The internet was practically built on cute animal content, and a conservation organization is taking that tradition to the next level, broadcasting live images of wild cats of all kinds – from the sleek jaguars of the Belizean jungle to the tiny sand kittens of the Moroccan Sahara.
For almost 15 years, the World Conservation Organization of Wild Cats Panthera has worked to protect dozens of threatened and endangered species – leopards, lions, tigers, cheetahs, and more. – against threats such as hunting, poaching and habitat loss. Along the way, his research teams have captured photos and videos of felines young and old from around the world, and now, with the launch of Window on nature, highlights are available through an easily accessible portal.
Technically, sand cats can be found in North Africa, the Middle East, Southwest Asia, and Central Asia, but spotting them is the hard part. “They hardly leave any visible traces, they leave no remains of prey and their vocalizations are calm”, declared Grégory Breton, general manager of Panthera France. wrote for Field Notes, Panthera’s blog. “They move stealthily at dusk, night and dawn, they are good at hiding and their fur provides perfect camouflage when they want to disappear from spotters and threats.” In 2017, Breton’s small team managed to locate a trio of six- to eight-week-old feral kittens in the Moroccan Sahara, which would be the first such documentation in the cat’s African range.
The most persecuted feline in the world, leopards are considered vulnerable, unthreatened, or endangered – at least not yet. Here, a baby leopard and its mother pose for a selfie in southern Africa.
Servals are one of Africa’s small feline species, distinguished by their elongated bones and enlarged ears – to better pounce on their prey. Although Panthera’s primary focus is on the big cats, the organization is working on an initiative to save the 33 species of small cats in the world.
For more videos, as well as information about the association and the cats themselves, visit panthera.org.
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