Easing Florida Panthers' Migration

Conservation groups have protected over 1200 acres near the Florida Everglades, with the purpose of easing the migration of the critically endangered Florida panther. The panthers have been moving with increased frequency from the Everglades into Central Florida. Even though very few of the creatures are presumed to live and travel among the protected area, there are so little of the animals (especially females) left that their preservation is considered a top priority to many.

The Florida panther is perhaps most notably Florida's state animal.  As with all cats, the animal is a carnivore, subsisted primarily on rabbits, birds, and deer. Habitat loss due to human's development is the main cause of the stark population decrease. The panthers require about 200 square miles of habitat per breeding group of one male and three females.

via The Orlando Sentinel

Tiger Conservation Summit Planned

Thirteen countries are planning to meet to discuss improving tiger populations worldwide. The meeting will take place in Bali, Indonesia, scheduled for September 15-18, 2010. The Bali Tiger Forum has been constructed to plan the global summit, which will focus on how to double the tiger population by 2022. In addition to the thirteen senior government officials, the summit will also be attended by tiger experts and NGOs.

Tigers are the largest of the big cat species, weighing in at over 600 pounds for some males. There are nine tiger subspecies in the world today, dwelling throughout Asia, with three known species that have become extinct. Almost half of all tigers in the wild are Bengal tigers, as are most in captivity. Another subspecies, the South China Tiger is the most critically endangered of the tigers, being considered one of the ten most endangered animals in the world. All tigers are strong swimmers, and have recently been found to even do some hunting from water. They are almost exclusively carnivores, hunting animals as small as fish, and as large as buffalo, who commonly weigh six times more than the tiger. Interestingly, their distinctive striped pattern is not just on their fur, but can be found on the tiger's skin, visible even if shaved. The stripes appear to be useful in camouflaging the animal among shadows of tree branches and grasses.

Wild tigers are becoming incredibly endangered. While an estimated 12,000 tigers are kept as pets in the USA alone, only between 3,000 and 5,000 adult tigers exist in the wild, globally. Poaching of tigers, for their beautiful fur and for use of their body parts as part of traditional medicine, is one of the main causes of the population decline, alongside habitat degradation. Conservationists hope to increase penalties against poachers and those who illegally farm tigers for their parts. It is hoped that the large captive population of tigers can one day be reintroduced into the wild.

via World Wildlife Fund

Sand Cat Kittens Born by Embryo Transfer

In vitro fertilization and embryo transfer procedures have produced the first sand cat kittens born by this method. The Al Ain Wildlife Park & Resort has reported the birth of two healthy kittens. This is the first phase of a program called Project Sand Cat. While one of the kittens has died since the birth in mid-December, it is the knowledge gained from the experience that makes the kitten's life historic.

The Arabian sand cat is itself not an endangered species, currently considered "near threatened." The importance of this procedure to conservation efforts, however, is immeasurable. Now that this method has been proven successful in producing healthy sand cat kittens, bigger plans can be made. The goal of this undertaking is to one day use in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer to birth more endangered species, such as the Arabian leopard.

Sand cats are most notable for their ability to withstand desert conditions. They have learned to burrow during the day to hide from the sun's heat. They also do not need to visit places where animals congregate for water, where predators may lurk. Instead, they obtain all necessary water from their food. The sand cats are carnivores, hunting mostly at night for rodents, lizards and birds. They are found in the Sahara, the Arabian Desert, and the deserts of Iran and Pakistan. 

via ZooBorns

Panther Experts Receive Accolades

Florida conservation experts were honored recently for their work to protect Florida's panther population. In the past, when the panther population dropped to as low as 30 in the Florida area, emphasis had been placed on breeding healthy new cats. Now that there are approximately 100 healthy panthers, the rewarded conservationists have worked on planning how humans and panthers can live peacefully together. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission writes that the Panther Response Plan "balances public safety while still protecting an endangered species." In addition to training people how to respond, they are gathering information about the panthers by attaching radios to caught and released cats and still working to strengthen the genetic health of the species.

via WCTV