New Wild Cats World Ambassadors: cheetahs Spiky & Speedy

For a the start of a huge new project with cheetahs, two wonderful ambassadorcheetahs will arrive soon at our cheetah alliance Felidae Centre. Brother Spiky & Sister Speedy, two young mother-raised cheetahs. More info and photos about them is following soon.

cheetahs Spiky & Speedy

Wild Cats: Cheetah Run

Coming soon, a new book in the “Wild Cats” series: Cheetah Run “Struggle for Survival”, by Babette de Jonge.

Could DNA test to define Scotland’s pure-bred wildcats save the species?

22nd May 2013 | Posted by Babette de Jonge

A biologist from University of Chester has developed a genetic test which addresses the fundamental issue in the conservation of the Scottish wildcat – how can we identify pure wildcats from hybrids?

Dr O’Donoghue’s team at Chester has spent two years working on the research with data analysts at FIOS Genomics in Edinburgh to complete the cutting edge test which is the first of its kind in the world.

Until now there has been no truly definitive way of identifying whether existing individual cats are pure wildcats or hybrids and estimates currently suggest there are, at best, only 100 pure Scottish wildcats remaining in the wild – this test could prove to be a vital tool in the fight to save the species.

The work was funded with support from the Aspinall Foundation, the People’s Trust for Endangered Species, the Bosack Kruger Foundation and the Summerlee Foundation.

Some more publicity for the good cause

In today’s local paper “Gooi-en Eemlander” (24/1/13) some more publicity for our Wild Cats World and Spotted Cats Conservation projects in the interview with founder/manager Babette de Jonge. Sorry, in Dutch again, but the basic message is what we are trying to tell here everyday: By raising awareness, education, conservation and by giving the cats the respect they deserve, in their natural habitat and in captivity, we are trying to do our fair share to make the world a better place for the wild cats species.