PANTHERA

“Protecting wild cats is a task that involves us all. That’s why we need to meet, work and explore with the people that share the landscapes cats roam.” –Diana Stasiukynas, Conservation Program Coordinator for Colombia Meet Diana Stasiukynas, a fierce advocate for wild cats and their landscapes in Colombia. Working with Panthera, she blends traditional ecological knowledge with cutting-edge conservation to protect both wildlife and the communities that depend on these ecosystems. Her work in Colombia has helped restore vital wildlife corridors, allowing species like jaguars and pumas to move safely between habitats across human-dominated landscapes. By partnering with local communities, her team has established community-based coexistence programs that include sustainable livestock management practices, educational programs and community monitoring efforts. These initiatives ensure that both local people and wild cats can thrive together. Field essential: She never heads into the wild without her trusted GPS, an essential guide in an always-changing environment. Diana is proof that conservation isn’t just about protecting nature—it’s about resilience, knowledge and action. This International Women’s Day, we celebrate her and all the trailblazing women shaping the future of our planet! Diana Stasiukynas, Coordinadora del Programa de Conservación para Colombia “Proteger los felinos silvestres es una tarea de todos. Por eso necesitamos conocer, trabajar y explorar junto a las personas que comparten estos paisajes con los felinos."- Diana Stasiukynas Conozca a Diana Stasiukynas, defensora de los felinos silvestres y sus hábitats en Colombia. Trabajando con Panthera, combina la ecología tradicional con la conservación de vanguardia para proteger tanto la vida silvestre como las comunidades que dependen de estos ecosistemas. Su trabajo en Colombia ha ayudado a restaurar corredores vitales para la fauna, permitiendo a especies como el jaguar y el puma desplazarse de forma segura a través de paisajes transformados. En colaboración con las comunidades locales, su equipo ha establecido programas comunitarios de coexistencia que incluyen la implementación de sistemas ganaderos sostenibles, programas educativos y actividades de monitoreo comunitario. Estas iniciativas garantizan que tanto humanos como felinos puedan prosperar juntos. Indispensable en el campo: Nunca sale a campo sin su GPS, una guía esencial en un entorno siempre cambiante. Diana es la prueba de que la conservación no consiste sólo en proteger la naturaleza, sino también en persistir, conocer y actuar. En este Día Internacional de la Mujer, rendimos homenaje a Diana y a todas las mujeres pioneras que forjan el futuro de nuestro planeta.

“Conservation isn’t just about protecting wild cats—it’s about ensuring the resources are there to make it happen.” –Inès Branco, Finance Expert Meet Inès Branco, a dedicated advocate for wild cats who works behind the scenes to ensure Panthera’s conservation efforts are financially sound and sustainable. Her expertise in all things finances has been instrumental in securing resources for projects worldwide, helping teams in the field focus on protecting species like jaguars, tigers, small cats and leopards. By streamlining conservation priorities, she plays a crucial role in making sure Panthera’s impact is both effective and lasting. Finance essential: She never starts her day without a well-organized spreadsheet—because every detail counts! Inès is proof that conservation success relies on more than just boots on the ground—it takes strategic planning, dedication, and financial stewardship. This International Women’s Day, we celebrate her and all the incredible women working to protect wild cats!

Happy World Wildlife Day! Every day is a celebration of wild cats at Panthera, but we're always excited to make some extra noise about our favorite felines. #WorldWildlifeDay is about connecting people with the natural world and inspiring continued learning and action for animals and plants long after the day is done. Keep the party going by signing up for Panthera emails at https://lnkd.in/gYf3_7tB. It’s a roaring good time. #WWD2025 #InvestingInPeopleAndPlanet

Panthera and the Ngoni Royal Establishment of Zambia have joined forces to expand the Furs for Life program—saving wild leopards by replacing their skins with synthetic, culturally authentic Heritage Furs. ? During February’s Ncwala gathering—the celebration that unites Ngoni People from Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, and Mozambique and is watched by millions online—the Ngoni King and chiefs proudly wore synthetic furs for the first time at the annual event, marking a significant shift in cultural conservation. Additional Heritage Fur material will be delivered and tailored locally this year by Ngoni tailors, soon replacing the use of authentic wild cat skins by others at Ngoni gatherings.? ? With 22,000 alternative Heritage Furs already in use, this partnership brings Furs for Life’s reach to 7 million people, likely saving over 7,500 wild cats since 2013. The movement is growing, proving that conservation and culture can thrive together. ? As King Mphezeni IV of the Ngoni declared at the annual Ncwala gathering: “We do not want our great-grandchildren to live in a land depleted of animals.”? ? Learn more about the partnership to protect wild cats at https://lnkd.in/ghSrBfRC. ? ?#FursForLife #Panthera #LeopardConservation #BigCats #Panthera

Ready to sport your Panthera pride? Our #wildcat designs look great and also help our efforts to conserve cats across the globe! Check it out: https://lnkd.in/gsXR6ZRK.

It's #FishingCatFebruary! Once considered plentiful, fishing cats have rapidly declined in recent years due to human development, which has fragmented many species’ ranges. #Fishingcats are now listed as Vulnerable by IUCN. Together with our partners, we’re shedding light on this elusive small cat to understand their biology and ecology so we can better protect them and the wild places they live. Since 2022, Panthera has been fitting fishing cats with GPS collars in and around Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, Thailand. These collars provide data on fishing cat movements and behaviors to help us learn how they navigate a mosaic of local fishponds, rice paddies and shrimp farms. These agricultural areas are where human-cat conflict happens the most, allowing our researchers to survey the problem head-on. A recent study aimed to determine the size of fishing cats’ home ranges and factors affecting their appearance. Another recent study detailed fishing cats’ diet. Researchers found that fishing cats’ primary prey was fish, followed by rodents, birds, Indo-Chinese rat snakes, insects, crabs, and snails. Studies like these have direct implications for fishing cat conservation and highlight just how important effective land-use management is to help protect these small cats. Find the link to these studies and more at: https://lnkd.in/gfNXev7m.

Welcome to Comoé National Park. Located in Cote D’Ivoire, it’s the largest terrestrial park in West Africa. Since 2023, we’ve been collaborating the Office Iviorien des Parces et Reserves (OIPR) here to deploy camera traps to better understand and protect leopards and golden cats. By using their unique coat patterns and Panthera’s IDS software, we can estimate their population size, crucial data for their conservation. Watch this video to learn more about this work: https://lnkd.in/dqM-2Uv7

Applications for our Winston Cobb Memorial Fellowship open February 15. This fellowship supports early career conservationists aged 18-35 through a field-based internship working on an established wild cat conservation project. The fellowship honors the memory of a dearly loved domestic cat, Winston Cobb, to bring attention to the plight of his imperiled wild relatives around the world and to further conservation efforts on their behalf. Learn more and apply at: https://lnkd.in/d8yHbmTb.

Step into the world of wild cat romance. Whether it’s a jaguar’s jungle rendezvous or a tiger’s territorial dance, wild cat courtship behaviors are vital for the survival of their species. By understanding and protecting the habitats where wild cats meet, mate, and raise their young, Panthera is working to ensure a future where love in the wild thrives. Learn more about wild cat courtship at: https://lnkd.in/gPQ9dRfE.

Arabian leopards are Critically Endangered, so we’re assisting the The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) in Saudi Arabia to recover and reintroduce them. In honor of International Day of the Arabian Leopard, learn more about these cats and our work to protect them in a new National Geographic article featuring Panthera CEO Fred Launay. “This is the heart and core of our mission, driving our team of scientists, law enforcement specialists, and others to protect some of the most threatened species on the planet,” said Dr. Frederic Launay, CEO of Panthera, the global wild cat conservation organization. Read the article at: bit.ly/417fzf7.