Big Cats: Predators Under Threat
When you hear of an animal being a predator, it’s not often that you associate it with the word threatened. Sadly though, this is not the case for bigs cats such as lions, tigers, cheetahs, jaguars, and more. These charismatic predators are facing many and varied threats, which are mostly caused by human activity.
Around the globe, the population of big cats is dropping at an alarming rate due to loss of habitat and prey, conflicts with people, poaching, and illegal trade. For example, tiger populations plummeted by 95% over the past 100 years and African lion populations dropped by 40% in just 20 years. On top of this, cheetahs have disappeared from more than 75% of their home range according to National Geographic.
Reid Park Zoo is joining together with zoos from across the county, the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), and other supporting organizations to help spread awareness.
How can you help save the big cats?
By supporting Reid Park Zoo, you are helping save big cats like lions, tigers, and jaguars. Through your support, we are able to partner with groups such as the Tarangire Elephant Project and Anteaters and Highways that focus on protecting wildlife migration corridors. By supporting these in situ programs, it not only protects elephants and anteaters, but all other animals in the area like jaguars and lions.
Recently, there has been an increased threat to the tiger population. Tiger habitat is being converted to shrimp farms (shrimp is the number one consumed seafood in the US), which means less habitat for tigers. You can become an informed seafood consumer by downloading and using the Seafood Watch App or getting a Seafood Watch pocket guide while at Reid Park Zoo. This resource will help you make responsible choices that ultimately save wild animals and wild places.
On World Wildlife Day, March 3rd, you can show your support for the big cats we all love by helping spread awareness about these predators under threat.
Did you know you can view the lions on the Reid Park Zoo’s webcams by clicking here?