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The Wild Cats World “Sponsor Space” Campaign 2015

If you want to truly show your love for cheetah and/or leopard by contributing to their welfare? Know exactly what you sponsor and what your money is used for? Then maybe you should read on here and find out what our “Sponsor Space” campaign 2015 is all about.

We in Wild Cats World have only the welfare of our ambassadors and their relatives in the wild at heart, we already give them the best that is in our power but of course we want so much more for them. Yet, funding is the only problem that is stopping us here. We would love to keep on expanding size of the enclosures of the leopards and the cheetahcamps as fast as possible of course. Of course we know all of you, wild cats enthusiasts, would love to see this happening too and for sure you want to make a contribution, not knowing how, and if your money is spent like you hope it would be. Sadly lots of orgs that are fundraising don’t spend the money directly on the animals or projects, but support human interest with that first of all. Not Wild Cats World.

So….in this “Sponsor Space” campaign, we invite you all who want to really make a difference for our leopardambassadors Feline, Felix, Felicia and Félipe, or cheetah ambassadors Speedy, Spiky and Sunny (and neighbouring friends), and indirectly for their species, to sponsor more space for them. You can sponsor like say 100 m2 for the leopards, or 0,5 HA for the cheetahs. Used for fencing (and if possible enrichment). The more people join us the more space they will get…no limits to that, but to set a goal what we like to achieve at least: 900 m2 for the leopards (extension to current connected enclosures) and 5 HA (extension to their current huge camps) for the cheetahs. What’s in it for you? You get an exact quote how much your sponsored part will cost, your name will be on the “sponsor fence” of the enclosure/camp you sponsor with exact mention of how much you sponsored as well as on the WCW website and social media pages, you will get a full detailed report at the end about the construction and extension of the camps also (partly) thanks to your contribution, you are welcome any time at our project to see for yourself if we kept word (free entrance & photo opportunity for the sponsors). For the people who really want to sponsor big time, we will offer a free stay for a few days at our project to see what you sponsored and to meet all our ambassadorcats, as well as the Wild Cats World team. All your supportive ideas for enrichment inside the enclosures/camps (as well as the funding for it) are of course welcome too. No limits to this offer for you all to be able to do something constructive for the leopards and/or cheetahs (if successful another campaign will be started in future for the smaller ambassadors in our project).

People who are genuinely interested in supporting and funding please contact the Wild Cats World Founder/Director, Babette de Jonge, by e-mail: info@wildcatsmagazine.nl with questions and offers! Madame X offered to sponsor 100 HA for the (rescued) Canned Hunting lions, how far will we all get together???
Best Before (or deadline): 31December 2015

 

Diva and Boy: A devoted black-footed cat mother and her kitten

Wild Cats World & Wild Cats Films present a new video:

WCW female black-footed cat ambassador Diva, a devoted mom to her (and our male Blacky’s) kitten Boy.

Footage dating January 2015 as part of the WCW Black-footed Cat Conservation Project. Our ambassadors currently live at Cat Conservation Trust.

A public survey launched last month by the Lynx UK Trust has returned a remarkable 91% in favour of a trial reintroduction of lynx to the UK, with 84% believing it should begin within the next 12 months.

 

27/04/2017 (LYNX UK TRUST) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE…

 

Almost seven weeks ago the Lynx UK Trust, a team of international wildlife and conservation experts, announced their hopes to carry out a trial reintroduction of Eurasian lynx to the UK. Wiped out in the UK over 1,300 years ago by fur hunters, lynx have been successfully reintroduced across Europe, and the team hope that reintroduction here will provide a valuable natural control on the UK’s overpopulated deer species, leading to forest regeneration and a boost to the entire ecosystem.

Photo by: Erwin van Maanen

A public survey by the Trust, carried out with support from the University of Cumbria, was launched with the news and the results, released by the Trust today, reveal a huge weight of public support behind the reintroduction. Over 9,000 people took part in the survey, with 91% supporting a trial reintroduction and 84% believing it should begin within the next 12 months.

 

“We’ve been blown away by the level of interest and support from the public.” comments chief scientific advisor to the project, Dr Paul O’Donoghue, “This is by far the biggest survey of its kind ever carried out in the UK, with almost five times the feedback of the original beaver reintroduction survey in Scotland which recorded an 86% approval rating. That led to government approval for the trial reintroduction, so we’re expecting to see a consistent response from Scottish Natural Heritage and hope for similar in England and Wales. The UK public have spoken; people overwhelmingly want these animals to be given the chance to come back and we’ve got an extremely capable team to deliver it.

 

“Lynx have proven themselves across Europe to be absolutely harmless to humans and of very little threat to livestock, whilst bringing huge benefit to rural economies and the natural ecology, including species like capercaillie which face some serious problems in the UK. It’s wonderful that the general public want to see lynx given the chance to do the same here.”

 

Encouragingly, over half of the people who filled in the survey were from rural communities, returning a level of support only 5-6% lower than urban communities, showing that this project has considerable support from people who live and work in the UK countryside.

 

The survey results were analysed by Dr Ian Convery and Dr Darrell Smith of the University of Cumbria. Dr Convery commented; “It’s an impressive sample size of people who feel really strongly about lynx reintroduction, and consistently all of the results and analyses are extremely positive.”

 

A further survey was commissioned following traditional opinion polling techniques canvassing just over 1,000 people representatively spread across age and social demographics which recorded support levels of up to 70% for lynx reintroduction.

 

Convery explained “As with the pro-active online survey, this representative sample shows very strong support for lynx, again at rates comparable with that for beavers, and with those against lynx reintroduction numbering very low.”

 

Buoyed by the results, the Trust are continuing public consultation and education activities, and preparing formal applications for trial reintroductions at sites across the UK with one of the world’s largest law firms, Clifford Chance.

 

‘We’re delighted to learn of the British public’s overwhelming support for this project which we believe will ensure its success.” comments Roger Leese, a partner at the firm, “Our next step, supporting the Lynx UK Trust in submitting its applications for trial reintroductions, will be ground breaking in the area of UK environmental and conservation law. It’s a complex legal challenge and we are committed to supporting the Trust from the centre, not the sidelines.”

 

Applications to Natural England and Scottish Natural Heritage are expected to be completed by summer for sites in Norfolk, Cumbria, Northumberland and Aberdeenshire, with the Trust still evaluating potential release sites in Wales. Up to six lynx would be released at each site and closely monitored via satellite collars over a trial period likely to last for 3-5 years.

Source: Lynx UK Trust/University of Cumbria

 

 

 

 

It’s safe to assume that at one point or another, each of us has experienced seeing animals in captivity. Having the opportunity to see wild animals like tigers, elephants and gorillas up close is an exhilarating prospect. Sadly, anyone who as ever set foot inside an establishment housing captive wild animals has also likely witnessed unnatural stereotypic behaviors. These include:

• Pacing

• Bar biting
• Head bobbing, swaying, neck twisting
• Regurgitation
• Self Mutilation, Overgrooming

Many patrons are amused, feeling as though the animals are following them around the exhibit. In some cases, they think the animals are “dancing.” The truth is these are only a few of the many stereotypic behaviors exhibited by captive animals. These abnormal behaviors describe “zoochosis,” the psychological impact captivity has on wild animals.

According to one study, the importance of behavior is as significant as the internal organs essential to one’s life. Animals that display normal behaviors allow for homeostasis, which is needed to ensure internal conditions are maintained and stable. When a captive animal is not capable of modifying or controlling its environment, animals begin to cope by exhibiting stereotypic behavior. Scientists believe this abnormal behavior releases endorphins and allows for momentary relief.

While many renowned facilities pour millions of dollars into programs designed to keep the animals “happy,” it’s clear that stereotypic behaviors are representative of poor welfare in captivity. No habitat can rival the environment animals would have in the wild; albeit the animals born in zoos and other facilities are often born through breeding programs, the number of animals suffering from these stereotypic behaviors only further corroborates that these animals are inherently wild and suffer in captivity.

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