Felidae Conservation Fund

Today is International Day of Forests! This is an opportunity to remember the role that forests play in sustaining wildlife (and people) around the world. Did you know that 31% of the planet's land surface is covered by forests? Due to human disturbances, their surface area shrinks yearly, so protecting forests is critical for wildlife conservation. Forests act as corridors and provide shelter and hunting grounds for wild cats.?#wildlife?#wildcats?#conservation?#forests?#trailcam

25 years ago, the Iberian lynx was close to extinction but was downgraded from “endangered” to “vulnerable“ last year thanks to a rewilding program. Today the population has grown to ~2000 individuals across the Iberian Peninsula. However, the program is now under threat because of ranchers' concerns about potential attacks on livestock. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gpT2WSnr?#rewilding?#iberianlynx?#conservation?#endangeredspecies

Puma scrapes are when a puma rakes dirt, leaves, twigs, etc. into a small pile, typically with their hind paws, allowing them to communicate with each other. Pumas will urinate or defecate on scrapes to mark the individual's territory or aid in attracting a mate. They can even tell how long ago the scrape was made, which comes in handy when searching for a mate. #wildlife #puma #mountainlion #cougar #trailcam #conservation #research

March 18th is World Serval Day! Servals (Leptailurus serval) weigh up to ~40 lbs and are found in much of Africa. They are characterized by their long legs and large ears which help them to be effective hunters. Learn more about this species below! #africa #wildcat #worldservalday #wildlife

Today is Save the Florida Panther Day, a day to raise awareness for the conservation of the Florida panther. Florida panthers are threatened by habitat loss,?vehicle collisions, and limited genetic diversity. Highlighting the importance of habitat connectivity is critical to conservation efforts. You can help conservationists by helping to spread awareness and supporting your local environmental groups, or even by going on a hike! #floridapanther #puma #mountainlion #SavetheFloridaPanther #wildlife #habitatpreservation

Free ranging and/or feral dogs can transmit diseases to wild cats, while also altering wildlife behavior. This can also have consequences for disease transmission to people. In Bhutan, a 14-yr dog vaccination and sterilization program is addressing some of these issues and appears to be successful in controlling the stray dog population, e.g., decreasing the risk of rabies. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gw3MykRB?#straydogs?#bhutan?#wildcats?#zoonosis

Did you know rodenticides can affect more than just rodents? Rodents (e.g. mice, rats, squirrels) don't die immediately, and are still eaten by predators like pumas, coyotes, birds of prey. The poisons then accumulate up the food chain, affecting wildlife by thinning the blood and reducing clotting, possibly leading to internal hemorrhaging and suppressed immune systems in pumas and bobcats. Learn more at: https://lnkd.in/gW-tYyF7?#rodenticides?#bioaccumulation?#conservation?#felidae

Can you guess how large a puma's home range is? The size is affected by their gender (Male HR usually bigger), age, & prey availability, but generally, it's ~50-150 square miles. Urban development and roads can create barriers, restricting their movement to smaller ranges. Pumas can live in a variety of habitats, but they need stalking cover (e.g. brush, trees) to successfully hunt. #puma?#mountainlion?#homerange?#urbanization?#wildcats?#bayarea?#california?#wildlife

The Florida panther is critically endangered, with less than 200 individuals surviving. A 1.5-year-old male was hit and killed by a car last week, reinforcing that wildlife-vehicle collisions are the primary cause of death for Florida panthers. Driving the posted speed limits helps keep the Florida panther and other wildlife safe. Remember to be cognizant of wildlife when on the road, so you and wild cats alike can stay safe! Learn more: https://lnkd.in/grQYZ8Tk #florida #panther #conservation #wildlifevehiclecollision ?

The Felidae team had a great time with students from Portola Valley yesterday, teaching them about mountain lions and how we use camera traps in our work. It was great to see so much interest from these young people! We are looking forward to doing this again. #wildlife #mountainlion #outreach #bayarea #california