Big Cat Preservation

Snow Leopards

The snow leopard (panthera uncia or uncia uncia) lives in Central Asia, the high mountainous country known as "the roof of the world". Snow leopards are usually found at altitudes above 9,000 feet. Their soft thick fur enables them to withstand the bitter conditions of winter in the Himalayas, the high Mongolian massif, and the Russian steppes, but it also makes them prime targets of poachers. That and habitat encroachment by humans has resulted in making this beautiful cat highly endangered. For more information visit the International Snow Leopard Trust website.

Tigers

Tigers (panthera tigris) are the largest of the living cats. A male Siberian tiger can weigh up to 800 pounds. In historical times the tiger was distributed across most of Asia, but today there are only a few subspecies left, ranging from the Amur, or Siberian tiger, the largest, to the smaller Bengal (Indian) and Sumatran subspecies. All tigers are striped, but the Amur tiger is the lightest (it lives in snow much of the year) with the longest fur. Tigers are poached for the traditional Asian medicine market, and they are in competition for habitat with humans. It is estimated that only two to three thousand tigers remain anywhere in the wild.

Tigers, unlike most cats, enjoy the water and are good swimmers. In warm climates they will spend hours lounging in the water on a hot day. For more information visit the World Wildlife Fund website.

Donations can also be made through the Care2 website.