tagged w/ Big Cats
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October 18, 2011 Zanesville, OH: 56 lions, tigers, leopards, cougars, wolves, giraffes, camels and bears escaped from the Muskingum County Animal Farm, and the owner Terry Thompson, who had just gotten out of prison was found dead there after shooting himself...
BE A VOICE FOR THE ANIMALS! Please visit this webpage to help us put an end to this abuse: http://bigcatrescue.org/get-involved/roar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-Wqsd2Vl7AOctober 18, 2011 Zanesville, OH: 56 lions, tigers, leopards, cougars, wolves,... more
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BigCat
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6 months ago
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Are we seeing the last lions?
By Dereck Joubert, Special to CNN
January 23, 2011 10:08 a.m. EST
Just 50 years ago, there were 450,000; today, there are possibly as few as 20,000. These are the last lions.
--Dereck Joubert
Editor's note: TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to "Ideas worth spreading," which it makes available through talks posted on its website. Beverly and Dereck Joubert, who are National Geographic explorers in residence based in Botswana, have filmed and photographed wildlife and nature for nearly 30 years. They have received five Emmys, as well as other awards.
(CNN) -- As you will see in our TED talk, Beverly and I have spent enough time in the bush with lions to understand that we have a problem -- rapidly declining big cat populations.
This much time alone in the wild makes us socially inept, but there is no substitute for doing the time.
As we've delved into this more, we have learned more about the problems facing these extraordinary creatures. All the problems focus on human-predator conflicts, from the collection of hunting trophies as sport -- an activity that is terribly damaging to wild populations of cats -- to flashpoints between the cats and cattle cultures.
The real miracle is that we do still have this last remnant of lions at all. Just 50 years ago there were 450,000; today there are possibly as few as 20,000. These are the last lions.
Life lessons from big cats
As Beverly points out in the TED talk, the death of one male lion can have drastic effects on the whole pride. A new male comes into the area and takes over the pride, killing all the cubs and possibly some of the females defending their cubs.
So we've estimated that from 20 to 30 lions are killed when one lion is hanging on a wall somewhere in a far-off place.
If we don't do something, collectively, within the next few years, we will be seeing the last of the lion populations in Africa. That is why we have produced a film for theatrical release, in theaters in the U.S. in February, called "The Last Lions."
We're hoping that our work will galvanize a movement to save them -- but it is going to take a universal effort and action on an emergency basis. In association with National Geographic we founded the Big Cat Initiative to roll up our sleeves and save cats, right now.
So who cares? Well, the first thing to appreciate is that the world's large predators, like lions, are not just a luxury for us to look at, to photograph, or to shoot. They are the most vital center point in many ecosystems. If we lose them, we can anticipate eventual collapse of whole environments, right down to the water systems, as prey shifts or migrations stop, and species overgraze and destroy the integrity of important vegetation, especially along rivers.
Erosion follows, rivers silt up, and fish die, all because we took out a few lions.
There is as great an economic need to preserve lions. In Africa an $80 billion-a-year business in ecotourism feeds parks, airlines, safari businesses, and local crafts and helps pump up economies important to the entire continent.
Communities thrive on this cash, and it keeps them above the poverty line, gives them dignity and hope, and alleviates the need for aid. It gives people resources to better educate their kids. Better education breeds health and less exposure to diseases such as AIDS.
Also, within those communities there is a deep spiritual connection to the land and its wildlife. When creatures such as lions disappear, a destructive ripple effect weakens our care for the planet and our understanding of who we are.
Everything hinges on people being connected to a planet that is whole; and predators, although scary to live with, actually glue all this together. It's something we've known and lived with for 3 million years.
We have to decide if we are a part of the planet and its life forms or if we want to try to live apart from it all. With the specter of The Last Lions will come, and not that far behind, the potential sequel -- The Last Humans.
Watch the Jouberts' TED Talk on the lives and futures of the big cats
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Dereck Joubert.Are we seeing the last lions?
By Dereck Joubert, Special to CNN
January 23, 2011... more
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Tiger Summit aims to save big cats
AP
FILE - In this March 23, 2000 file photo, an Indian tiger looks on from a camouflaged cover of strawgrass in Ranthambhore National Park near Rajasthan AP – FILE - In this March 23, 2000 file photo, an Indian tiger looks on from a camouflaged cover of strawgrass …
By IRINA TITOVA and JIM HEINTZ Irina Titova And Jim Heintz – Fri Nov 19, 12:37 pm ET
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia – Global wildlife experts and political leaders from 13 countries on Sunday open a meeting aimed at finalizing complex and costly plans to revive the world's tiger population, which has plummeted so sharply that it may be near the point of no return.
Although the fierce and wily tigers may be the epitome of power in their natural habitat, they have seemed nearly helpless against man. The World Wildlife Fund and other experts say only about 3,200 of the big cats remain in the wild, a severe plunge from an estimated 100,000 a century ago.
Their forest habitat is being eaten up by timber operations and construction, while poachers stalk the dwindling tiger populations, killing them for their skins and for body parts prized in Chinese traditional medicine. The wildlife trade monitoring group TRAFFIC said in a report this month that more than 1,000 parts of tigers slain by poachers across Asia had been seized in the past decade.
"The Tiger Summit is our last best chance to ensure a future for these animals in the wild," Ginette Hemley, a WWF vice president, said in a statement Thursday.
The summit, which ends Wednesday, is hosted by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who has adroitly used encounters with tigers, polar bears and other wildlife to bolster his image, and was driven by the Global Tiger Initiative which was launched two years ago by World Bank President Robert Zoellick.
The summit intends to approve a wide-ranging program with the goal of doubling the world's tiger population in the wild by 2022 and to produce a declaration of commitment signed by government leaders from al countries that still have tiger populations: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam and Russia.
The summit also will be seeking donor commitments to buttress expenditures by each of the country's governments. A draft of the Global Tiger Recovery Program, expected to be approved at the meeting, estimates the countries will need $330 million in outside funding over the next five years to fulfill the plan. About 30 percent of that estimate would go toward programs to suppress the poaching both of tigers and of the animals they prey on.
For advocates, saving tigers has implications far beyond the emotional appeal of preserving an attractive and thrilling animal.
"Because tigers are apex predators at the top of the food chain in many Asian ecosystems, they are essential to the effective functioning of other parts of these ecosystems," the GTRP draft says. "Protecting tigers and their landscapes also protects a host of other endangered species and their habitats."
Over the past two decades, much has already been done to try to save tigers, but conservation groups say their numbers have continued to fall markedly, by about a third just since 1998.
In part, that decline is because conservation effors have been increasingly diverse and often aimed at improving habitats outside protected areas where tigers can breed, according to a study published in September in the Popular Library of Science Biology journal.
Putin has done much to draw attention to tigers' plight. During a visit to a wildlife preserve in 2008, he shot a female tiger with a tranquilizer gun and helped place a transmitter around her neck as part of a program to track the rare cats.
Later in the year, Putin was given a 2-month-old female Siberian tiger for his birthday. State television showed him at his home gently petting the cub, which was curled up in a wicker basket with a tiger-print cushion. The tiger now lives in a zoo in southern Russia.
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Heintz reported from Moscow.Tiger Summit aims to save big cats
AP
FILE - In this March 23, 2000 file... more
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More tigers in American backyards than in the wild worldwide?
A lack of regulation allows the United States to have one of the largest populations of captive tigers in the world.
Tigers Among US
Captive tigers in the United States and their impact on tigers in the wild
Did you know that there are more tigers in American backyards than there are in the wild around the world? The United States has one of the largest populations of captive tigers in the world − estimated at perhaps 5,000 tigers, compared to as few as 3,200 in the wild. They are found in backyards, urban apartments, sideshows, truck stops and private breeding facilities.
In many jurisdictions, people can legally keep a tiger on their property without reporting it to local officials or neighbors. In some states, it is easier to buy a tiger than to adopt a dog from a local animal shelter. Rarely can officials determine how many tigers there are in captivity within state borders − or where they are, who owns them, or what happens to their body parts (highly prized on the black market) when they die.
It’s critical that the United States better regulate the captivity of tigers. When tiger ownership and breeding aren’t monitored, captive tigers become easy targets for black market sales, and those sales end up threatening wild populations. Here’s how that happens: The illegal trade in products derived from captive tigers stimulates demand, especially for wild tigers. The more demand there is, the more wild tigers are poached.
The lack of regulation of captive tigers is also a major threat to public safety. Lax oversight means tigers can be held in areas that may not be adequately secured. Let’s not wait for another tragedy to occur before taking action.
There has never been a better time to make it right. In 2010 − the Year of the Tiger − WWF is working to close loopholes in regulations for tiger ownership set by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. We also play an active role in supporting tiger range countries’ commitment to Tx2, WWF’s ambitious goal of doubling wild tiger numbers by the next Year of the Tiger in 2022.
In November, world leaders will gather at a Tiger Summit in Russia to discuss the plight of wild tigers and agree upon a range-wide recovery plan for these big cats. Take action today by encouraging Secretary Clinton to attend the summit and ensure strong U.S. commitment to global tiger conservation.More tigers in American backyards than in the wild worldwide?
A lack of regulation... more
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Tigers, Lions, Leopards...the Big Cats like to carve pumpkins too! Take a look at halloween at Big Cat Rescue!Tigers, Lions, Leopards...the Big Cats like to carve pumpkins too! Take a look at... more
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BigCat
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1 year ago
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A new study shows why leopards and other big cats are spotted, striped or melanistic -- all black. In short, big cats' patterning and pattern attributes evolved in relation to their ecology and behaviors. But the most remarkable thing is that these scientists used a mathematical model to show this.A new study shows why leopards and other big cats are spotted, striped or melanistic... more
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2010 is the year of the tiger and sept 26th is International Tiger Day, but the sad fact is that there are more tigers living in captivity in the USA than are left in the wild!2010 is the year of the tiger and sept 26th is International Tiger Day, but the sad... more
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BigCat
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This interesting video is a trailer for a documentary, "The Tiger Next Door," the story of a man named Dennis Hill who has been breeding and selling tigers from his backyard for over 15 years. Hill's dream is to breed a stripeless white tiger -- but at what cost to the animals, and at what risk to the community?This interesting video is a trailer for a documentary, "The Tiger Next... more
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This fascinating video shows that Calvin Klein's "Obsession" is NOT just for men! This is a great example of how careful observation of captive animals' behavior is directly impacting research with wild animals. When biologists and the Bronx Zoo started spritzing "Obsession for Men" cologne near heat-and-motion-sensitive cameras, the tigers, snow leopards, jaguars and cheetahs became curious ... very curious. And snuggly.This fascinating video shows that Calvin Klein's "Obsession" is NOT... more
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Maybe there really isn't anything that you can't buy online.
Endangered animals, including chimps, marmosets and leopard cubs, are being bought and sold online, according to a new report.
Over six one-week observation periods earlier this year, the International Fund for Animal Welfare found more than 1,400 live, exotic animals being traded online. IFAW data released to Wired.com revealed that most of the advertisements were for birds, but in the United States alone, 13 primates, five big cats and two rhinos were offered.
Barbara Cartwright, who heads up the IFAW's efforts to restrict wildlife trade on the internet, said her organization believes that many online advertisements lead to offline transactions beyond the reach of their tracking.
"If I put up an ad for a chimpanzee, you call me, and then we can talk about what I really have," Cartwright said, describing a possible offline networking scenario between illegal animal traders.
While many animals are legal to trade, endangered species are not. The IFAW's Killing with Keystrokes report found that the internet's global reach has enabled buyers and sellers of rare species — and the products derived from them — to find each other more easily. As is often the case, regulators have been a step behind the marketplace in their efforts to stop illegal activities.
Last night, ahead of the release of the report, eBay instituted a complete ban on the sale of elephant ivory through the auction service. EBay did not cite the report in announcing the ban and did not return solicitations for comment. Nonetheless, the IFAW hailed the action as a victory.
Stamping out the live animal trade could prove more difficult, however, as the number and nature of websites involved in the trade is different. Whereas most of the ivory trade could be directly traced to eBay, live animal trafficking takes place across dozens of American, British and Russian websites, largely forums and classified ad sites.
While the United States had the largest number (1,034) of live animal advertisements, Russia had the most varied list of species including two types of tigers, a crocodile, an ocelot and a bonobo.
Cartwright said that extensive efforts were undertaken to ensure the animals advertised in the IFAW were not hoaxes or scams, but represented an actual animal being sold.
Image: flickr/Lukas Vermeer
http://flickr.com/photos/lukasvermeer/2722311546/sizes/l/Maybe there really isn't anything that you can't buy online.
Endangered... more
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ELLIJAY, Ga. -- Most people know Criag Cylke simply as "Grizzly". He's raised abandoned bears and nursed injured predators. Now, he's scared the animals he loves could soon be euthanized.
"We're down to the point now, this will probably be our lat week, this coming week," Cycle said.
The Ellijay Wildlife Rehabilitation Center is the largest in Georgia, and one of just a handful that can handle large animals. The wildlife sanctuary lost its federal funding. Now, private donations have slowed to a trickle. The animals go through two tons of dog food and two tons of meet every month. The non-profit organization is $300,000 in debt.
"If we go down, there's not going to be many places for these animals," he said. "In fact, the bears that you see here today, the state will probably have to put down because there's no home for them."
It's devastating news to Chris Enfinger. He came for summer camp one year and kept on coming. He's now a volunteer. "Just to see them, after all the time I've spent with them, just to get put down because they can't go anywhere, that would be really sad for me."
Dr. Lyn Lewis is a vet at the Appalachian Animal Hospital. They donate about $40,000 in care every year. He says the sanctuary is a safety net for all of Georgia. "The wildlife would suffer," he said. "We already have endangered species in this area. I firmly believe that this sanctuary keeps many of those animals from going extinct in this region."
Cykle and his wife haven't taken salaries in three years. They've sold off personal assets to keep these animals fed and keep their doors open.
Now, the money is gone. Some of the animals have no where to go. The center is days away from closing. And still, the man called "Grizzly" tenaciously holds on to hope.
"We have a hope. And that hope is our Georgia people and our lovely neighbors in the surrounding states. If they just hear the message of what's happening here, then they can make a difference."
Go here to help: http://www.wildliferehabsanctuary.org/fundraiser.htm
ELLIJAY, Ga. -- Most people know Criag Cylke simply as "Grizzly". He's... more
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Three white lion cubs have been born at the Schloss Holte-Stukenbrock safari park in Germany, and were proudly shown off to the public yesterday.
White lions are not in fact a separate species: Their white colouring is due to a rare mutation of the more common yellow-gold variety, not common in the wild, but which is sometimes bred selectively in captivity. Three white lion cubs have been born at the Schloss Holte-Stukenbrock safari park in... more
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rwylie
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3 years ago
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In India tigers are in trouble again—and it may be the last time. Wildlife conservation experts now believe that India has so few tigers left, and they have so little room to maneuver, that populations have no recourse but to dwindle to extinction. Alan Rabinowitz, president and CEO of the Panthera Foundation, has championed tigers, jaguars, leopards and pumas and worked to preserve their habitats, from South America to Southeast Asia. Formerly the executive director of science of exploration at the Wildlife Conservation Society, based at the Bronx Zoo, Rabinowitz wrote "Life in the Valley of Death," about his recent experience negotiating with the Burmese dictator to create the largest tiger reserve in the world, in the Hukaung Valley in Burma. NEWSWEEK's Lily Huang spoke with Rabinowitz by phone about the work of conservation and strategies for the future. Excerpts:In India tigers are in trouble again—and it may be the last time. Wildlife... more
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yai
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4 years ago
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It's a dog's life for three newborn tiger triplets in eastern China.
The cubs, whom officials at the Jinan Paomaling Wild Animal World in Shandong province are so far just calling "One," "Two" and "Three," have been nursed by a dog since they were rejected by their tiger mother shortly after birth, said Paomaling manager Chen Yucai. It's a dog's life for three newborn tiger triplets in eastern China.
The... more
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SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - An escaped tiger killed a visitor at San Francisco Zoo and mauled two other men on Tuesday, a year after the same animal attacked a park employee, officials said.
The Siberian tiger fatally attacked the unidentified man just after the zoo's 5 p.m. (8 p.m. EST closing time. It was shot and killed by police while it was on top of another victim, said zoo spokeswoman Lora LaMarca.SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - An escaped tiger killed a visitor at San Francisco Zoo and... more
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