been found in alpine grasslands, up to 3,800 m on Mount Kilimanjaro. Serval can penetrate dense forest along waterways and through grassy patches, but are absent from rainforests and desert environments. In North Africa, serval can be found from semi-desert to cork oak forest on the Mediterranean coast. Serval are able to tolerate agricultural areas provided cover is available and may also benefit from forest clearance and the resulting encorachment of savanna at the edges of the equatorial forest belt. |
| IUCN Red List Category | Least Concern (LC) |
| CITES Appendix | Appendix II Hunting is prohibited in Algeria, Botswana, Congo, Kenya, Liberia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa (Cape province only), and Tunisia. Hunting regulations apply in 12 African countries. |
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Snow leopards
| Scientific Name | Panthera uncia |
| Common Name | snow leopard, ounce |
| Distinguishing Features | Snow leopards are very well adapted to life in harsh, remote habitat, high altitude and extreme weather. Small ears and thick dense fur with soft woolly undercoat keep the body temperature regulated in extreme cold. They have very large feet proportionally for distributing their weight when walking on snow and for balance, long hairs between the pads of their feet keep feet protected from the cold and aid in traction. They have an exceptionally long tail (can be up a 1 m long), with a thick bushy end, which aids in balance when walking and hunting on sheer cliff faces, the long tail also acts as a draught excluder and snow leopards frequently wrap their tail around the body when sleeping covering their exposed noses with the bushy tip! They have a wide nasal cavity which heats air before it reaches their lungs to prevent the lungs from freezing, and their lungs are very powerful with a large capacity so they can extract oxygen from a deficient atmosphere. Their powerful chest muscles, and longer back limbs, aid the snow leopard in jumping, climbing and balance in the mountainous terrain. Snow leopards are not white! They have a coat ranging from white, yellow, grey, mottled with black spots and rosettes. This perfectly camouflages the leopard against mountain rocks and shrubs. |
| Weight | Snow leopards weigh between 35 - 50 kg with males being on average 30% larger than females. They are approximately 60 cm tall and 1.8 - 2.3 m long (including tail!) |
| Diet | Snow leopards hunt on average once every 10 days and spend approximately 4 days consuming large prey. They commonly eat wild mountain sheep and goats. In the Himalayas and Tibet their favourite prey is the bharal or blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur) and through most of the mountains of central Asia they favour the Asiatic ibex (Capra ibex) and Argali sheep (Ovis ammon). Snow leopards also eat a range of smaller animals including pika (a relation of the hare), birds and rodents, especially during the summer months. Uniquely to felids, during the breeding season, snow leopards are known to consume a small amount of plant matter. |
| Breeding | Like most cats, snow leopards are solitary except when breeding/rearing cubs. Snow leopards are strictly seasonal breeders, mating from January - March and giving birth in June and July, after a gestation period of 93 - 110 days. Typically there are between 1 and 3 cubs born in a litter, the number of cubs born is directly related to food/prey abundance. Cubs are born blind and helpless but grow quickly, are introduced to meat at approximately 6 - 8 weeks and are weaned after approximately 12 weeks. They will however continue to suckle for as long as the female will allow. Cubs disperse between 18 and 22 months. Males reach sexual maturity at between 3 and 4 years, females slightly earlier. |
| Longevity | If left to die of natural causes, snow leopards have been known to reach between 10 -13 years in the wild. Captive snow leopards can live up to 21 years. |
| Interesting Facts | There have been no recorded incidents of wild snow leopards attacking people, if they are disturbed they flee as any injury to them means starvation. Snow leopards are considered to be "bridge" species between big and small cats because they do not purr on the inhale like small cats, but do not roar like the "big" cats, even though genetically they are very similar to tigers. Snow leopards feel exposed in deep snow! In 2009 Mongolia had a severe winter, researchers studying wild snow leopards found they were avoiding areas of deep snow. Snow leopards can leap 6 times their own body length, and with the aid of their long heavy tails, acting like counter-balances, they are able to chase very agile sheep and goats vertically down cliff faces. Snow leopards make a range of noises; mews, hisses, growls, moans and yowls. They also make a prusten or non-threatening "chuff" greeting. Snow leopards mark their territories with scrapes, faeces, urine sprays and by rubbing their very pungent cheek scent glands on cliff faces, this helps researchers find and monitor these elusive cats. Snow leopard "sign" is easier to find than spotting a cat! |
| Historic Distribution | Unknown however snow leopards have started to disappear from areas previously occupied such as parts of Mongolia. |
| Geographic range/countries | Snow leopards live throughout the mountains of central Asia, their range covers 2 million square km and 12 countries. They are found in Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan , and Uzbekistan at altitudes of between 3, 000 - 5, 400 m above sea level in the Altai, Tian Shan, Kun Lun, Pamir, Hindu Kush, and Himalayan mountain ranges. |
| Habitat | Snow leopards are terrestrial, living in alpine and sub-alpine habitats. They favour steep terrain, cliffs, gullies, ridges and rocky outcrops. They can live in relatively flat conditions provided there is sufficient cover, and they can be found in coniferous forests but avoid dense forest. |
| IUCN Red List Category | Endangered (EN) |
| CITES Appendix | Appendix 1 (all commercial trade, import and export in leopard/leopard parts is prohibited). |
| Est. wild population | 3500 |
| Captive population | In 2010: 92 males, 106 females and 6 unknowns in Europe; 1 male in South Africa; 76 males, 86 females and 1 unknown in North America; 1 male and 1 female in Argentina; 15 males and 11 females in Asia; and 5 males and 6 females in Australasia. Snow leopard females are seasonal in captivity as well as the wild and don't seem to be affected by the oestrous cycle of other female felids, unlike Amur leopards and tigers. |
| Captive breeding information | WHF participates in the European Endangered Species Breeding Programme (EEP) for snow leopards, providing a home for breeding male Ranschan and female Mizi. As yet WHF has had no viable offspring from Ranschan and Mizi - hopefully this year!! |
| Threats | Snow leopards share habitat with some of the poorest people. The loss of a domestic sheep or goat to these mountain farmers is financial ruin. Therefore snow leopards are seen as a threat and suffer from retaliatory killing. Snow leopard prey is in decline due to the domestic animals - overstocked and unhealthy livestock take up habitat belonging to wild prey and spread disease to the wild prey leaving snow leopards with little choice but to hunt livestock. Snow leopards are poached to supply the demand of the illegal wildlife trade - mainly domestic demand from China in pelts, parts and whole animals. Snow leopards live in politically sensitive areas, often in disputed border lands therefore are at risk from wars and conflicts. The war in Afghanistan opened a loophole in illegal trade of snow leopard pelts, criminals used the unchecked US Army mail to send snow leopard parts to America. |
| Conservation Strategies | WHF supports the Snow Leopard Trust (SLT). This is an excellent charity working on behalf of the snow leopard, helping the endangered cats but also the communities that share their habitat. Enterprise Products: In Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia local women make curios from yak and camel wool and the Snow Leopard Trust sell these products on their international website. All profits are paid to the local women and by providing this industry and paying the women the money goes into the home, food, education and health care of the family. The money the family makes negates any loss by livestock depredation and the women influence their husbands not to hunt the snow leopards. SLT have seen rises in snow leopard populations in areas benefiting from the Enterprise scheme. The harsh winter of 2009/2010 in Mongolia saw the loss of 8.14 million livestock (85% of livestock in the country) SLT provided aid to hardest hit areas thanks to generous donators. One, Stephen Sparrow (Snow Leopard Vodka) was invited to Mongolia (saw a wild snow leopard!) and spoke to locals: "It was wonderful to hear from one of the herders who had lost livestock in the high mountains in the winter to undoubtedly a snow leopard attack that there was no way he would now resort to a retribution killing. He was proud to share his home with one of the world's most beautiful animals and proud that people from so far away took an interest in the snow leopard and the people who shared their habitat."This is proof of conservation working! People buying these products are informed about where the products come from, what they are made of and hold real conservation in their hands! Livestock compensation: In Pakistan and India, SLT have set up livestock compensation schemes which refund market value for any livestock predated by a snow leopard. SLT set the programmes up but it is the local councils which govern them so communities take ownership and it is not an external body enforcing the rules. SLT help to immunise domestic animals and help the farmers to keep to a maximum number of animals by helping to sell excess stock for market value. If all conditions are met of good livestock management then farmers benefit from the scheme, if no livestock is predated in a given time the farmers receive financial "reward". This scheme works by peer pressure because if anyone in a village is known to hunt a snow leopard no-one receives any money. SLT also help snow leopards by monitoring the population, recording data by camera-trapping and radio collars, and updating supporters via their blog. |
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Keep up to date with snow leopard research in Mongolia
Sumatran tigers
| Scientific Name | Panthera tigris sumatrae |
| Common Name | Sumatran tiger |
| Distinguishing Features | Sumatran tigers are the smallest and darkest of the tiger sub-species. They have the most stripes proportionally and a pronounced "beard" around the face, advantageous when traversing thick undergrowth and vegetation. They are excellent swimmers, have semi-webbed feet to aid in swimming and are able to swim between the islands that make up Sumatra. One reason for the very rich tawny colour of the Sumatran tiger is due to the waterproof oils in the skin. |
| Weight | Adult males can weigh up to 120 kg and measure 2.4 m in length. Females are significantly smaller, weighing on average 90 kg and measuring 2.2 m long in the wild. |
| Diet | The favourite prey of Sumatran tigers is deer including; Sambar (Rusa unicolor), Common Muntjac (Muntiacus muntjak), and Greater Mouse-deer (Tragulus napu). Other potential prey of the Sumatran tiger include wild boar, young rhino, tapir and snakes. Sumatran tigers are ambush predators - stalking and attacking from behind, biting the prey on the neck and breaking the spinal chord. Like all big cats they gorge on a kill and then fast for a number of days until opportunity or hunger inspires them to hunt again. Tigers will chase prey into water where their superior swimming ability gives an advantage. |
| Breeding | Like all tigers, Sumatran tigers are solitary except when breeding/rearing cubs. Being equatorial, Sumatran tigers breed year-round, giving birth to 2 - 4 blind, helpless cubs after a gestation period of 103 days. Cubs grow quickly, are introduced to meat at approximately 6 - 8 weeks and are weaned after approximately 12 weeks. They will however continue to suckle for as long as the female will allow. Males leave their mother between 18 months to 2 years old and roam far to find new territories. Females leave slightly later and may establish territories overlapping their mother. Males reach sexual maturity at between 3 and 4 years, females slightly earlier, however they will not breed until they have established their own territory. |
| Longevity | Sumatran tigers are able to live 10 - 15 years in the wild, however few are allowed to live out a natural lifespan. In captivity they can live over 20 years. |
| Interesting Facts | Sumatran tigers are exceptionally strong swimmers and can swim up to 6 miles at a time. They are the last remaining tiger in Indonesia. Their eyesight is 6 times better than ours - especially at night! A tiger roar can be heard for over a mile In a sample of 34 captive tigers (10 being Sumatran) the sub-species was found to have unique genetic markers. Sumatran tigers have been separated from mainland for 10 - 12 thousand years |
| Historic Distribution | Not available, however habitat has been drastically reduced. In 2002: it was estimated that Sumatran tiger habitat was reducing by approximately 3-6 % per year. All tiger habitat has decreased by 45% in the last 10 years and tigers currently occupy only 7% of their former range |
| Geographic range/countries | Indonesia (Sumatra) |
| Habitat | Terrestrial - submontaine and montaine forest, lowland rainforest and peat-moss forest. Tigers are found at higher densities in the lowland forest, densities become lower at higher altitudes as prey abundance decreases. |
| IUCN Red List Category | Critically Endangered (CR) |
| CITES Appendix | Appendix 1 (all commercial trade, import and export in tiger/tiger parts is prohibited). |
| Est. wild population | 400 - 500 mature individuals in 1998, the estimate was closer to 300 in 2004 and the true figure could be lower than 200 (between 1998 and 2002 an average of 51 Sumatran tigers per year were killed; 76% poached for commercial trade, and 15% through human-related conflict) at that rate of decline Panthera tigris sumatrae could be extinct in the wild by 2012! |
| Captive population | In 2009: 65 in Indonesia; 85 in Europe; 70 in North America and 20 in Australasia. |
| Captive breeding information | WHF participates in the European Endangered Species Breeding Programme (EEP) for Sumatran tigers. Our tigers "Puna" and "Nias" successfully bred and reared cubs in 2008. |
| Threats | Sumatran tigers are threatened by severe habitat loss/fragmentation primarily due to the expanding oil palm industry (in 2010 it was estimated that areas of virgin rainforest equalling the size of 300 football pitches per hour were converted into oil palm plantations in Indonesia and Malaysia), acacia plantations and cheap paper production. They also are frequently poached for illegal trade, primarily for the Traditional Asian Medicine market. There is also human-tiger conflict through retaliatory killing, and prey-base depletion. |
| Conservation Strategies | WHF supports 21st Century Tiger, a partnership between ZSL and Global Tiger Patrol, which work out in Sumatra: supporting anti-poaching patrols in Kerinci Seblat National Park; working in Berbak National Park to protect the forest; tackling issues such as carbon credits and the escalating oil palm industry; monitoring the numbers of tiger in Sumatra through camera traps and radio collars; and working to develop and maintain forested corridors for tigers between protected areas. WHF supports a partnership between 21st Century Tiger and PT Asiatic Persada (a major oil palm producer) in the Jambi region of Sumatra. This project monitors tigers in the area via camera trapping methods. All tigers have stripe patterns as unique to the individual as fingerprints to humans, so by a capture and re-capture method using camera traps it is possible to estimate populations in an area. Seven adults were identified as living in that region. Dr John Lewis is also involved in the Sumatran tiger project supervising the veterinary care of wild tigers captured and fitted with radio collars. WHF have assisted John with transport fees and by providing baseline data from cats on site, such as weights and neck circumference to help with anaesthetic doses and radio collar sizes. |
