ARMCHAIR CONSERVATION OF THE BIG CATS

The cheetah is the fastest land animal, reaching speeds of up to 70 mph. Presently listed as Vulnerable, the cheetah is widely distributed throughout Africa with an estimated population of 6,600 [8]. With the exception of the largest subpopulation of 2,500 individuals is Namibia, nearly 80% of all cheetah subpopulations contain 100 or less individuals [9]. Cheetahs occupy less than 10% of their former range. Their decline over the years is largely due to habitat loss from agricultural and human developments, hunting, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict.

 

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With a range extending primarily from Mexico to South America, the jaguar occupies just over half of its former habitat. While the jaguar’s global status is categorized as Near Threatened [10], it is considered critically endangered in some parts of the Americas, including the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, and in the U.S. where, aside from the presence of one or two individuals, no breeding populations have been found in the last 50 years [11]. The greatest threats to the jaguar are habitat loss due to deforestation, human settlements, and agricultural farmers who see this magnificent animal as expendable to their livelihoods. The loss of this apex predator could cause a significant imbalance to the ecosystem if it were to go extinct.

 

 

Leopards are among the smallest of the big cats and yet they are incredibly strong- strong enough to haul their kills up onto high tree branches. Originally found throughout Africa, Eurasia, and some Pacific Islands, the leopard is currently listed as Vulnerable [12]. They have disappeared from nearly half of their historic African range and all but 16% of their former range in Eurasia. Causes of decline include habitat loss and fragmentation, illegal hunting, bushmeat poaching, and retaliatory killings as a result of human-leopard conflict [13].

 

 

The second largest of the big cats after the tiger, lions were historically distributed across most of Africa and parts of Europe and Asia. More than 100 years ago the African lion population stood at over 200,000. Today it is estimated at 20,000 with lions occupying only 10% of their former range [14][15]. Currently listed as a Vulnerable species, the lion’s declining numbers are due largely to habitat loss and fragmentation, illegal hunting, bushmeat poaching, and retaliatory killings from human-lion conflict.

 

 

With a habitat spanning 28 countries from Alaska to Chile, the puma (a.k.a. mountain lion or cougar) has the most expansive range of any indigenous land mammal in the Western Hemisphere. Listed as Least Concern globally, this cat has been extirpated from the eastern half of North America, with the exception of a small, endangered population in Florida [16]. Threats to this species include habitat loss and fragmentation from human and agricultural developments, illegal hunting and poaching, and mortalities from human-puma conflict.

 

 

Known as the ‘ghost of the mountains’, this elusive cat has a range that extends over two million square kilometers in Asia, with over half of their habitat in China alone. They inhabit steep, rugged terrain and harsh climates at elevations ranging from 600m to over 5,000m [17]. Snow leopards are currently listed as Vulnerable, with their population roughly estimated between 3,500 – 6,300 and declining [18]. Exact numbers are difficult to determine, given the elusive nature of this species. Threats to the snow leopard and their habitat include illegal hunting, poaching, and climate change.

 

The largest of the big cats, tigers once roamed over much of Asia, from Turkey to Siberia to Southeast Asia. However, in the last 100 years their global population has gone from 100,000 to around 3,000 today [19]. They currently occupy a mere 4% of their historic range [20]. The animal’s decline is due to habitat loss and fragmentation, illegal hunting and poaching, and human-tiger conflict. The endangered tiger’s habitat continues to be threatened by agricultural development due in large part to palm oil plantations.