WILDCaT NEws
Alaska allows some exotic cats; no chimps or sloths
In February, the Alaska Board of Game was presented with several proposals to allow Alaskans to own hybrid cats, breeds that were developed by crossing domestic and wild cats. The board approved the idea, provided a pedigree could show that the cat's wild DNA was watered down and its wild ancestors were at least four generations removed.
A new strategy for saving the world's wild big cats
Populations of many of the world's wild cats are plummeting, with the number of tigers falling to roughly 3,200. In an interview with Yale Environment 360, Alan Rabinowitz, a leading wild cat biologist, lays out a vision of how populations of these magnificent creatures can be brought back from the brink.
Seven cat species photographed in Himalayan rainforest
New photos show jaguars alive and well near border
The Sundaland clouded leopard, in Borneo, filmed for the first time
Global Tiger Forum Meeting in Kathmandu
Leading tiger experts from 14 countries where the tiger is found, conservationists, and agents from national and international organizations met in October 2009 to discuss initiatives to control the declining tiger populations.
Shiv Raj Bhatt, an official from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife said the forum will focus primarily on strengthening regional cooperation among the countries in an effort to curb the illegal trade in tiger parts and their derivatives in the international black market. The forum will seek a higher level of political commitment to deal with the illegal trade and habitat encroachment of tigers which is lacking.
The tiger population has significantly decreased in the last four decades due to the international illegal trade in tiger parts as well as habitat destruction. In just 40 years, the tiger population has dropped from an estimated 40,000 to 4,000.
The Siberian Tiger Monitoring Program and the Environmental Investigation Agency, in advance of the Global Tiger Forum, released new reports on tiger populations and illegal trade in Asian Big Cats.
Danger Signals for the Siberian Tiger
A deadly game of cat and mouse: Tiger criminals give China the run around
Amur Tigers on ‘genetic brink’
The world’s largest cat, the Amur Tiger, is down to an effective wild population of fewer than 35 individuals, new research has found. Although up to 500 of the big cats actually survive in the wild, the effective population is a measure of their genetic diversity.
Full story at BBC Earth News:
http://news.bbc.co.uk
Wildcat Events, Films & Books
National Geographic’s
Big Cats Initiative
Africa's lion population is quickly getting smaller and smaller and action must be taken immediately to save these majestic animals. To raise awareness, the National Geographic Society launched the Big Cats Initiative in October 2009. This project will support programs and education that will help the big cats of the world, with a special focus on lions.
Dereck and Beverly Joubert are one of the big forces behind the project. They are National Geographic Explorers-in-Residence who have spent over 25 years studying and working to conserve Africa's animals, especially the big cats. They want people to understand that when it comes to saving the big cats like lions and leopards, the time to act is now. “We no longer have the luxury of time when it comes to big cats,” Dereck says.
Learn more about the Big Cats Initiative at National Geographic
The Tiger Next Door
“Experts estimate that there are now more tigers in private hands in the U.S. than there are roaming wild in the world. The Tiger Next Door presents arguments for and against the keeping of wild animals and raises the question of the relationship we can have with wild animals when the wild is disappearing.”
The Tiger Next Door is A Rolling River Films Production; directed and produced by Camilla Calamandrei.
To learn more and for information on screenings and DVD availability please visit: http://thetigernextdoor.com
Last of the Scottish Wildcats
The Last of the Scottish Wildcats, directed by Steve Piper, presents an in-depth look into the mysterious, elusive, and the last wildcat in Scotland. The film captures the wildcats doing their wildcat thing, features interviews with leading scientists, and examines the status of wildcats in Scotland and beyond. The Last of the Scottish Wildcats, is rich with breath-taking photography and crucial information that creates a highly engaging, educational, and entertaining film. To help aid in the future survival of the Scottish wildcats, Coffee Films will be donating fifty-percent of the film's proceeds to The Scottish Wildcat Association!
To see a sneak peek of the film and to place an order, please visit: http://www.coffeefilms.com/scottishwildcats
To learn about the incredible work being performed by the Scottish Wildcat Association, please visit their website at: www.scottishwildcats.co.uk
Tigers of the World, 2nd Edition
The Science, Politics, and Conservation of Panthera tigris
Eds. Ronald Tilson and Philip Nyhus
First published in 1988, the second edition of Tigers of the World, is an essential update with contributions from the world's leading tiger experts. Tigers of the World provides a comprehensive review on the state of tiger biology, conservation and politics. By incorporating images, indigenous art and poetry, anecdotes, maps, and illustrations, Tigers of the World is both fascinating and informative.
For more information and to purchase your copy of Tigers of the World please visit: http://www.elsevier.com
dc bar conference
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
felid & wildlife conferences
Compassionate Conservation: Animal Welfare in Conservation Practice
An International Symposium
Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford
The Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) and the Born Free Foundation are delighted to announce an International Symposium on animal welfare in conservation practice, to be held at Oxford. The Symposium will bring together scientists and practitioners from a range of disciplines to debate animal welfare issues in conservation, examine potential synergies, look for practical outcomes and promote a dialogue between these two disciplines that are often perceived as mutually exclusive. The Symposium will be organized around the following themes:
- Animal welfare in field conservation
- Captive animal welfare and conservation
- Conservation consequences of wildlife rescue, rehabilitation and release
- International trade in live wild animals
The Symposium will be of interest to academics and graduates in conservation biology, animal welfare and animal ethics, as well as conservation and animal welfare organisations and practitioners. Further details and online registration will be available shortly on The Symposium's website: www.compassionateconservation.org.
laws & paws autumn ball
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