Wildcat News Archive

Karl Mitchell and Big Cat Encounters violated Animal Welfare Act

United States Department of Agriculture, Administrative Law Judge, Victor W. Palmer, filed his decision and order on August 4, 2010, against Karl Mitchell and Big Cat Encounters (BCE). Judge Palmer found Mitchell and BCE in violation of the Animal Welfare Act and the Regulations and Standards under the Act by: "exhibiting tigers for compensation without a requisite license; exhibiting tigers to the public without space and barriers between the animals and the viewing public; and by refusing to allow their facilities, records and animals to be examined by inspectors employed by APHIS. Moreover, Mitchell knowingly failed to obey two cease and desist orders previously entered against him by the Secretary of Agriculture." A joint and several civil penalty of $50,625.00 was assessed against Mitchell and Big Cat Encounters; an additional $18,000.00 penalty was assessed against Mitchell.

USDA suspends license of big cat exhibitor

02.24.10: The United States Department of Agriculture suspended the license of Jamie M. Palazzo doing business as Great Cat Adventures for multiple violations under the Animal Welfare Act. The violations included falsifying records such as providing conflicting or incorrect dates of birth, missing acquisition and disposition dates, and missing identification of animal custody or ownership. Palazzo also failed to handle the cats in a manner that did not cause behavioral stress, physical harm, or unnecessary discomfort and allowed tigers older than 12 weeks of age to be handled by the public including children for photographs or to feed the cats.

Wildcat Population and Trade Reports:

Danger Signals for the Siberian Tiger

The Trade in Wild Cats and Wild Cat Parts in Myanmar.

Paper Tigers? The Role of the U.S. Captive Tiger Population in the Trade in Tiger Parts

Skin Deep: The Need for Effective Enforcement to Combat the Asian Big Cat Skin Trade

United Nations Report

A new report issued by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, The Globalization of Crime: A Transnational Organized Crime Threat Assessment, includes a chapter dedicated to environmental resources with an analysis on the illegal trade in tiger parts and products.

Wildcat Events, Films & Books

New feature film by Disney Nature explores the

African big cats fight for survival

Disney Nature presents African Cats that focuses on two feline mothers fighting for survival and raising their cubs in Kenya's Masai Mara National Reserve. Sita, a cheetah stuggles to support her five newborn cubs in the North Kingdom, while Layla, an injured older lioness overcomes obstacles to raise her six month old cub, Mara, in the South Kingdom.

A river patrolled by ravenous crocodiles separates the North and South Kingdoms. For the cheetah and lion cubs to reach adulthood, both mothers must protect them against predators and keep the growing big cats well feed.

For educational materials and local listings, visit Disney Nature at http://www.disneynature/africancats

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: 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

Ronald Tilson and Philip Nyhus, Eds.

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: www.elsevier.com

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