Sun, March 10, 2024

Back to Beijing: Huang Qiaowen, China Felid Conservation Alliance

Beijing, China - the world's largest capital city was once the traditional habitat of the magnificent North Chinese leopard. Pushed out from Beijing, these leopards today live in the Taihung mountains in the south west of the capital, however an ambitious project from the China Felid Conservation Alliance seeks to bring these leopards back home to Beijing. Across successive generations, these leopards are gradually migrating north towards Beijing. But if they succeed in reaching the city, is it prepared to welcome its new wild neighbours? Guest Huang Qiaowen, China Felid Conservation Alliance

Sat, February 17, 2024

Cats of Calakmul: Mariam Weston & Thelma Arenas, Ocelot Working Group

Dive into the heart of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula where ancient traditions meet modern challenges. 🐝🌳 In our latest episode, we explore the tropical dry forests of Calakmul, a place where Mayan beekeepers have been harvesting honey in harmony with nature for centuries. But now, climate change is bringing an unexpected twist to the tale. With water becoming a precious commodity, a conflict brews between the local beekeepers and the majestic wildcats of the region. 🐆💧 Join us as we follow Mariam, Thelma, and Carlos from the Ocelot Working Group who are on the frontlines, fighting to resolve these conflicts. Their mission? To protect the wildcats and preserve the precious beekeeping practices that support over 25,000 families. 🌍🤝 Tune in to hear their story and discover the innovative solutions they're crafting to ensure that people and nature can thrive together for generations to come. 🌱🐾 Guests Mariam Weston & Thelma Arenas, Ocelot Working Group

Sun, October 01, 2023

The Mizoram Model: Amit Kumar Bal

When we think about the illegal wildlife trade, we think of the fur of tigers, the ivory of elephant tusks and the scales of pangolins - but even small wild cats are traded illegally in many countries around the world. In the porous border region between Myanmar and the Indian state of Mizoram, wildlife biologist Amit Kumar Bal stumbled upon a trade of small wild cats from the Murlen National Park in India, across the border to Myanmar - a global hub for the illegal wildlife trade. After three years of living in one of the small villages bordering the park, Amit has completely eliminated the hunting of small wild cats - but that's just one village - and now Amit is trying to replicate this success in every village all throughout Mizoram. Guests : Amit Kumar Bal

Tue, August 29, 2023

Father and Daughter: Kumi Togawa, Japan Tiger and Elephant Fund

In 1965, Yukio Togawa, a Japanese novelist found himself drawn to the whispers of a wild cat unknown to science. He set sail for the untamed wilderness of Iriomote Island and brought this wild cat - the Iriomote Cat to the world's attention. Togawa inadvertently sparked a conversation about the future of Iriomote Island - a delicate balance between the unspoiled wilderness that needed protection and the essential infrastructure that the island's communities required. Now, his legacy lives on through his daughter, Kumi. Inspired by her father's passion and dedication, she continues his work, striving to conserve the Iriomote Cat and its habitat. This is their story, told by his daughter, a tale of conservation conflict and the enduring bond between a father, a daughter, and the wild cat that brought them together. Guest Kumi Togawa, Japan Tiger & Elephant Fund Links Japan Tiger and Elephant Fund

S1 E34 · Sun, July 23, 2023

Feline Fire Survivors: Carmen Vanbianchi - Home Range Wildlife Research

Wildfires have always been a natural hazard ingrained in the history of the forests across Washington state in the US Pacific Northwest, but in recent years their impact has grown more severe, with longer-lasting and more intense blazes pushing this region's fragile ecosystems right to the very brink. Amongst the wildlife that call these forests home, is a subpopulation of the Canada lynx, a medium-sized species of lynx that ranges across Alaska, Canada and some northern areas of the US. With each devastating wildfire, the Canada Lynx's future here grows more uncertain - their once familiar territory now fragmented, altered and their survival now in a race against time. Guest Carmen Vanbianchi - Home Range Wildlife Research

S1 E33 · Thu, May 11, 2023

A Big Future: Howard Baskin, Big Cat Rescue

“Hey all you cool cats and kittens!”   Do you recognise this catch phrase at all? Of course you do, it's Carole Baskin - co-founder of the non-profit sanctuary Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, Florida.   Whilst many people may have only recently heard about Big Cat Rescue through Netflix's 'Tiger King', the organisation has been caring and protecting wild cats for over thirty years. Carole, and her husband Howard have also been tireless advocates for ending private ownership of big cats in the US, resulting in the Big Cat Public Safety Act signed into US law in December 2022.   In March 2023, Big Cat Rescue made a huge announcement - announcing that all the remaining cats at the centre would be relocated to Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge in Arkansas and that they would sell the land where Big Cat Rescue is located.   This is far from the end for Big Cat Rescue - it's the start of a new adventure in investing the expected millions from the property sale into conservation projects for cats in the wild.   Guests : Howard Baskin - Big Cat Rescue   Links Big Cat Rescue

Wed, April 26, 2023

Lynx on the Brink: Nathan Huvier, Centre Athénas

The Carpathian lynx - a subspecies of the Eurasian lynx. These majestic cats are a symbol of the wild and rugged landscapes of east and central Europe, where from country to country, they roam the mountains and forests. silently hunting for their prey. Over in France, the fate of these cats is hanging by just a thread. In fact if we do nothing, it's likely they will become locally extinct in just thirty years. Recent research from Nathan Huvier at Centre Athénas, a wildlife conservation organisation in the Jura mountains, has found that these beautiful cats are facing a rapid loss of genetic diversity with just under 150 adult lynxes remaining in the wild in France. So let's explore the history of the Carpathian lynx in France, dive into the very latest research on their genetic diversity, and discuss how we can all work together to save these cats from disappearing from the French wilderness forever. Guest Nathan Huvier - Centre Athénas Links Centre Athénas

Tue, February 21, 2023

When We Become Prey: Professor Adam Hart, University of Gloucestershire

Humans may be the world's top predator - but what happens when the tables are turned and we become the hunted. For many people around the world, the feeling of being watched stalked or even eaten by a predator such as a big cat is a terrifying reality. We're working to protect what wild cats we have left and even increase their numbers. But how do we balance this against the complexities of a world where increasingly people and predators live side by side. In this episode, we'll hear from Professor Adam Hart, author of “The Deadly Balance: People & Predators in a Crowded World”, and explore the spine chilling topic of human predation by big cats and what the future holds as we continue to push into wildlife habitats. Guest Professor Adam Hart, University of Gloucestershire Links The Deadly Balance: People & Predators in a Crowded World Adam Hart - Twitter / Instagram

Wed, January 18, 2023

Road Ecology: Professor Darryl Jones, Griffith University

Maybe you're driving on a road right now - even if you're not you're probably not that far from a road - because, roads are everywhere. It's hard to imagine a modern world without roads - and whilst they allow people like us to go almost anywhere in the world - they're also the great enabler for the many threats facing wild cats today such as deforestation, poaching and of course road-kill What we don't talk about though - is how the roads themselves divide our precious planet into millions of tiny pieces - irreversibly splitting-up populations of wildlife. So in this episode, we'll hear about the impact of roads on wild cats and some of the innovative solutions - such as wildlife bridges, tunnels & AI smart cameras to make roads - a whole lot more cat-friendly. Guests Professor Darryl Jones, Griffith University Links A Clouded Leopard in the Middle of the Road

Tue, November 08, 2022

The Last Wild Cat of Singapore: Singapore Wild Cat Action Group

Singapore is one of the smallest countries on the planet, and its rapid rise from a small trading settlement to a bustling modern metropolis has destroyed 95% of its historical forests, driving the extinction of many species of animals. The islands were once home to the Malayan Tiger and the Indo-Chinese leopard and today, there is just one species of wild cat left in Singapore - the leopard cat - with around 50 individuals estimated to be in the wild. Whilst the leopard cat may be relatively common in some other countries, for Singaporeans, protecting this cat - their last wild cat - is incredibly important. So in this episode, we're going to meet Vilma D'Rozario and Marcus Chua from the community-run Singapore Wild Cat Action Group to learn more about the leopard cat and how they engage Singaporeans to help protect and save their last wild cat. Guests Vilma D'Rozario - Singapore Wild Cat Action Group Marcus Chua - Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum Links Singapore Wild Cat Action Group Cover Image Credit: Marcus Chua

Thu, October 13, 2022

Fighting Wildlife Crime: Ofir Drori, EAGLE Network

In Central & West Africa wildlife crime and corruption was rampant - and yet not a single individual had ever been prosecuted. It's in these fragile landscapes where lions are on the brink of extinction, leopards are under threat and other endangered species such as the western black rhino, gorillas and elephants could soon disappear. So when a young activist discovered the lack of any real enforcement or action against wildlife crime in Cameroon, he began a journey to become the first NGO in the region to directly fight wildlife crime & corruption. Almost twenty years later, they now operate in nine countries and incredibly have helped arrest and jail over 3000 wildlife traffickers in West and Central Africa. So in this episode, we'll explore how to fight wildlife crime & corruption and how the wild cats of West & Central Africa need our help - now. Guest : Ofir Drori, EAGLE Network Links EAGLE Network Kamérimètre (Prod. By P1ague E1even & Zubo) - Cameroon Hip Hop Music

Mon, September 19, 2022

A Sand Cat Powered Future: Dr. Amir Seyyedabbasi, Istinye University

This episode is unlike any I've done before! We're taking a journey into computational science and mathematics and how the sand cat has inspired a new algorithm that could improve artificial intelligence, civil engineering, scheduling, smart routing, supply chains, and even aerospace engineering. My mind was blown when I read this research paper - and to be honest, it is an extraordinarily complex topic. But together we're gonna explore how the sand cat and the natural world around us is having an impact on some of the most cutting edge technology on our planet. We'll meet the sand cat, an enigmatic small cat native to the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East, and of course the big brain behind this algorithm, Dr. Amir Seyyedabbasi to help explain the maths, the science and algorithms that are already powering our future. Guests Dr. Amir Seyyedabbasi - Software Engineering, Istinye University, Türkiye ( Link to Papers )

Tue, August 09, 2022

The Wilds of Mongolia: Claudio Augugliaro, Wildlife Initiative

Mongolia - an epic expanse of rolling grasslands, unforgiving desert and rugged mountains. It's also the home of one of the more unusual wild cats on this planet - Pallas’s Cat or the manul. Since 2020, it's been been listed as "Least Concern" in the IUCN Red List - but if we look deeper, it's quickly evident that we do need to be concerned about the Pallas’s Cat - particularly in Mongolia. Today we'll meet the Italian scientist on the ground who's using innovative camera trapping techniques to discover the real story of the Pallas's Cat in the wild of Mongolia. Guest : Claudio Augugliaro, Wildlife Initiative Links Wildlife Initiative Pallas's Cat Videos - Wild Missions

Thu, June 23, 2022

Cats on the Edge: Sergio Guerrero & Liesbeth Frías

Borneo is a treasure trove of biodiversity and home to one of the oldest rainforests in the world. It’s also the epicentre of the palm oil industry and so these precious and fragile ecosystems have been ripped wide open, creating opportunity for disease transmission between wildlife, people and their domestic animals. So what does this mean for the endangered wild cats of Borneo like the Sunda Clouded Leopard and the Flat-Headed Cat? Guests: Sergio Guerrero (City University of Hong Kong) & Liesbeth Frías (Nanyang Technological University) Links: Health at the Edge Project

Sat, February 26, 2022

Up Close with Tiger Poachers: Allison Skidmore, Leave them Wild

Over 6,000 kilometres from Moscow in the Far East of Russia is the remote and harsh habitat of the Amur Tiger - also known as the Siberian Tiger. It is one of the largest cats in the world, and there is estimated to be around 400 remaining in the wild. The largest threat for the Amur tiger is poaching - but there's really only one way to truly understand how and why poachers poach - and that's to talk to the poachers directly. And so American wildlife criminologist, Allison Skidmore had a proposal for her university - to go and live in these hunting communities in Far East Russia for months at a time to find out first-hand the REAL extent of the threat of poaching for the Amur Tiger. Is it a crazy story? Absolutely. It's a story that shows true courage and an unrelenting ambition to learn more about this threat so conservation actions can be taken in the future. Links Leave Them Wild

Thu, February 03, 2022

Bardia Discovery: Rajan Choudhary, Rusty-Spotted Cat Working Group

One day in 2012, Rajan Choudhary, a naturalist from Bardia National Park in Nepal was guiding an American tourist in his jeep through the park. Game drives are common in this park with the park home to elephants, tigers, dolphins and many other species. It was late and as they were returning to the hotel - all of a sudden, in the distance on the right-hand side, about ten metres into the forest - he saw this kind of light in the darkness. Now when you're driving at night, you might have noticed that the eyes of animals or people can reflect the light as tiny little beacons. So they stopped and reversed back to where they saw this light and gazed into the forest. Rajan borrowed this guest's camera - a DSLR with a long lens - to get a better look - it was a cat, a very small cat - but he wasn't sure what species he was looking at. So what did Rajan and his guest see that night exactly? Listen to the latest episode of Cats of the Wild - link in bio or find it in your favourite podcast app Follow the Rusty Spotted Cat Working Group on Instagram @rustyspottedcat.rscwg #rustyspottedcat #wildcatconservation #wildcats #naturepodcast #wildlifeconservation #wildlife

Tue, January 11, 2022

Backyard Big Cats: Devan Schowe, Born Free USA

On February 26, 2019 - the Big Cat Public Safety Act was introduced to the US House of Representatives - in its official summary, it's a bill that revises the restrictions on the possession and exhibition of big cats - species of lion, tiger, leopard, cheetah, jaguar, or cougar or any hybrid of such species, including to restrict direct contact between the public and big cats. The introduction of this bill was the result of years of advocacy and campaign work from animal organisations such as the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Big Cat Rescue and Born Free USA - and yet today, almost three years later - the bill still isn't law in the US.  So in this episode, we're going to explore the issues with big cat ownership, how it impacts the conservation of cats in the wild and importantly what are the next steps for the Big Cat Public Safety Act. This episode features Devan Schowe from Born Free USA Links Born Free USA Documentary - The Conservation Game

Bonus · Sat, January 01, 2022

Thank you from Cats of the Wild

Happy New Year! Not a normal episode - just a quick thank you and how you can support Cats of the Wild! Get in touch @catsofthewildpodcast on Instagram or andy@wildmissions.com

Sat, December 18, 2021

Fishing Cats of Nepal: Ganesh Puri, Western Terai Fishing Cat Project

Nepal - a mountain kingdom and home to twelve species of wild cat including the tiger, snow leopard and Eurasian Lynx but today we're talking about a small cat - the fishing cat in the Western Terai region of Nepal. Ganesh Puri is a wildlife and forest ranger - and he saw first-hand the conflict between the fishing communities of this area and the fishing cat - whose numbers are thought to be less than two hundred here. So Ganesh started the Western Terai Fishing Cat Project and has built connections in these communities to protect the fishing cat and improve the livelihoods of these fishing communities. This is the story of a man with a big dream for a small cat in a small part of a small country. Links Western Terai Fishing Cat Project Instagram - Western Terai Fishing Cat Project The Western Terai Fishing Cat Project is supported by the Fishing Cat Conservation Alliance, Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation, Panthera and the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund.

Mon, November 22, 2021

Sumatra's Last Tigers: Leif Cocks, International Tiger Project

The Sunda Tiger is one of two subspecies of tiger - and today they can only be found on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. There's less than four hundred left in Sumatra's forests and time is running out before they become extinct in the wild. As deforestation and illegal hunting continue throughout Sumatra, what hope is there for the long-term survival of the Sumatran Tiger? In this episode we chat to Leif Cocks, founder of the International Tiger Project about the work they are doing in Indonesia and the different ways that you can help save the Sumatran tiger today. Links International Tiger Project

Thu, November 04, 2021

Jaguars on the Ranch: Duston Larsen, San Miguelito Jaguar Conservation Ranch

Cattle and soy production are big business in Bolivia, and it's quickly reducing habitat for some incredible wildlife such as the jaguar, puma and ocelot. It's not easy though, because in Bolivia you also just can't buy land for the purposes of conservation - the land has to be productive and have an economic function. So this wildlife now needs to co-exist with agriculture and what often happens is that predators, like the jaguar, predate on livestock such as cattle and then the jaguars are killed in retaliation as farmers seek to protect their herds. It's a problem that exists all over the world but in Bolivia, there's one cattle ranch, San Miguelito that's doing things a little bit differently. Owner Duston Larsen for almost twenty years has been working with conservation organisations such as WCS and Panthera to study and protect the wildlife on their mostly-natural ranch and is the only model ranch in Bolivia for Panthera in exploring ways to mitigate conflict between predators, livestock and farmers. Links Jaguar Conservation Ranch P anthera

Wed, October 06, 2021

Cat Craft: Mauro Lucherini, Andean Cat Alliance

CATCrafts is a program from the Andean Cat Alliance that connects local communities not only with the conservation of the Andean Cat - but also with their past, culture and traditions. In this episode, Mauro Lucherini - General Coordinator of the CATCrafts program talks about the program, the role of community in conservation and how he is inspiring and training the next generation of conservationists. Music: ' The Most Beautiful Andean Flute Melody of All Time ' licensed under Creative Commons from Carlos Carty Music. Theme music is by Score Squad. Other music and sound effects from Envato. Links Andean Cat Alliance

Sun, August 22, 2021

Wild Cat Photography: Sebastian Kennerknecht

There's not too many people in the world with the job title of wild cat photographer. But in this episode, we're going to meet one of the world's best - Sebastian Kennerknecht. He’s photographed over twenty species of wild cat in their natural habitat and has teamed up with biologists all over the world to share their research and stories. Like a field biologist though, it's not a job for the faint-hearted - he's had hook worms burrow in his feet in the jungles of Borneo, almost rolled his car off a bridge in Gabon and had a terrifying near-death experience in Uganda. And don't worry - I've blown my entire sound effects budget for the year to tell that story. So what does it take to be a wild cat photographer? What role does photography have in conservation? And what should you be doing today if you want to follow in his footsteps? This episode features Sebastian Kennerknecht. Follow him @pumapix on Instagram or visit his tour company at www.catexpeditions.com Links Follow him @pumapix on Instagram Sebastian Kennerknecht Photography Cat Expeditions

Fri, August 06, 2021

How to Train a Margay: Samantha Zwicker - Hoja Nueva

Recently a friend sent me a photo on the Nat Geo Instagram account and said, “Hey, this could be a great story for your podcast”. It was a photo taken by Trevor Frost of Samantha Zwicker, a PhD student from the University of Washington with an ocelot deep in the Peruvian Amazon. I don't know if this was intended, but this photo really reminded me of that famous photo of Jane Goodall, touching the hands of an infant chimpanzee in Gombe, Tanzania. But just like that photo, there's a fascinating story behind this photo too. In August, 2018, Sam received an emergency message from the local community, that there was a small wild cat wandering the floor of a community store. It was that ocelot in the photo - Keanu. His mother had been killed due to logging and as a small kitten he was destined for the illegal wildlife trade. Sam, however, had a bright future planned for Keanu. One without cruelty, one without fences - a future at home, free and wild in the Amazon. This is the story of Sam and her not-for-profit Hoja Nueva - a beacon of hope deep in the jungle of the Peruvian Amazon, where every day they rehabilitate and rewild threatened wildlife, just like Keanu, the ocelot. Links Hoja Nueva - Home - Conservation Center Peruvian Amazon Rainforest Research Paper - Characterising trade at the largest wildlife market of Amazonian Peru

Tue, July 06, 2021

The Orphaned Cubs of Welgevonden: Carmen Warmenhove, Welgevonden Game Reserve

Around 12,000 years there was a mass extinction event that eliminated around 75% of the world's large mammals. It's still unclear exactly what caused this but it marked the end for legendary megafauna such as the woolly mammoth and the sabre-toothed tiger. Remarkably, a handful of cheetahs survived this event, but it created a population bottleneck, resulting in an extreme reduction of their genetic diversity. Today, the average level of genetic variation in cheetahs is less than 4%, lower than the gorillas of Virunga National Park, the Amur tigers and Australia's Tassie devil. What all of this means is that cheetah conservation is really important and needs to be carefully managed. So in 2018 when a private game reserve in South Africa found three orphaned cheetah cubs calling incessantly for their mother, they made a decision to intervene - a decision to fight for their survival. Typically, orphaned cheetah cubs are removed from the wild and placed in facilities - but Welgevonden wanted to try a new approach - could they keep the cubs in the wild and just help them to bolster their odds of survival? This episode features Carmen Warmenhove from Welgevonden Game Reserve. Links Welgevonden Game Reserve Carmen’s Research Paper

Tue, May 18, 2021

The Barbary Lion: Dr Simon Black, University of Kent

The Barbary Lion is a distinct population of lions of the northern subspecies of lion, Panthera leo leo. that roamed the North of Africa from the western coast of Morocco through to Egypt. They were one of the most prized and heralded exotic animals in the world, fighting bloody battles at the Colosseum, gatekeeping the famous Tower of London and they formed part of the traditional royal collection of lions for generations of Moroccan sultans and kings. but through centuries of hunting and agricultural expansion, the Barbary lion became extinct in the wild. But what if I told you that there are lions right now in zoos across the north of Africa and Europe that some people think are genetically distinct enough to be a Barbary Lion? And if this is true, what do we do ... how do we protect them ... and can we reintroduce back to the wilds of the Barbary coast? Links Barbary Lion Blog

Tue, April 13, 2021

The Leopard of the Cape: Dr Katy Williams, Cape Leopard Trust

The leopard is one of the most iconic species of wild cat on this planet. Currently, there's nine recognised subspecies of the leopard - this might soon change to eight - but only one of those is found in Africa - the African  Leopard. However down in the Western Cape of South Africa, the African leopards here are different. They're about half the weight of a typical African leopard and their home ranges are eight to ten times bigger than a leopard in Kruger National Park. These leopards of the cape are known for their elusiveness and their resilience. Whilst other large apex predators have disappeared around them in the last few centuries, the leopard here has survived. But that doesn't mean they're going to survive forever - it's estimated that there the wild and the challenges they face are increasing in both complexity and scale. So in this episode, we'll meet Dr. Katy Williams - Research and Conservation Director for the Cape Leopard Trust. They're a leader in predator conservation and we'll learn more about the leopards in this area, the threats facing them and the plans the Cape Leopard Trust have to ensure they'll be a part of the Western Cape for centuries to come. Links Cape Leopard Trust

Thu, March 18, 2021

The Mysterious Cats of Morelos: Mariam Weston, Animal Karma

The ‘Free and Sovereign State of Morelos’ is the second smallest state of Mexico and is home to every single species of wild cat found in Mexico. It’s also the home of Animal Karma, a non-profit foundation dedicated to rescue of ecosystems and species that inhabit them. In this episode, we meet founder Rodrigo Salgado and project director, Mariam Weston to learn about Mexico’s small wild cats and the important conservation work and action on the ground they are doing to help save the wild cats of Mexico and the world. Links Animal Karma

Thu, February 18, 2021

The Art of Conservation: Liselle-Fae. Qingyu Li & Rose Smith

For thousands of years, wild cats have inspired artists to create incredible paintings, sculptures and other artworks. Today, through the power of social media these artists can now share their art with wide audiences and importantly use their art to bring awareness and support for wild cat conservation. So let's explore art & conservation together with three amazing wild cat artists - Liselle-Fae - a watercolour painter, Qingyu Li - a miniature figurine sculptor and Rose Smith - a digital artist. Grab your paint brush and dust off your artist's palette because it's time for us to get creative. Links Liselle-Fae - Instagram , TikTok , Facebook , Website Rose Smith - Instagram , Facebook Qingyu Li - Instagram , Etsy Store , Facebook

Tue, January 26, 2021

World Geoffroy's Cat Day: Kylie Reynolds & Flávia Tirelli

January 28, 2021 is the very first world Geoffroy's Cat Day! You see for this little-known South American small cat species, this is more than just about any single day - it's actually the start of a new era for the conservation of this species. In this episode we’ll meet Flávia Tirelli - the founder of the newly-formed Geoffroy’s Cat Working Group and Kylie Reynolds at Amazing Animals Inc who started World Geoffroy's Cat Day. Links Amazing Animals Inc Geoffroy’s Cat Working Group Instagram Geoffroy’s Cat Website Geoffroy’s Cat T-Shirt Fundraiser Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation

Tue, January 05, 2021

On Tour with the Snow Leopard: Behzad Larry, Voygr Expeditions

Deep in the north of India, hidden in the high valleys of the Himalayas, Ladakh is one of the most remote places on this planet. Leh, the capital of this region was once a major trading hub on the ancient Silk Road connecting Tibet to the east, Kashmir to the west and beyond through to India, China and Persia. These mountains have always been the home to the 'grey ghost' - the snow leopard. This majestic big cat has lived in these remote and inhospitable regions long before the ancient Silk Road traders and yet they continue to be under threat from habitat loss, hunting and human-wildlife conflict. Adventure seekers and wildlife enthusiasts come to Ladakh every year for the chance to see a snow leopard in the wild and Voygr Expeditions - one company that operates in the area has managed to see snow leopards on every tour they have operated since 2013. This is more than tours & spotting snow leopards - it's about building mini economies led by snow leopard tourism to create a positive change that improves the lives of local people, whilst protecting their very own big cat - the snow leopard. This episode features Behzad Larry from Voygr Expeditions Links Voygr Expeditions High Asia Habitat Fund

Sat, December 19, 2020

The City of the Caracal: Gabi Leighton, Urban Caracal Project

The Cape Peninsula, home to the city of Cape Town in South Africa is a global biodiversity hotspot. Prior to European settlement, this area was home to almost every large African animal – elephants, rhinos, hippos, red hartebeest – even the now-extinct Cape Lion  – that was one and a half times larger than an African lion. Today, Cape Town is a bustling, modern city and whilst it has lost most of its historic megafauna, it is still rich in a variety of plant and animal species. One of those species is the caracal, a mid-sized cat that lives in the urban edge of the city bounds. This episode features Gabi Leighton from the Urban Caracal Project. Links Urban Caracal Project Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa

Wed, November 25, 2020

The Last Island of the Ocelot: Ricardo Meade, El Socorro Centre for Wildlife Conservation

The islands of Trinidad and Tobago have incredible biodiversity with tropical rainforests described as a mini Amazon, hundreds of species of birds and the last remaining island population of ocelots. All of this however is under threat - deforestation is tearing down precious habitats, hunting is rife and the island is at the nexus of the illegal wildlife trade. But there's a local wildlife rehabilitation centre in Trinidad that's educating local Trinibagonians about their island's unique biodiversity and working to conserve, rescue and rehabilitate its native species – including the ocelot. So how does the ocelot fit into this island's ecosystem? How can they thrive in these diminishing forests under all these threat? And will future research into the ocelot in Trinidad, reveal an entirely new subspecies of ocelot – to the world. This episode features Ricardo Meade from the El Socorro Centre for Wildlife Conservation. Links El Socorro Centre for Wildlife Conservation

Sun, November 01, 2020

The Value of the Mountain Lion: Dr. Mark Elbroch, Panthera

Today, more than ever – the mountain lion is mired in controversy, misinformation and fear and their very existence in the landscapes across America are inextricably interwined with the tricky politics of managing wildlife reserves in the US. What role does the mountain lion play in these ecosystems? What value if any, does it provide the local people and economies? And how do we move forward with the conservation of this species for all people. It's quite the cougar conundrum! This episode features Dr. Mark Elbroch, director of the Puma Program at Panthera and author of the new book, 'The Cougar Conundrum' Buy the Book Island Press (Buy direct from publisher) Amazon US Book Depository Booko (AU) Links Mark Elbroch - Website Panthera Panthera - Puma Program

Tue, October 20, 2020

On the Trail with the Black-Footed Cat: Dr. Alexander Sliwa, Black-Footed Cat Working Group

Southern Africa is home to world's deadliest cat. It's not a lion, a cheetah or even a leopard – it’s the Black-footed cat. Today, we know quite a bit about this cat – but this wasn't the case almost thirty years ago when Dr. Alexander Sliwa started his research into this species. Research like this takes time, effort and most importantly passion. It can be tedious, arduous and sometimes boring. This is the story of Dr Sliwa and his passion for studying Africa's black footed cat. Links Black-footed Cat Working Group Site Facebook - Black-footed Cat Working Group Instagram Cologne Zoo

Thu, October 08, 2020

The Children of the Fishing Cat: Giridhar Malla, Godavari Fishing Cat Project

In the Godavari river in the Eastern Ghats of India, fishermen and their families rely on the mangrove forest for their entire lives. But it's not only fishermen that go fishing – these mangrove forests are also one of the key habitats for the Fishing Cat, who often snatch fish right out of fishermen's nets. So how do you change an entire village's negative perception of the fishing cat? The answer – you start with the children. This episode features Giridhar Malla, founder of the Godavari Fishing Cat Project Links Fishing Cat Conservation Alliance Godavari Fishing Cat Project Book - Moon and the Little Fishing Cat Fishing Cat Image © Giridhar Malla

Fri, September 11, 2020

Smile for the African Golden Cat: Badru Mugerwa, Embaka

The African Golden Cat is a shy, mysterious species of wild cat that lives in the equatorial forests of Africa. Little was known about this species until Badru Mugerwa, a conservation biologist from Uganda started studying this cat around the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park with support from the local communities and the Uganda Wildlife Authority Since then, he leads perhaps the only ongoing direct conservation work for this species in the world with innovative conservation initiatives that improve the lives of the local people and help protect the African Golden Cat. Links Embaka Image © Badru Mugerwa/Embaka

Tue, August 25, 2020

The Leopard and the Light: Dipanjan Naha & Ian Whalan

In Pauri Garhwal in India, the Leopard has been in conflict with the local people for hundreds of years. Every year people are injured by leopards and leopards regularly kill families' livestock. In 2018, researchers from the Wildlife Institute of India began a year-long experiment to test the efficacy of a light – the fox light and found some surprising results. Can a simple LED light help people's relationship with the Indian leopard? This episode features Dipanjan Naha from the Wildlife Institute of India and Ian Whalan the creator of the Fox Light. Links Research Paper Fox Lights - Official Website Wildlife Institute of India

Fri, July 31, 2020

Jacobo, the Andean Cat: Andean Cat Alliance

The Andean Cat is one of the world's most elusive wild cats. So when one stumbled onto a football field in a small Bolivian town - researchers were stunned! Where did he come from? Is he healthy? Can he be released back into the wild? This is the story of Jacobo, the Andean Cat - his capture, the people that looked after him and the international operation to release him back into the wild. This episode features the Andean Cat Alliance. Guests in this episode include Dr Rocio Palacios, Dr Fabian Beltran, Dr Juan Reppucci, Dr Cintia Tellaeche and Lillian Villalba.  Links The Andean Cat Alliance

Trailer · Thu, July 30, 2020

Cats of the Wild (Trailer)