The World's Fastest Land Animal is Not the Cheetah; It's a Mite

Catherine Griffin

First Posted: Apr 28, 2014

You might be surprised when it comes to learning what the fastest land animal on Earth is. It turns out that a tiny mite holds the new record for running speed as measured in body lengths per second. (Photo : Flickr/Martijn Munneke)

 

You might be surprised when it comes to learning what the fastest land animal on Earth is. It turns out that a tiny mite holds the new record for running speed as measured in body lengths per second. In fact, this measure shows that the mite runs 20 times faster than a cheetah.

The mite in question is called Paratarsotomus macropalpis. It's no bigger than a sesame seed, but can run up to 322 body lengths per second. In comparison, a cheetah running at 60 miles per hour only runs at about 16 body lengths per second. "It's so cool to discover something that's faster than anything else, and just to imagine, as a human, going that fast compared to your body length is really amazing," said Samuel Rubin, one of the researchers, in a news release. "But beyond that, looking deeper into the physics of how they accomplish these speeds could help inspire revolutionary new designs for things like robots or biomimetic devices."

As an animal gets smaller, both relative speed and stride frequency increases. In theory, though, there's a limit at how fast a leg can move. The researchers decided to take a look at this fact a bit more closely in order to determine if there was an upper limit to the relative speed or stride frequency that could be achieved.

The scientists used high-speed cameras in order to record the mites' sprints in a lab and in the field. They saw the mites running on concrete and stopping and changing directions extremely quickly. In fact, a human running at an equivalent speed would sprint at 1,300 miles per hour.

The findings could give scientists insights that could be relevant to bioengineering applications. For now, though, it's simply interesting to learn about a creature that can move so rapidly, even when it's so tiny.

The findings are published in the journal Experimental Biology.

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Lion cubs wrestling on the road block traffic in Kruger National Park

• Scene captured by husband and wife Anton and Michelle Campbell-Harris
• Big cats had been sleeping on the sun-warmed tarmac overnight
• As traffic built up, the pride caused a tailback of excited sightseers

By Tara Brady

Published: 30 April 2014 

A pack of playful lion cubs caused a mini snarl-up by wrestling in the middle of the road. The scene was captured by husband and wife Anton and Michelle Campbell-Harris in Kruger National Park, South Africa. The big cats had been sleeping on the sun-warmed tarmac overnight and weren't yet ready make a move.

Tailbacks: The big cats had been sleeping on the tarmac overnight and weren't yet ready make a move

Not budging: Two lion cubs yawn together as others are seen lazying around in the middle of the road

As traffic in the park built up, the pride caused a tailback of excited sightseers.

Mr and Mrs Campbell-Harris captured the scene just before 6am. Mr Campbell-Harris, 47, who runs a real estate company, said: 'We were the only car there at the time and as it was early in the morning they were just waking up. 'We watched as the cubs became more playful - it was difficult to know what to focus on as there was so much activity going on.

 

Cute: Lion cubs play with their mother in the middle of the road blocking traffic in the national park

Play fight: Lion cubs mess around in the middle of the road in Kruger National Park in South Africa

Friendly: Lion cubs play with their mother in the middle of the road in the South African national park

'Eventually cars started arriving from the opposite side and the expected traffic jam began.' The couple from Somerset West, Western Cape, in South Africa were celebrating their 26th wedding anniversary with a trip to the park. They were treated to an adorable display as the playful cubs frolicked oblivious to the traffic building up.

Cuddly: The scene was captured by husband and wife Anton and Michelle Campbell-Harris

Main attraction: As traffic in the park built up, the pride caused a tailback of excited sightseers in the national park

This pack of playful lion cubs caused a lot of excitement after they stopped traffic in a South African national park

Mr Campbell-Harris said: 'It is difficult to describe the feeling of being with wild animals so close, you feel so privileged and it does wonders for your soul. 'We always feel a connection with the cats - we can say that they don't look at us, but rather look into us.' Mr Campbell-Harris entered the park at 5.30am in the hope of seeing big cats dozing on the warm tar road.

Sibling rivalry: Mr and Mrs Campbell-Harris were delighted to capture this scene of playing lion cubs

Mr Campbell-Harris and his wife were the only people there when they came across these cheeky lion cubs

Big yawns: A lion cub plays with its mother while they laze in the sunshine in South Africa

Mr Campbell-Harris enjoyed watching the playful cubs frolic obliviously while the traffic was building up

Two lion cubs and their mother stare directly into the camera to get this shot by Anton Campbell-Harris

Mr Campbell-Harris said: 'There were some really inquisitive cubs that came right up to our car. 'The lionesses started getting restless and, amazingly, they walked right toward our car and into the grass. We were the only car fortunate enough to have any visual of the little cubby heads above the long grass as they walked away.

The excitement of seeing something in the road as you approach it is not something you can explain. The adrenalin high is what keeps us going back time after time.'

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Snow leopard captured killing its prey for the first time

By Damien Gayle

Published: 28 April 2014

It's their ability to blend into their environment that make snow leopards such effective killers. Almost indistinguishable from the grey stone of the mountain side, the big cats' stealth and savagery has earned them the sinister sobriquet 'the grey ghosts of the Himalayas.' But it is their prey who may more accurately be dubbed ghosts, for once in the sights of a stalking snow leopard there is very little chance that they will survive to tell the tale.

Can't see the leopard? Scroll down and all is revealed

Can you spot him? Barely distinguishable from the grey mountain side, snow leopards' stealth has earned them the sinister sobriquet 'the grey ghosts of the Himalayas'

Creeping closer: The big cat is difficult to spot as he slowly stalks a couple of blue sheep in the foothills of the Himalayas

Ready for the kill: Its body coiled like a spring, the leopard waits for the right moment before breaking cover and pouncing on the unsuspecting sheep below

The dramatic set of photographs follows one snow leopard as it stalks a blue sheep in the Himalayas, inching closer and closer before pouncing and ripping the animal's throat open.

Photographer Adam Riley captured the photos while leading a tour in India's largest national park, Hemis, in the mountainous north-east of the country. The lone cat starts by peering from its rocky hiding place at its prey below. With practised patience, the assassin slowly stalks three who have become cut off from the rest of the herd.

Then, in a whirlwind of gravel and dust, the big cat pounces. Leaping 50 metres from its hideout, it chases the youngest of the blue sheep up, then down a steep rock face. The juvenile runs for its life, but the outcome is almost certain. One false step and the snow leopard has its jaws tightly clamped around the animal's neck.

Matter of life and death: The snow leopard bounds down the mountainside, with its blue sheep prey making a desperate run for it

Coming in for the kill: The leopard rapidly closes in on the blue sheep with a giant leap from on outcrop to the next, quickly closing in on the hapless animal 

Switchback: The desperate sheep changes direction in the hope that it can wrongfoot the advancing snow leopard

Desperate: Even in the difficult mountain terrain, there is no way it can outrun the determined predator on its heels

The end is nigh: Finally, in a cloud of dust and gravel kicked up in the chase, the hungry cat catches up with his prey

Fight of his life: The animal desperately tries to flee, but at this stage there is no escape from the crafty predator

The coup de grâce: The snow leopard sinks his teeth into the blue sheep and drags the doomed animal down the mountainside

Time for dinner: He pauses for a second over the felled beast, catching his breath, before beginning the meal he has worked so hard for

Takeaway food: The predator drags off the dead blue sheep to a spot where he can feast in private

Mr Riley said that capturing the moment of the kill evoked in him a mixture of 'intense exhilaration and tremendous relief.' He believes that his photographs are the first ever taken of a snow leopard making a kill. 'I have worked with big cats most of my career and having led the tours I know how elusive snow leopards can be,' he told Caters News Agency. 'But I have never managed to photograph a snow leopard before, let alone a kill, so it was really exciting for me personally. 'When people first saw the Snow Leopard the relief and joy was incredible; there were high fives, hugs and huge smiles. We use an extremely experienced team on our tours, but that doesn't guarantee anything and I felt enormous pressure to help locate this almost mythical creature.'

Did you spot him? The snow leopard began his mission hiding behind this rocky outcrop, peering down at the blue sheep below

Not easy to see: Here the circle shows how the predator blended in with the rock of the mountainside, his oblivious prey grazing below

Sleek and discreet: This picture shows how the animal's distinctive markings camouflage him against the patters of the rocks

With just 7,000 in surviving in the wild, and those that are there so difficult to spot, the snow leopard has become something of a holy grail for wildlife photographers working in the Himalayas

Earlier this month MailOnline featured photographs by David Jenkins, who braved temperatures of minus 20C and below for two weeks to finally capture the animal in his viewfinder. Of course, snow leopards are not the only predator to use camouflage to creep up on their prey. The following day we featured incredible pictures of a cheetah hiding in the long grass of the Masai Mara as it stalked a pair of Thomson's gazelles.

With only its tail flicking up above the brush, the cat was able to come within feet of the hapless gazelles before pouncing and devouring one of them.

Almost imperceptible: This picture featured earlier this month on MailOnline shows another snow leopard stalking the Himalayan foothills

Snow leopards are classed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Hemis National Park, a stronghold for the creatures, is home to around 50 or 60.

The animals are blessed with thick, sumptuous grey fur pelts, which they use to protect themselves from the cold, but which are sadly prized by hunters for use in local clothing.

Mr Riley helps run INDRI Ultimate Wildlife Tours and has previously worked as a guide at Sir Richard Branson's wildlife property in South Africa. He has much experience in the conservation of lions and jaguars in projects around Africa and Brazil. 'I love these moments,' he said. 'Looking for wildlife is like going to the greatest theatre on earth where you really have no idea what you might experience.
'Not only does it celebrate life but, more often than not, it is the best way of reflecting on life.'
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Cheetahs arrive at Discovery Wildlife Park

Prized super fast big cats have a home in Alberta for first time in almost two decades

Tuesday, Apr 29, 2014 | BY JOHNNIE BACHUSKY

 

Serena Bos interacts with Robin the cheetah while Annie looks on. Noel West/MVP Staff

A pair of the fastest land animals on earth is ready to be the star attractions at Innisfail's Discovery Wildlife Park – the first time prized cheetahs have been featured in an Alberta zoo in almost 20 years.

The two cheetahs – Robin, a two-year-old 100-pound male and female Annie, who also tips the scales at the same weight, are on loan to the local zoo from an Ontario couple for the 2014 spring to fall season.

Doug Boss, co-owner of Discovery Wildlife Park, said he hopes the cheetahs will be a big hit with visitors when the zoo opens its gates on May 1 to officially start the season. “We are excited to have them here because they are the first ones since Al Oeming had cheetahs in Alberta,” said Bos. “It has been many, many years since Al had his cheetahs and going around to the schools and the malls and promoting cheetah conservation. We are excited to be promoting that here as we will be doing that in our talks.”

Oeming was well known in the province for his world-renowned Alberta Game Farm near Edmonton and across Canada for bringing his cheetah Tawana to schools, malls and seniors' homes to educate people on exotic animals. His game farm closed in 1998 following repeated pressure from animal-rights activists. Oeming passed away March 17 at the age of 88.

The two cheetahs now at Discovery Wildlife Park are the first of the unique big cat species to be housed at an Alberta zoo in almost 20 years. The cheetah can run faster than any other land animal— as swift as 112 to 120 km/h with the ability to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in three seconds.

The cheetah, which is generally smaller than most other big cats, is also unique in that it's one of the few members of the big cat family with semi-retractable claws. And unlike lions, tigers and jaguars, cheetahs can purr as they inhale, but do not roar.

They also require extra special attention at any zoo fortunate enough to house them. “They are such a touchy animals to raise,” said Bos. “A lot of zoos don't want to be bothered with them because they are so genetically tight and they have a digestive system that requires very lean meat all the time and they can't have a lot of fat. “We can't feed them regular beef or anything like that,” added Bos. “It has to be deer or venison meat and what we predominantly feed them now is horsemeat because it is very, very lean, which is very expensive to acquire all the time too.”

While Alberta's last cheetahs under Oeming were highly social and able to visit public areas and regularly mingle with animal lovers, Robin and Annie will just be display guests at Discovery Wildlife Park. “We won't be able to do the stuff Al Oeming did like taking them out to malls or have them on a leash and walk them or do photos. They just haven't been trained properly for that type of thing,” said Bos. “But people will see them. They will be on display every day. They are very gregarious. They like people and are usually up by the fence. They are not hiding and hard to see. People should have a good experience when they come.”

In addition to the prized cheetahs, Discovery Wildlife Park is also showcasing Gruff the orphaned black bear cub this season. “Nobody had much of a chance to see Gruff last year. Because he was a bit older when he came and it took a lot of work to settle him down,” said Bos. “He has really come along and we will be doing some stuff with him.

He said the zoo is also hopeful to land some lions, possibly as early as this fall. Officials at Discovery Wildlife Park were recently in Nevada to talk to their counterparts there about acquiring a King of the Jungle for Innisfail, said Bos, who is also trying to secure some grizzly bear cubs for the local zoo.
In the meantime, Bos said staff at Discovery Wildlife Park are “frantically” getting the 90-acre zoo in tip-top shape for its first visitors on opening day. “We are frantically trying to get ready this year,” said Bos, whose zoo is coming off a record-breaking attendance year in 2013. “The snow didn't go away. Last weekend I was still moving four feet of snow off the paths and I've been moving snow away that had piled up and was stockpiled. It all had to be broke up and dealt with and get melted and be reasonably dry.”

Bos said his season will begin with its parking lot expanded by 50 per cent, and the new road across the creek completed. He said the new road was an expensive project that will ultimately give visitors access to the future parking lot on the zoo side of the creek, as well as benefiting visitors who want to camp at the zoo.

Discovery Wildlife Park has also increased the number of rental golf carts this year from five to seven, which Bos says will be an increased convenience for seniors and handicapped citizens. “The demand for them from seniors and handicapped citizens and people bringing out their parents is getting pretty high,” said Bos. “This just enables those seniors and handicapped citizens to come out for a day with their families when they would not normally be able to.”

For further information on the Discovery Wildlife Park's 2014 season visit www.discoverywildlifepark.com or on Facebook.

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Atleast three big cats in the Baula hills, India : Tiger census

Bhubaneswar: There are at least three tigers in Keonjhar district’s Hadagarh sanctuary, suggests the recent tiger census in the sanctuary, informed forest official sources.

Of the three big cats, one is a Royal Bengal Tiger (RBT) and the other two are leopards. The pugmarks and other details in the census suggested that apart from a RBT, there is mother leopard with her cub. However the previous census in 2012 had suggested presence of two RBTs in the sanctuary, forest officials.

It should be noted that Hadagarh sanctuary in the district of Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj is close to Hadagarh reservoir of Salandi dam. The area is rich in mixed deciduous forests and wildlife which includes tiger, leopard, fishing cat, hyena, elephant, langur, pangolin, a variety of birds and reptiles. The Baula hill range lying on the east and west of Salandi river, the valley occupied by the reservoir and its catchments are the main features.

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Your Daily Cat

Lion cubs at play

Zoo wants arranged marriage for big cats

Payal Dhawan,TNN | Apr 28, 2014

• .

LUDHIANA: After failing to find compatible partners for tigers Money and Deepak, in Ludhiana zoo, Punjab chief conservator of forest (PCCF), Mohali is trying to procure tigresses from outside Punjab. Soon, officials will write to the Union government asking for tigresses for the Ludhiana Safari.

Chief wildlife warden Dharendra Singh said, "We tried to get compatible tigress for Ludhiana tigers from Chattbir zoo but failed to match compatibility. Now, our only option is to find compatible tigresses outside Punjab. So we plan to send a letter to the Union government after elections. Meanwhile, we are making Ludhiana Safari infection free on priority. Two of the three tigresses died of rodent infection. For the purpose, we have appointed a pharmacist there, besides being very careful about vaccination of tigers," he said.

Singh is also worried about the lack of a permanent doctor in the Ludhiana Safari. He said he asked the state government to provide a permanent doctor to the Ludhiana Tiger safari, but to no avail. "Ludhiana Tiger Safari needs a permanent doctor. We have written to the state government many times but have never received a reply. After the election, we will ask for a permanent doctor again," he said.

As for the issue of mates for the Ludhiana tigers, the PCCF is considering Lucknow Zoological Garden, Jaipur Zoo, Indira Gandhi Zoological Park and others. But things wont be easy. This is a process of give and take and if Ludhiana needs tigresses they will have to give another animal in exchange.

"It is not going to be so easy for us to find big cats for Ludhiana, as it all about give and take. We need to give animals in exchange and it's rare to find surplus animals," said Singh. 

 

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How to Feed 100 BIG CATS!

Image of the Day

Lion Cub in a tree

Your Daily Cat

Lion cubs at play

Big cat of Dakotas

Furbearer biologist visits RHS science class

April 25, 2014 

Tim Chapman - Tribune Editor , Pierce County Tribune

       

Panther is actually a general term referring to a handful of big cat species found around the world. That logo we see around Rugby all the time could represent a black variant of a leopard, jaguar or cougar.

The distinctions and characteristics of North American big cats were discussed on Wednesday at Rugby High School when furbearer biologist Stephanie Tucker visited Frank Martz's junior high science classes.

Tucker's presentation focused primarily on mountain lions (Puma concolor), the largest furbearer in North Dakota. She works for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department and helps lead an active six-year research project on mountain lions. Her job includes fielding calls about possible furbearer sightings and educating the public about mountain lions and other animals.

Tim Chapman/PCT

Stephanie Tucker, furbearer biologist at North Dakota Game and Fish Department, shows a pelt of a North Dakota mountain lion to Frank Martz’s junior high science class at Rugby High School on Wednesday. "The concern is they're a bigger threat to human safety than they are," Tucker said.

Tucker encouraged students to pass around the pelts of North Dakota mountain lions and bobcats. She also displayed the pelts of all furbearers found in the state, including badger, beaver, coyote, fisher (medium-sized mammal), fox, mink, muskrat, raccoon and weasel.

Tucker, a Glen Ullin native, shared a map of the state showing confirmed mountain lion sightings through the past 13 years. The map had one mark in Pierce County, east of Silva near the county line.
Students learned that mountain lions are found mostly in the western part of the state and the animals have a breeding range of 1,031 square miles. Tucker dispelled misperceptions of the mountain lion. They can climb trees, but only tend to do so when escaping predators.

Mountain lions are sometimes misidentified by appearance and tracks. They have retractable claws and don't leave presence of claws in their tracks like dogs. Mountain lions also keep their tails low and long unlike house cats, which tend to raise their tails. Mountain lions are 10 times the size of house cats and males weigh between 90 and 170 pounds. Females weigh between 75 and 120 pounds.
Other than in the Florida Everglades, mountain lions have no breeding populations east of the Dakotas. An adult mountain lion is 6 to 8 feet long, considerably bigger than the 3-foot bobcat. The oldest documented bobcat found in North Dakota was 11 years old, though 7 years old is pushing it for most of the species. "I learned a lot about their characteristics and how to identify them properly," said McKenzie Harner, RHS seventh-grader.

Students also passed around a mountain lion skull to get a better idea of the animal's teeth.
Martz thanked Tucker for visiting and had his class present her with a black panther stuffed animal. He encouraged his students to look at Tucker as a great example of what students can accomplish in the sciences. "I really believe in exposing our young people to the world outside these walls," he said.

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Lions, tigers, cougars on the way to Osceola

Dr. K. Simba Wiltz talks about Central Florida Animal Reserve upcoming relocation of their 45 exotic cats to Osceola County.

By David Breen, Orlando Sentinel

April 26, 2014

Wakin could easily rip your face off. But given the chance, he probably wouldn't. He likes people.

Wakin (pronounced like Joaquin) is a 600-pound white Bengal tiger with 6-inch-long teeth. He lives at the Central Florida Animal Reserve sanctuary in Brevard County.

But he and his feline friends will soon be moving to Osceola County. If all goes to plan, Wakin, along with 32 more tigers, five lions, four cougars, three leopards and a handful of smaller mammals will have a new, larger home by next March. Construction on the cats' new enclosures already is under way at the site, which is adjacent to the Florida Forever eco-park south of Holopaw.


Kevin "Simba" Wiltz, 35, is the sanctuary's CEO. He and his colleagues have long wanted to move from their 2-acre spot near Cocoa to more spacious accommodations. And at 10 acres, the Osceola site fits the bill.

The need became more urgent when the Brevard County Commission ruled that the sanctuary no longer complied with zoning for the area, which has gone from agricultural to residential in recent years. "In order for us to provide what we want to provide for these guys, we need to expand," said Wiltz, whose day job is as a doctor of pharmacy in Lake Mary. "We can't take in any more animals, and we can't bring in the public."

With the added space, Wiltz foresees bringing in school groups and others on a regular basis. "The big idea will certainly be to provide the opportunity for close observation," he said. The sanctuary's mission is simple: Care for these animals, all of which have been rescued from bad situations.

Some were confiscated by state Fish and Wildlife officers. And others came to Florida via the Port of Miami, one of the main entry points into the country for smuggled wildlife, Wiltz said. Rajah the tiger was abandoned by an owner in South Florida who could no longer afford his home. Neighbors called Fish and Wildlife to let them know a tiger was on the loose on the property. Fish and Wildlife turned Rajah over to the sanctuary, where he charms the ladies but has no use for male keepers, perhaps still smarting over his treatment by his previous owner. Cheyenne the cougar was so underfed by her owner as a cub that she developed glaucoma from malnutrition. At 17 years old, her eyes remain cloudy, but she's "the feistiest thing here," says senior handler Phyllis Parks. "She likes her toys and she likes her food."

It's a no-breeding facility and many of the animals have been neutered. It's also an aging population, with many of the medical issues, such as arthritis and cancer, that an aging human population would face. Many of the animals now have steps to help them climb on top of their pens, an accommodation they didn't need in their younger years. They are grouped by species, living in enclosures singly or in groups of two or three. (Although one tiger does live with two lioness friends.)Some of their behaviors are familiar to anyone with house cats. A tiger hisses when a visitor gets too close, and a cougar purrs when her handler scratches her face through the chain-link fence. And cats of all sizes, it seems, love toys. Chewing on bowling balls is a popular hobby. One cougar likes to look at herself in a mirror. A lioness has a toy log.

But these animals are certainly not pets. They live in heavy duty padlocked enclosures, and the chain link fencing extends three feet underground so that they can't dig their way out. And any doubt about how deadly they can be disappears at feeding time. Faced with a tray of ribs and chicken quarters, Wakin, whose full name is Chuska Wakin Yan, calmly goes to work, effortlessly crunching through meat and bone. Mere minutes later, the tray is licked clean.

The cats' diet is simple: "meat, meat and more meat," as Wiltz puts it. They're fed five days a week, with two days off to help their digestive systems. They get two percent of body weight per day, meaning a 500 pound tiger will eat a 10 pound serving of raw chicken, beef, pork and sometimes horse meat. Area stores sometimes donate meat that's nearing its expiration date, but even with that help, the preserve spends about $12,000 a month to keep the animals fed.

The sanctuary is a nonprofit, and all staff members are volunteers. And the volunteer work is arduous. Just feeding the cats can take six hours for a crew of four. Different species have different behaviors and tendencies — for example, Parks says, leopards and lions hate water, but tigers love it.
During storms, the lions and leopards head for shelter, but for the tigers "it's playtime. They're out playing, wondering why we're not playing too."

As the animal reserve sanctuary's move draws closer, Wiltz is busy rounding up the money to make it happen. He estimates the cost at just under $1 million, and $500,000 still must be raised. To donate, go to cflar.org. Wiltz said sanctuaries like CFAR serve as a "social safety net" for the cats, which are increasingly threatened around the world. "Either we'll figure this conservation thing out and restore the lands these animals need, and we'll assist in repopulating the species," he said, "or we'll provide a repository for people to see these creatures before they go extinct."

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Your Daily Cat

10-month-old leopard cub fascinated by GoPro camera

Curiosity almost killed the camera:

• Roan Ravenhill, 26, is a ranger at MalaMala Game Reserve in South Africa
• He mounted a GoPro camera on a wooden stand and waited for animals
• Camera survived leaving behind beautiful footage of the pair

By Tara Brady

Published:  23 April 2014

They say curiosity killed the cat but in this case the cat's curiosity almost killed the camera. Roan Ravenhill, 26, a ranger at the MalaMala Game Reserve in South Africa, mounted a GoPro on a wooden stand and waited for the leopard and her 10-month-old cub to come and investigate. Despite having the leopards' full attention, the camera survived intact leaving behind beautiful footage of the pair playing and exploring. 

Scroll down for video

A leopard and her 10-month-old cub had fun playing with a GoPro camera left in a South African game reserve

'I was about 60 metres behind watching the animals walk towards the camera,' said Mr Ravenhill. 'I felt amazed, the female marked the camera, like if it belonged to her, by rubbing up and down on it and the interaction with the cub was amazing, the camera did not disturb them at all.'  

Roan Ravenhill mounted a GoPro on a wooden stand and waited for the leopard and her 10-month-old cub

The camera survived intact leaving behind beautiful footage of the pair playing and exploring

A curious leopard cub toys with Ranger Roan Ravenhill's GoPro camera in MalaMala Game Reserve

The leopard and her cub play around with the camera which was left in the game reserve by ranger Roan Ravenhill

Mr Ravenhill, who lives in Hoedspruit, Limpopo province, in the north east of the country, has worked as a ranger at the MalaMala Game Reserve since 2011. 

He added: 'I was not alone, I had clients on Safari with me. The leopards had no reaction to the GoPro - their only reaction was curiosity. Eventually they got bored and moved on - but I let them walk away about 150 meters before I went to collect the camera.'

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Cat Cafe Draws Big Crowd of Feline Fans on Opening Day

By Gustavo Solis on April 24, 2014

Slideshow

Cat Cafe

 

LOWER EAST SIDE — Cat lovers waited in line for hours Thursday outside 168 Bowery for the chance to sip coffee while snuggling with a furry feline at the city's first-ever Cat Cafe. “I originally thought I was going to get 20 cats all over me,” said Enubi Kim, 28, who ditched a doctor’s appointment to go to the cafe. “My boyfriend is waiting for me at the eye doctor. He’s not happy.”

Inside, 15 cats — all up for adoption — slept, ate, played and purred throughout the lounge. Customers sat on couches and coffee tables taking selfies with the kitties and trying to coax them into jumping on their lap. “It’s a dream come true for cat lovers,” said Laura Snell, 29, who waited an hour and a half to get in, in a line dozens of people long that stretched down the block.

The cats came from North Shore Animal League, an animal shelter on Long Island that teamed up with Purina One to make the pop-up cafe a reality for one weekend. Staff there selected the friendliest and most relaxed cats for the cafe.

The shelter has already received a flood in inquiries about adopting the cats. Although there are only 15 at the cafe, there are many more at the shelter. On Saturday, the shelter will park a mobile adoption center outside the cafe on Kenmare Street, said Christina Travalja, of the shelter.
Not everyone at the cafe was looking to adopt cats. Many were simply looking for an excuse to cuddle a kitten. “My landlord hates cats, otherwise I would have one,” said Yeh-Rin Kim, 25. “I just came to be around cats. I love it.”

To raise awareness of cat health, Purina One is live-streaming the cat cafe. The cafe will only be open until Sunday, but organizers hope it inspires someone to set up a permanent one in the city.
The shop’s service area is separated from the lounge area to keep the kitties safe while ensuring that the cafe complies with city health codes, said a Purina One representative. The cafe serves free cappuccinos with froth in the shape of a cat's head, along with pastries. "The operators of the facility have assured the [Health] Department that cats will be kept in a separate room, and an inspector will be assigned to monitor the event to assure that health code requirements are being followed," a Health Department spokesman said in a statement.

Some customers thought the live-streaming and media cameras took away from the relaxing atmosphere and were surprised by how well the cats handled it. “I think they gave them some Xanax,” joked Lily Lam, 40, who was thinking of adopting one of the cats.

source 

Your Daily Cat

All kitties need a scratching post

Love is in the air for endangered tigers at Dudley Zoo

Love-struck tigers to go on public show next week

Fri 13 Dec 2013

• Dudley Zoo

A tiger couple involved in a major international breeding programme will go on display at Dudley Zoo next week. Daseep and Joao are Sumatran tigers - one of the most critically-endangered breeds of tiger in the world. They have now been introduced face-to-face for the first time - and, once they have settled in to their new environment, visitors to the zoo will be able to view them in their enclosure.

Daseep and Joao the Sumatran tigers in their new enclosure after meeting face-to-face for the first time Credit: Dudley Zoo

It is hoped that Joao and Daseep, who has been labelled the world's second most important female in the genetic pool for the species, will begin to reproduce.

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Your Daily Cat

 

Very intent lioness

Managing the care of the National Zoo’s large cats

Ellen Perlman

Meet Craig Saffoe

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By The Partnership for Public Service, Published: April 22

In a maze of indoor cages located beneath the lion and tiger yards at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, Craig Saffoe paused while the ungodly roar of a lion named Luke reverberated around the building, drowning out conversation and creating vibrations underfoot. It didn’t faze Saffoe, whose job is managing the zoo’s lions and tigers and bears—no lie.

Who is Craig Saffoe?

POSITION: Curator of great cats, Andean bears and Kids' Farm, Smithsonian's National Zoo

RESIDENCE: Springfield, Va.

AGE: 39

EDUCATION: North Carolina State, three years studying animal science with a pre-veterinary focus

HOBBIES: Playing soccer, video games and spending time with family

But the job involves more than just keeping animals healthy and on view. Saffoe also helps educate the public about conserving these animals, many of them endangered, and supports worldwide efforts to sustain them. “It’s a dream job. Most folks who work here would say the same thing,” said Saffoe, curator of the zoo’s great cats, Andean bears and the Kids’ Farm.

When working with a collection of live animals, there’s no such thing as a routine day, Saffoe pointed out. One day, an animal might act as though it’s interested in breeding. On another day, an animal might be imported to live at the zoo or one will be shipped out. “I really get pulled,” he said. “It keeps it exciting, keeps it from getting stagnant. I have to make snap decisions.”

Recently, Saffoe helped lower two of the zoo’s four newest African lion cubs into a moat in the lion’s yard, one by one, during their first time outside. Playful cubs who roughhouse and swat one another could wind up in the water, he said, and it’s important to make sure they know how to get out. The cubs passed the test swimmingly.

Saffoe also helps the zoo as it works to save threatened species worldwide. With fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild, for example, Saffoe represents the National Zoo in a cooperative arrangement with an American zoo association and other zoos’ representatives, to share input as they create survival plans for maintaining the population and health of the tigers and other rare species.
“If we do that well, we maintain a genetic safety net of animals,” he said. The zoo was rewarded in August when a tiger gave birth to two cubs.

Juan Rodriguez, a keeper for the Giant Pandas, credits Saffoe’s management skills for the success of the large cat program.“He has the foresight to know where to go for managing the collection,” Rodriquez said. “Sumatran tigers are critically endangered and he brought a pair here. As you can see, that worked out.”
Preventing a species’ extinction takes help from governments, indigenous people and others, according to Saffoe. One of the ways he played a part was by traveling to Namibia to teach a college conservation ecology class on captive husbandry techniques to assist the Cheetah Conservation Fund, which works on sustaining the local wildlife. “The part of my job I absolutely love is contributing to conservation in ways people don’t think of,” Saffoe said.

Visitors often glamorize the jobs of zoo staff. For example, Saffoe frequently is asked if staff can play with the animals. Sometimes, he jokingly answers, “Yes, but only once.”

The public is generally unaware of the gritty parts of the job, such as dealing with a broken pipe in an animal’s enclosure or with an animal that has swallowed something it shouldn’t have. Other challenges include having to euthanize an animal, separate a mother from her cubs or face the danger involved in getting an animal into a crate for a medical exam if it can’t be trained to walk in willingly.
“My mantra is, `If something we have to do knowingly puts a person in harm’s way, it should be me,’” Saffoe said, not one of the eight keepers who report to him.

He also noted that a wrong decision on treating an animal can lead to trauma or death. “Sometimes I have knots in my shoulders from the decisions I have to make,” he said. “They can weigh on us a lot.”

Saffoe’s office, pungent with the scent of large cats, recently contained a crate being modified to transport a fishing cat—a small, endangered species native to Southeast Asia that he said could be confused for a large gray tabby. He wanted to be sure curious onlookers wouldn’t be tempted to open it. “We don’t want an airline attendant to think this is an animal used to handling,” he said. The road to Saffoe’s job began in high school when he became enamored of the local “gutter cats,” as the locals called them. He managed to capture a female feral cat by tying a string to a trap and watching and waiting.

Saffoe’s love of big cats snowballed and he read everything he could on them. He gained mentors when working weekends at a veterinarian’s kennels and interning at the National Zoo. While still in college, he landed a full-time position working with the zoo’s cheetahs and he’s been there ever since.
“It was a series of meeting the right people at the right time,” he said. “It’s been amazing."

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Big Cats are Beautiful But This is Why They Should NEVER Be Pets

Michael Hardin

April 22, 2014

Sure, everyone knows just how popular, amusing, and tugging a good cat video is, and in 2008, a YouTube video reunion of two men and their former pet lion, Christian, went viral. Lauded by many as a success story for private ownership of lions, the actual story behind the relationship is more of a cautionary tale about the problems of owning a big cat.

“A Lion Called Christian” tells the story of how Anthony Bourke and John Rendall had gotten in over their heads and were able to find a way to reintroduce their pet lion into the wild. It would be great if this is how these things worked out, but in reality, it is usually quite the opposite. More often than not, people who try to keep big cats as pets end up abandoning them, killing them (intentionally or unintentionally), or even being killed by them.

Don’t be deceived by a tiger’s or lion’s good looks. These big cats (and others) may be beautiful and seem cuddly at first but they are NOT pets. Let’s take a look at the five simple reasons below that prove why big cats should never, ever be kept as pets.

1. Big Cats are Big $$$

  Ok, so you want a big cuddly lion or tiger? I get it, they are beautiful and would really impress your friends and neighbors. And, besides, even Lorde said if you want to be a “royal,” you need to have a tiger on a gold leash. But imagine these big cats as the Mercedes Benz of animals. If you can overcome the sticker price ($900-$25,000), think about the maintenance costs. A lion can eat as much as 10 to 15 pounds of meat a day and so if you only (under) fed the lion 8 pounds of meat a day, it would be nearly $30 a day (at $3.50/lb) or $210 a week to feed that lion at minimum amount. That’s certainly a hefty chunk of your hard-earned money flying out the door just to keep an animal in your home who is not meant to be a pet in the first place. Ouch.

2. The Exotic Pet Trade Breaks Up Big Cat Families

  Since trading exotic pets is regulated and/or illegal in many states and countries, there is a large black market for exotic animals. Right up there with illegal drugs and illegal firearms, the exotic pet black market is a huge industry estimated at as much as $15 billion a year. The animals are hunted, taken away from their families and natural habitats, and then treated as property. It is incredibly inhumane and unfair to animals and dangerous for the people doing it. They are often not transported properly, cared for properly, and sold off to the highest bidder regardless of that person’s ability to properly care for them.

Right now, there are more captive tigers than wild tigers and somehow that just doesn’t seem right. By owning exotic wild animals, you may be helping to destroy the very animal you claim to love. The best way to combat the black market is to not support it. If there is no one buying illegal exotic animals then there would be no one selling them. Don’t be the bad guy — be a hero instead and stand up for real big cat conservation.

3. Big Cats are Dangerous, Natural-Born Hunters

  Big cats are wild animals at heart. It is in their nature to travel, stalk, and hunt down their prey. Let’s face it, these animals can get downright “hangry.” Lions are the apex predators for a reason — they are skilled, ruthless, and violent hunters. When captivity takes this opportunity away, these cats can get frustrated.

I visited one sanctuary where they did not allow children under six years of age in because the cats would stalk them and get too excited, seeing them as potential prey. Evidently, large predators salivating to eat children is a bad thing — who’d a thought? At another sanctuary, I visited with my young children, the cheetah was pacing back and forth clearly stalking them. The kids thought it was a funny game, but it was clear that the cheetah wanted to eat them. Given the choice, I would rather find a wolf in grandmother’s house than a lion any day, although neither choice is anywhere near ideal.

4. A Cuddly Big Cat is Just an Illusion

  Big cat cubs are adorable, cute, and cuddly and usually not very dangerous. However, these cats grow up quickly and they grow to be very big. Imagine your cute little kitty cat, add about 500 lbs., and big sharp teeth and claws — THAT’S a big cat. Even big cats that may love their owners play big. There have been numerous accounts of big cat attacks and many of these appear to be “playtime” with an unsuspecting person, even their loving caretakers. Big cats in nature play rough, as this is part of their training for hunting. Also, big cats are just plain big and while they may not intentionally be trying to maul, kill, or hurt anyone, sometimes they just don’t know their own strength and so we shouldn’t take a chance with them in the first place.

5. Captivity Can Drive Big Cats Crazy

  So you’ve heard all the warnings and are still convinced you need a big cat in your house. Maybe your new cub is cute and cuddly and rolls around and plays, and MAYBE that cub will grow into a large predator that might really, really love you. But, most likely, that same cat will slowly go crazy.

Captivity of big cats causes them great stress which can potentially lead to psychosis, also known as zoochosis. Do you really want to share your space with a large, potentially unstable natural born killer? This psychosis (or zoochosis) is often exhibited through pacing and acts of aggression (even on trusted caretakers). Many big cat attacks that occur from aggression are born out of this frustration. Because of their large size, their natural ability to easily overpower a human, and their potential for aggression, big cats are often kept caged at all times, therefore their natural instinct to hunt and move is not allowed. So by having a big cat as a pet, you’re not only living with a very, very large natural-born hunter but also one that may literally go crazy on you. Yeah, that’s a good idea, said no one ever.

Lead image source: Dave Stokes / Flickr

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