Ensuring a Future for Niokolo Koba’s Wildlife
May 21, 2021
As Regional Carnivore Monitoring Coordinator for West and Central Africa, Marine Drouilly shares her amazing experience setting up camera traps to study wildlife in Senegal’s Niokolo Koba National Park. Working alongside the DPN and Panthera Senegal, she reminds us of how working together, we can ensure a future for some of Africa’s most iconic wildlife.
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The Scary Problem of the Houston Tiger
May 13, 2021
Private ownership and breeding of big cats is a Texas-sized problem in the United States.
This post originally appeared on
CNN.
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In Search of the Arabian Leopard
April 26, 2021
Field technician Josh van der Ploeg records his adventures with Dr. Gareth Mann and the rest of his team in their quest to find out more about the elusive- and Critically Endangered- Arabian Leopard. Follow his journey through this unique environment in Saudi Arabia and learn what it takes to save a species.
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Our Expert Q&A on South Africa’s Captive Lion Breeding Industry
April 7, 2021
Panthera’s Lion Program Director, Dr. Paul Funston, answers some of the most frequently asked questions about South Africa’s captive lion breeding industry and why Panthera has joined other leading scientists, advocacy organizations, South African tourism boards, businesses, and even major hunting organizations, in calling for it to be phased out responsibly.
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Children’s Books About Wild Cats
April 1, 2021
To celebrate International Children's Book Day on April 2, we’ve compiled a list of some great children’s books for all those wild cat-loving young readers! With help from some of our scientists, including Puma Program Director Dr. Mark Elbroch, we’ve put together a list of books to help teach kids about wild cats.
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Small Cat Spotlight: Ocelot
March 18, 2021
The ocelot is one of the largest small wild cats found in the Americas. They are recognized by their stocky build and soft, beautiful fur coats. Ocelot populations are decreasing due to habitat loss and fragmentation, as well as persecution related to conflict with humans and small livestock predation.
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International Women’s Day: Spotlight on Board Member Razan Al Mubarak
February 25, 2021
For International Women's Day on March 8, we’re spotlighting women who #ChooseToChallenge for a better planet like Panthera Board Member Razan Al Mubarak. She has been an ardent defender of wildlife and nature in the United Arab Emirates and across the globe. Now, she’s running to be president of the IUCN.
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PantheraTV LIVE: The Love Lives of Lions
February 12, 2021
For Valentine’s Day, Panthera Lion Program Director Dr. Paul Funston answered some burning questions for PantheraTV LIVE about the unique social habits of lions based on his decades of observations of these fascinating felines.
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How Do Scientists Study Small Cats in a Big World?
February 2, 2021
Panthera's conservation work has long benefitted small cats and other wildlife in the iconic seven big cats' habitats. However, in 2018 we officially launched our Small Cats Program to expand our understanding of these increasingly threatened species and how to protect them. However, each of the 33 species of small cat has its own unique conservation challenges.
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How We Uncover Secrets of the Olympic Peninsula's Cougars
January 19, 2021
As a Panthera Winston Cobb Memorial Fellow, I spent the summer working with the researchers of Panthera’s Olympic Cougar Project to track the cougars of the Olympic Peninsula. When today’s wildlife scientists combine the ancient skills of the tracker with cutting-edge GPS technology, as the Olympic Cougar Project does, the research can reveal new discoveries about animal behavior and help us...
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Nature Bats Last
January 8, 2021
The power of nature is an awesome thing to contemplate. Nowhere is this more obvious and inspiring than when one is privileged to encounter in its own habitat a big cat, for many of us the most iconic and charismatic member of the animal kingdom.
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Celebrating 15 Years of Protecting Wild Cats
January 4, 2021
In 2021 Panthera celebrates our 15th Anniversary as the only organization dedicated solely to protecting the planet’s 40 species of wild cats. With scientists, law enforcement experts and wild cat advocates on the ground in 39 countries and hundreds of thousands of supporters around the world, we are building the movement that will ensure wild cats survive for generations to come. ...
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My Path in Big Cat Conservation: A Work in Progress Inspired by Alan Rabinowitz
December 23, 2020
What happens when you combine a passion for big cats and adventure with the influence of Panthera’s late co-founder Dr. Alan Rabinowitz? The answer- a career in wildlife conservation that spans continents.
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Recovering Tigers: What 13 Years Has Taught Us
December 15, 2020
We studied the recovering tiger population of India’s Rajaji National Park for 13 years, learning many lessons along the way. From rarely encountering signs of these big cats before 2004 to a thriving tiger population, we’ve documented how it is possible to recover tigers given the right circumstances.
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Panthera's Holiday Shopping Guide
November 20, 2020
This holiday season you can give back to Panthera while giving gifts to your loved ones! Check out some of our amazing business, corporate and philanthropic partners who help support Panthera’s critical wild cat conservation efforts around the globe.
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Small Cat Spotlight: Serval
November 17, 2020
With their big ears and funky movements, servals are much loved across Africa and around the world. However, what most people don’t know is that this species is threatened by poaching and habitat loss and needs our help.
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New Jaguar Cub Sparks Hope for Pantanal Recovery
October 22, 2020
We estimate that the habitat of up to 600 jaguars has been burned and otherwise impacted by fires in the greater Brazilian Pantanal this year. Despite this, a new jaguar birth sparks hope for the restoration of these big cats and their habitat; introducing Pixana and her new cub Fenix!
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The Fascinating Dispersal Patterns of Male Lions
October 7, 2020
Lion dispersal is a fascinating behavior that scientists don’t yet completely understand. In this blog, I’m sharing some recent observations we’ve made in southern Africa that support my hypothesis that subadult and even non-territorial adult males gravitate to areas with a high presence of buffalo at key nomadic times in their lives.
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Charting New Territory for Lions in Gabon
September 24, 2020
Plateaux Bateke National Park (PBNP) is a truly special landscape in Gabon where we have an amazing opportunity to facilitate the first lion restoration ever in West and Central Africa. Our two main goals for protecting the park include maintaining and reinforcing law enforcement and rebuilding its lion population to restore the park’s ecological functions and create future tourism...
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Fighting Fires in the Brazilian Pantanal
September 3, 2020
As new fires rage in the Brazilian Pantanal, five times the amount of last year's inferno, Panthera's jaguar scientists have had to take on an urgent new role: firefighters on the frontlines, where they're setting up breakers, conducting flyovers, and helping to keep the fires from taking the lives of the Pantanal's wildlife, scorching habitats and destroying bridges and livelihoods of local...
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10 Panthera Puma Blogs
August 27, 2020
To celebrate International Puma Day on August 30, we’ve compiled ten of Panthera’s greatest blogs about this beloved big cat! Panthera’s Puma Program works across the puma’s range to study these big cats and reduce human-puma conflict by promoting sustainable ecotourism.
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Panthera’s 2019 Annual Report: The Foundation for a New Conservation
August 12, 2020
In the midst of a global pandemic, 2019 feels decades away. Panthera’s 2019 Annual Report is a summary of accomplishments, discoveries and obstacles before COVID-19 changed the world as we know it. Despite this, it’s important to reflect on 2019 as the year we laid the foundation to maintain our critical impact even in a post-pandemic world.
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Lion Experts Answer Your Questions
August 7, 2020
On August 10th we celebrate World Lion Day! Panthera’s team of big cat experts has answered some of your most frequently asked questions about lion behavior, conservation and culture.
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Why Indigenous Culture is Key to Jaguar Conservation
July 29, 2020
The importance of jaguars to ancestral cultures is evident across Latin America. By working with local and indigenous communities, we have both the joy and the challenge to rethink our strategies to incorporate their vision, sacred places and cultural background in this initiative to conserve jaguar habitat in their lands.
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Camera Trapping with The Olympic Cougar Project
July 13, 2020
Using cutting-edge technology, Panthera has teamed up with the Lower Elwha Klallam and other local Tribes to study the diverse wildlife on Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula. Camera traps allow us to learn about the wildlife that we share our home with, bringing joy and robust science and helping us protect the genetic diversity of wild cats, and all wildlife, in our region.
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International Cheetah Brothers
June 8, 2020
In a time when global travel has been shut down, two cheetahs have taken an international holiday without getting their passports stamped. Check out this fascinating story of cheetah brothers crossing borders and uniting conservation researchers across Southern Africa.
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Protecting Manas’s Tigers During the Pandemic
May 26, 2020
The Aaranyak-Panthera Team is supporting rangers on the frontlines to protect tigers in India’s Manas Tiger Reserve. Working with surrounding communities is integral to protecting the natural resources of this area. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has made their job more difficult and led to a complex situation that could impact tiger survival.
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Remote Eyes in the Patagonian Wilds
May 19, 2020
At the beginning of March 2020, five Panthera team members, including Puma Program Director Mark Elbroch and Small Cat Program Director Wai-Ming Wong converged from different corners of the western hemisphere on Punta Arenas, Chile. Our goal was to use advanced camera-trap technology to gain a window into the wilds of Patagonia.
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Studying Ghosts in the Valley of the Cats
May 11, 2020
The Valley of the Cats is a haven for studying snow leopards on the Tibetan Plateau. We know that a lack of poaching due to local Buddhist beliefs combined with responsible ecotourism contributes to the healthy population of these elusive cats. What we don’t know, and are aiming to find out, is the relationship snow leopards have with the local landscape.
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Tiger Expert Answers Questions About Netflix's Tiger King
May 6, 2020
With its larger-than-life characters, Netflix’s docu-series “Tiger King” put a controversial spin on a real problem—the United States's growing captive tiger crisis right in its own backyards, but it pales in comparison to the one facing endangered wild populations. In this blog, Panthera Chief Scientist and Tiger Program Director Dr. John Goodrich talks about the...
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Conservation in the Time of COVID-19
April 28, 2020
Despite the pandemic, Panthera is not slowing down when it comes to protecting wild cats. Read some inspiring stories from the field-- and the home-- that serve as a reminder that we are all in this together.
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California Stands Up for Pumas and Science
April 19, 2020
Panthera applauds California’s recent decision to grant temporary endangered species status to Central-coast, and southern puma populations. Thanks to the overwhelming support of the people of California, and the dedication of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the state can now move forward on protecting this iconic big cat using science, rather than opinion or politics.
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50 Years of Wild Cat Conservation
April 10, 2020
This year as we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, we’re also looking back at the last 50 years of wild cat conservation. With the help of many Panthera scientists, we’re reliving some of the amazing advancements and achievements in wild cat conservation, as well as the ongoing threats to their survival.
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Conserving the Maya Forest Corridor
March 17, 2020
Conservation Filmmaker Brandon Thompson shares his incredible journey through jaguar territory in Belize with a coalition of local and international partners working to protect an area critical for jaguars known as the Maya Forest Corridor.
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An Incredible Jaguar Sighting in Peru: Hope for Conexión Jaguar
February 4, 2020
Panthera Colombia is trailblazing a new model that uses carbon credits to fund the restoration and conservation of jaguar habitat in South America while supporting the landowners and communities that live there. In our latest foray into the Amazon, we captured the first record of a jaguar in a Conexión Jaguar site, giving us hope for the future of this groundbreaking program.
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Why Are Hwange’s Lions Killing Elephant Calves?
January 27, 2020
Hwange National Park supports about 500 lions, making it a crucial area for conserving these big cats. However, it’s also a haven for tens of thousands of elephants. How these species interact is a testament to the efforts of many, past and present, to protect the wildlife of southern Africa. But, no matter what we do, Mother Nature may always intercede.
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A Unique Partnership to Protect Pumas
January 16, 2020
Panthera’s Olympic Cougar Project represents an important partnership with the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe to study and protect pumas on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. Pumas, also called cougars, in this region have lower genetic diversity than in other areas of the state. Together we are establishing other partnerships to continue towards our goal of increasing connectivity and genetic...
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Top 10 Blogs of 2019
January 7, 2020
To celebrate the new year, we've collected the ten most popular Field Notes blogs from 2019. From lions to snow leopards to small cats, enjoy some of the coolest scientific discoveries and personal encounters with the world's wild cats.
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Small Cat Spotlight: Jaguarundi
January 2, 2020
Despite its unique facial expressions and wide MesoAmerican range, the jaguarundi (Herpailurus yagouaroundi) may be one of the least-known of the small cat species to the general public. While they aren’t considered endangered, scientists don’t know nearly enough information about this species to adequately protect them in the face of decreasing habitat across Latin America. In...
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The Threat of Palm Oil Plantations to Jaguars
December 6, 2019
What happens to jaguars when oil palm plantations encroach into their habitat? Panthera scientists have co-authored a new paper studying the impacts of palm plantations on mammals in tropical regions. If the goal of the Jaguar Corridor is to provide connecting habitat for these big cats, we must understand this dynamic.
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Tigers Under Fire in Malaysia
December 6, 2019
Poaching gangs on the hunt for tiger body parts are emptying forests of these magnificent cats in Malaysia to feed a demand in Vietnam and China that shows no signs of slowing. Despite this dire situation, Malaysia has the potential to pull off one of the greatest recoveries in tiger range.
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Experts Answer Your Cheetah Questions
December 4, 2019
In honor of International Cheetah Day (December 4), Panthera’s team of wild cat experts has answered some of your most frequently asked questions about cheetah behavior and conservation. What makes these big cats so fast? What exactly is a King Cheetah? Find these answers and more.
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How to Find Jaguars in the Peruvian Amazon
November 25, 2019
This blog is the beginning of a new series on redefining the Jaguar Corridor in Peru and the threats facing the wild cats that live there. Our first forays into the Peruvian Amazon attempt to locate and study the immense variety of wildlife that make their homes here, focusing especially on jaguars. While it’s uncommon to spot a jaguar in the wild here, it turns out that we came pretty close...
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Lions and Cattle: How Competition Impacts Conservation
November 20, 2019
Can lions and cattle owners co-exist? Panthera’s Kristoffer Everatt has published a new study on the impacts of competition with humans on lion conservation after walking close to 4,000 km across three countries and five national parks in southern Africa. The study emphasizes the critical role that conflict with livestock owners plays in lion conservation efforts.
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Wire Snares: Africa’s Silent Killers
November 13, 2019
As a field researcher in Zambia, Anna is incredibly fortunate to see and work alongside an abundance of African wildlife. But through her work, she also witnesses the dangers that imperil these incredible animals. And one of the biggest threats facing wildlife like cheetahs and lions in Zambia’s Kafue National Park is the wire snare.
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Celebrating the Month of the Jaguar
October 29, 2019
This November we are coming together across Latin America to celebrate the Second Annual Mes Del Jaguar: Month of the Jaguar. We are raising our voices in unison to protect this iconic big cat species that is an integral part of our history, culture and ecology.
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Wild Cats 101: Black Cats and More on Melanism
October 22, 2019
It’s time for another Wild Cats 101 lesson! Panthera has written a few blogs on black cats before but this spooky season, we’re bringing you more information on melanism!
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Six Snow Leopard Blogs to Make You an Expert
October 15, 2019
In honor of International Snow Leopard Day on October 23, we've compiled some of our most popular blogs about the elusive feline known as the "mountain ghost." Read up on our work with snow leopards so you can be an expert in time for their special day.
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The Buffalo Lioness: A Relocation Success Story
October 15, 2019
The Buffalo Lioness was moved from Mangetti to Bwabwata National Park by a team from Namibia’s Ministry of Environment and Tourism because of her reputation for being a livestock killer. From there, she has gone on to provide us a successful example of how relocating lionesses can help grow prides. Read this story about a successful lion translocation that inspires us and acts as a precursor...
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Signs in the Sand: The Untraveled Roads of Luengue-Luiana
October 10, 2019
Our vision to assist the Angolan Government in turning Luengue–Luiana National Park into one of the largest national parks in Africa began in 2015 with a comprehensive survey of the park’s recovery potential following decades of civil war. Results suggested only 10 to 30 lions could be left in the park, highlighting the critical need for our reintroduction project. This blog explores a crucial...
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Increasing Our Eyes on the Wild: Introducing PoacherCam V7
October 8, 2019
Using new technology, we are fighting back against the increasing threat of illegal poaching to wild cats. The newest version of Panthera's Poachercam is V7: upgraded tech that will help us identify and stop poachers in real time.
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Small Cat Spotlight: Fishing Cat
September 30, 2019
The fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) is one of the rarest cats in South and Southeast Asia. Through Panthera’s Small Cat Action Fund (SCAF), we are facilitating an undertaking to study the fishing cat and their conservation concerns across their range. Known for their distinct bark-like sounds and affinity for aquatic environments, we’re learning more about this slinky...
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Postcard from Laguna Amarga
August 9, 2019
Southern Patagonia is so far south that it is often referred to as the “End of the World.” Together with Leona Amarga, Dania Goic and other local guides, we are creating safety protocols for puma tourism, estimating local puma abundance and expanding general knowledge of the region’s pumas.
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What Are Lions Without Prides?
August 8, 2019
In conjunction with Disney’s release of the live-action film The Lion King, we are pleased to introduce a new blog series delving into the lives of lions beyond the silver screen. Our first blog takes a closer look into a worrisome emerging social dynamic among lions: the disruption in normal pride structure and activity.
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Your Tiger Questions Answered by the Experts!
July 29, 2019
In honor of Global Tiger Day 2019 (July 29) we have put together a list of some of the questions asked by our supporters and their answers provided by some of our leading tiger experts.
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Blogs to Help You #ProtectThePride and Save Africa’s Lions
July 11, 2019
Panthera has been studying lions across Africa for years. Currently, we are working in 14 countries to protect vulnerable lion populations while partnering with local NGOs to increase tolerance for lions in rural communities. Brush up on your lion knowledge with this look back at our critical lion conservation efforts and how we are helping to #ProtectThePride.
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Disney’s Lion King Will Help Panthera #ProtectThePride
June 12, 2019
Ahead of the release of its highly anticipated live-action film, The Lion King, The Walt Disney Company has launched #ProtectThePride, a global campaign to help recover Africa’s embattled lion populations by supporting on-the-ground conservation efforts through the Lion Recovery Fund (LRF) and its partners, including Panthera.
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Wild Cats 101: Jaguars vs. Leopards
June 11, 2019
The first installment of our Wild Cats 101 blog series answers a common question: what’s the difference between a jaguar and a leopard? While these spotted big cats may look the same, they are actually quite different. Read more to learn all about the aquatic jaguar and the tree-climbing leopard.
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Back to Basics: Adapting to Life in the Bush
May 29, 2019
When she was awarded Panthera's Winston Cobb Fellowship to do field work in Africa alongside big cat experts, Gabrielle Gagnon had to learn how to adapt to a new lifestyle. For three months she spent her days in the field and nights in a tent, deep in the wilderness of Zambia's Kafue National Park. Read her story of overcoming her fears and learning to love the bush.
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Small Cat Spotlight: Flat-headed Cat
May 22, 2019
For our first entry into the brand-new blog series, Small Cat Spotlight, we’re bringing you one of the world’s rarest and most endangered cats: the flat-headed cat. This elusive feline, which earned its name from its flattened forehead, has rarely been observed in the wild and are considered Southeast Asia’s most threatened small felid. In partnership with local NGOs,...
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Jaguar Seeking Snack: A Pantanal Photo Essay
May 15, 2019
During Kate Vannelli’s visit to Panthera’s Fazenda Jofre Velho research ranch in the Brazilian Pantanal, she captured these stunning photographs. Arranged here as a photo essay, you can see through her eyes the beauty and magic of the Pantanal and the creatures who live there.
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A Once in a Lifetime Snow Leopard Sighting?
May 1, 2019
Rana Bayrakcismith has dedicated her career to studying snow leopards without actually seeing any in the wild. Read her story of a once in a lifetime opportunity to find, collar, and study one of these elusive "mountain ghosts" in person in Kyrgyzstan’s Sarychat Ertash Reserve.
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The Jaguar M.F. Flash: Part 2
April 26, 2019
In Brazil, we’re studying the jaguars of the Pantanal to improve co-existence between the region’s community and cats. There is one large male jaguar, who we call M.F. Flash, which frequently prowls around our ranch headquarters. Read Part 2 of Flash's story here.
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Sage Spending to Save Species
April 22, 2019
As we unite to celebrate the 49th Earth Day today, let us also unite to shift the conservation paradigm from intervention to prevention. If we can make the necessary investments to save species of "Least Concern" today, we’ll forego hiring armed guards to save the last of their kind in the future.
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Tokoloshe: the (Un)Snared Leopard
April 15, 2019
Do you remember Tokoloshe, the leopard caught on camera with a snare embedded in her abdomen? We’re happy to announce that recent camera trap images show her snare-free! Read this miraculous story of a leopard who fought the odds to survive, and thrive, in South Africa and learn more about the threat of snaring.
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Carbon Credits: the Newest Tool for Funding Jaguar Conservation
April 10, 2019
Thanks to a new partnership, Panthera Colombia has found a way to preserve jaguar habitat and reduce climate impacts. This win-win situation is a result of a new and exciting venture that’s opened up possibilities for funding jaguar conservation: using carbon credits to protect critical forest habitat.
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Could Puma Hunting Be Hurting Mule Deer?
April 1, 2019
For years, harvesting pumas has been used as a way to maintain robust mule deer populations for hunters to target. Now, a new Panthera study suggests that heavy hunting of pumas may actually have the opposite effect.
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10 Panthera Blogs by Female Scientists
March 8, 2019
In honor of International Women’s Day being celebrated today, we’re proud to highlight ten different blogs by ten different female scientists. Each of these esteemed women has worked with Panthera to study and save wild cat species around the globe.
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Searching for Snow Leopards
February 22, 2019
After a reasonably successful first venture to Ladakh, India in 2017 to look for snow leopards, I returned in March 2018 to spend a month in the mountains hoping to expand up on my modest portfolio of images. This time I was hoping for better luck to catching “mountain ghost” up close.
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Introducing the Jaguar M.F. Flash: Pt 1
February 11, 2019
Here at the Fazenda Jofre Velho property of Panthera Brasil in the northern Pantanal, we coexist with a high population of jaguars. Thanks to tourism and research, we’ve been able to identify and follow some interesting individual jaguars. There is one large male jaguar, who we call M.F. Flash, which frequently prowls around our ranch headquarters.
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Protecting Tigers on the Water
February 5, 2019
In Thailand, poachers are routinely using boats to smuggle firearms and illegal wildlife parts in and out the forest. Having a waterborne ranger team is vital to catching these poachers. Read more about Panthera's latest work training rangers how to operate on the water to catch poachers.
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Modelling the Ghost of the Mountain
January 30, 2019
With a nickname like “The Mountain Ghost”, it’s no wonder snow leopards can be difficult to track. Thanks to new research on the potential for snow leopard habitat in Ladakh, India, we can help these communities better co-exist with these elusive big cats.
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The Joy of a First Lion Sighting
January 28, 2019
Costa Sililo and Lucious Kakuwe have helped build over 100 bomas, or structures to keep lions and other carnivores from preying on livestock. Ironically, in their five years dedicated to reducing human-lion conflict, neither of the men has seen a lion alive in the wild. That was about to change.
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The Long Road to Luengue–Luiana
January 22, 2019
Luengue–Luinana National Park sits in southern Angola and is ready to showcase itself to those who find they have a chunk of Africa already embedded in their hearts.
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Corrals: From Conception to Construction
January 9, 2019
Panthera and the Snow Leopard Conservancy – India Trust (SLC-IT), a local grass-roots NGO and affiliate organization of Panthera, has had remarkable success in changing human attitudes and stemming retribution against snow leopards through a mix of conservation education, improving economic livelihoods, and reducing losses of livestock by building predator-proof corrals.
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Jaguars Without Borders
January 7, 2019
In our efforts to connect critical jaguar habitat, Panthera has facilitated a team-up between Honduras and Guatemala; the first binational project within the jaguar corridor.
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A Promise of Hope for a Tripod Lioness
December 13, 2018
In Kafue National Park, I made a promise to a three-legged lioness that I would work to remove dangerous snares like the one she fell victim to, from the landscape. We formed a coalition to tackle snares and other poaching threats to these predators.
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Nepal’s Communities Can Coexist with Fishing Cats
December 10, 2018
In Bodhban, Nepal, villagers and wild fishing cats both rely on the area’s fish-farming industry, and the occasional domestic chicken, to survive. It’s a situation primed for conflict, but researchers are testing practical incentives and education programs to promote better relations with the rare cats.
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Fab Four: Beetles, Big Cats, Bears and Biodiversity
December 5, 2018
We highlight the ecosystem engineering role of pumas for beetle communities. Here, we emphasized that pumas provide crucial carcass "habitat" for beetle species during important life history events.
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Introducing the Olympic Cougar Project
November 19, 2018
Panthera is proud to introduce the Olympic Cougar Project to protect puma populations in the Pacific Northwest!
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Hope for Habu
November 14, 2018
In Botswana, 16 brave men and women have been named Habu Community Scouts. They will protect wildlife from poaching while promoting ecotourism.
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Sand Cat Kittens: A Second Glimpse
November 5, 2018
Remember the sand cats who broke the internet last year? Well, they're back, with never-before-seen footage and details from the intrepid researchers who discovered them!
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Un deuxième aperçu des chatons des sables
November 5, 2018
Après avoir observé les chatons la première fois et avant de les quitter, nous avions installé plusieurs pièges photographiques autour du bosquet de végétation dans lequel ils se cachaient. De retour sur le site quelques heures plus tard pour récupérer notre matériel, nous avons été ravis de découvrir ces séquences supplémentaires que nous partageons avec vous aujourd’hui.
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Panthera's Small Cats Program
October 28, 2018
There are 40 recognized species of wild cats in the world, and while most people could name the 7 big cats, only few could name the 33 smaller ones. With the official launch of Panthera’s new Small Cats Program, we will seek to expand our understanding of these increasingly threatened species and how to protect them. Let's get started!
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What's that Smell?
October 26, 2018
To study elusive species like wild cats, we’re ready and willing to use all available sources of information in our quest to understand these animals – even poo. But finding feline feces can be as tricky as spotting the cats themselves. That's when we call Tigre, the Scat Detection Dog!
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Fish Genes, Captive Bears, and Wild Snow Leopards: A Pakistani Journey to Conservation
October 17, 2018
Safia's snow leopard research journey began in a very unlikely place: studying fish genes. Her passion for science and snow leopard conservation moved her research focus out from underwater and up into the mountains. She's pioneering DNA sequencing techniques to reveal secrets of the big cats' genetics.
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Land of Tigers and Rhinos
October 9, 2018
Tiger Program staff say anti-poaching work in Manas National Park isn't solely feline focused, but includes the occasional pachyderm too. Follow Eric out on "rhino control patrol" and learn why protections for tigers and rhinos complement each other.
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Predators Among Us: Protecting the Homes of Colombia’s Cats
October 5, 2018
To understand how jaguars and other cats use agricultural landscapes, such as cattle ranches and oil palm plantations, we withstood scorching temperatures, high humidity, and relentless mosquitoes to set up cameras and investigate.
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Triumph for Tigers
September 24, 2018
Tiger numbers are on the rise in Nepal. The Nepalese government has released results from its most recent national tiger population estimation survey that show the species is bouncing back in the country.
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The Most Incredible Camera Trap Leopard Photo Ever?
September 14, 2018
Dr. Guy Balme proclaimed this photo “the best leopard picture we’ve ever captured!” Our partner illustrates why this shot is so one-in-a-million and explains the background of this young leopard, who looks to be having a great day on the hunt.
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Home with Snow Leopards
September 10, 2018
A researcher immerses herself in Himalayan villages, under the looming specter of neighboring snow leopards, to discover the truth. Snow leopard ecotourism is changing attitudes among the Ladakhi locals in northern India, who share the landscape with the powerful predators at the risk of losing their livestock.
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Lions Have Manes; Leopards Have…Dewlaps?
September 4, 2018
What's the deal with dewlaps? The loose flaps of skin hanging underneath male leopards' necks help distinguish them from their female counterparts, but science still isn't quite decided on their true function. Here's what we know and what we hypothesize.
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Field Hacks: Repurposing Everyday Items
August 27, 2018
We surveyed Panthera team members to find out some of their tried-and-true gear hacks, asking them to share the inventive ways they've repurposed everyday items in the field. From poop-scooping utensils to cattle-corralling soda bottles, their responses didn't disappoint!
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Keep Puma Kittens Safe
August 16, 2018
Scores of puma kittens are orphaned annually, the leftovers of mothers killed outside the den—hunters not knowing they had dependent young. Newly published research from our Puma Program says delaying hunting seasons in the western USA until December 1 could save many young lives.
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A Thrilling Sight for World Lion Day
August 10, 2018
On the eve of World Lion Day, I just returned from a 48-hour safari adventure during which I observed an even more promising sign for Sintika’s future survival and success: a budding friendship.
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A Young Lion Helps Us Protect His Species
August 9, 2018
In April, Sintika, a lion we monitor, decided it was time to cast a wider net in his search for a territory. His satellite radio collar allowed us to follow his every move as he searched farther and farther from home, presenting us a prime opportunity to study the habitats through which lions disperse.
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A Cat Clouded in Mystery
August 3, 2018
The first-ever International Clouded Leopard Day is August 4, 2018, created to raise global awareness for the enigmatic species. This is sorely needed: Much of the information about the clouded leopard’s conservation status and needs—as well as the threats they face—remains shrouded in mystery.
Consider this your Clouded Leopard 101 class.
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How Red Foxes Benefit from Pumas
July 31, 2018
We found that puma kills were especially important to foxes during the winter months. In winter, foxes scavenged more kills, fed for longer, and more individuals fed on a given carcass at one time. What was even more interesting was that foxes were more likely to scavenge while the puma that had made the kill was still in the area. They were willing to risk it all for this valuable food source...
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Searching for the Mountain Ghost
July 30, 2018
On our way back to the village, we bumped into a couple of locals who had seen a snow leopard just the previous day and even had photos on their phones! Slightly disappointed that we’d missed a sighting, but with a full week of fieldwork ahead of us, we began surveying a new village hoping for better results.
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Kids Show Their Stripes for Tigers
July 27, 2018
9- and 11-year-old New York City boys raised hundreds of dollars for tiger conservation--because "tigers deserve better."
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