Babette

Like with every ending of an old and beginning of a new year one starts thinking about how the old year has been and what plans could be made for the year(s) to come. Lots of highlights in the year 2012, like the start of SPOTTED CATS CONSERVATION in SA and with this the realisation of many huge and great projects, like the leopard project phase I (and relocation of ambassador leopards Feline and Felix), projects for black footed cats and servals, and the brand new caracal project dedicated to late caracal Nina. Also we were happy to be able to rescue lions Chuck and Norris out of the hands of the ugly Canned Hunting Business and to have found a sponsor to keep them at the project and to built a huge camp for them.

Like with every ending of an old and beginning of a new year one starts thinking about how the old year has been and what plans could be made for the year(s) to come. Lots of highlights in the year 2012, like the start of SPOTTED CATS CONSERVATION, a new project in SA and with this the realisation of many huge and great projects, like the leopard project phase I (and relocation of ambassador leopards Feline and Felix), projects for black footed cats and servals, and the brandnew caracal project dedicated to late caracal Nina. Also we were happy to be able to rescue lions Chuck and Norris out of the hands of the ugly Canned Hunting Business and to have found a sponsor to keep them at the project and to built a huge camp for them.

Then the release of the caracal book, photography by me and Anton Buijen van Weelden (WCW), and lots of PR in magazines, papers, on radio and tv for the projects both in Holland and in SA. We are so grateful for all these things we achieved the past year, but unlike all happiness also great sadness and frustration marked this year, when we thought we were doing the right thing to start a cooperation with Stichting Leeuw at Landgoed Hoenderdaell/Netherlands. This cooperation ended because at this sanctuary they intentionally killed our young caracal Nina. Her arrival and friendship was one of the highlights of this year, but we went through wars having to lose her again because of this act of violence by horrible people. This was 2012.

Looking at 2013 we already have lots of new projects in mind. Leopard Project phase II will start early this year. The caracal project will be officially opened in January, spreading Nina’s ashes at the spot, also we like to share the initiative for a future project for tigers, in which you really must all participate. A big scale fundraising will start but very transparent so that you all really feel you are taking part of this. Big plans to start a series of WCW/WCM books next year, combined with (all original) pictures, stories and facts from both the cats species in their natural habitat but also our ambassador cats. Something to really look forward to. Will keep you all informed. Thanks to you all for the wonderful support and faith in us to do the best we can for the wild cats in the wild as well as in captivity!

-Babette de Jonge- Wild Cats World/Wild Cats Magazine

Order now!!! Book “Caracals in India” by Shekhar Kolipaka and all photos of wild caracals in India by: Babette de Jonge (also coverphotos)/Wild Cats World and Anton Buijen van Weelden. Price 15 euro (excl. postage), which will be invested in new WCW projects benefiting caracals and other wild cats species.

Please contact us to order and exchange further details.
Through this book you will get first hand info of the caracal and its behaviour. Foreword by Peter Jackson, IUCN Cat Specialist Group/Chairman Emeritus.