8 Jan 2015

Zookeeper travels the world to work with small wild cats

by | posted in: Endangered Cats, Zoo cats | 1

We are happy to welcome to a new blog writer for the small cats. This determined man has an amazing life working with small wild cats around the world, and he’ll be sharing his adventures with us on a regular basis.

clouded leopardHello to all my fellow Felid lovers reading this blog My name is Ricky and I am a Zoologist & Zoo Keeper from London, UK.

I have had a huge passion for wild cats from a very young age and have been privileged to have been working alongside them and many other animals in Zoological collections for the past 10 years through work experience, voluntary, seasonal and now permanent work.

My specialism is cats both big and small, but it’s the smaller, lesser known species that really get me excited. Theres so much to find out about them!!

My goal is to become a captive cat specialist one day, and part of that goal is my wish to spend time working with/observing captive individuals of as many cat species as possible. This means that I do a lot of travelling far and wide to see and spend time with some amazing species which unfortunately not much is known about.

The way that I am able to go on these trips is because I save up what I earn at work… I’m a very determined person and when I hear of a species at a collection I put myself in contact with that collection and go from there.

I have been very lucky (and persistent) and have been able so far to have spent some amount of time working with 31 out of the 37 known wild cat species and have been invited to various collections across the world to spend time with 3 more!

I am going to be telling you about a few of my recent trips across the world to spend time with rare small cats in future blog posts.

I hope you enjoy,

Ricky Reino

clouded leoprd

15 Jun 2013

Pallas Cats and Toxoplasmosis

by | posted in: Cats of Asia, Zoo cats | 0

Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by a common protozoan parasite (Toxoplasma gondii) found world wide that poses health risks to both humans and wildlife. The only definitive host for the parasite are members of the Felidae family (primarily domestic cats). Healthy infected cats typically do not show any signs that they carry the disease. The parasite develops in the host and oocysts (eggs) are shed in the feces. The oocysts are very resistant and can persist in the environment for  over 12 months. Intermediate hosts (rodents, birds, sheep, cattle, pigs) ingest the oocysts and cysts are formed in different areas of the intermediate host’s body. The life cycle of the parasite is completed when an infected intermediate host is ingested by a cat.

Pallas Cat from Cincinnatti Zoo

Humans are usually infected through contact with infected cat feces or through undercooked meat containing cysts. Toxoplasmosis can cause serious health problems in pregnant women and individuals with a compromised immune system. Healthy people usually are not aware they have been infected.

Clinical disease is more likely to occur in cats with suppressed immune systems, including young kittens and cats with feline leukemia virus (FELV) or feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). Most cats can recover with a treatment of antibiotics and anti-parasitic drugs. There is no vaccine available.

Unfortunately, wild Pallas Cats also seem to be extremely sensitive to toxoplasmosis, causing a high mortality rate in the kittens. Please watch this 2008 video from the Linder Centre for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW) at the Cincinnati Zoo for more information. I was not able to find more current information on how much progress has been made researching and controlling this problem in Pallas Cats.

15 May 2013

Celebrating Asian Golden Cat Births After Artificial Insemination

by | posted in: Cats of Asia, Endangered Cats, Zoo cats | 1

Allwetter Zoo in Germany celebrated the birth of twin Asian Golden Cats on April 7, 2013. At last report, one was being nursed by the mother and the other was being cared for by keepers.

asian golden cats allwetter zoo

This was a very significant event as the cubs were conceived via artificial insemination (AI). Allwetter Zoo is calling this a world’s first for the species. AI has proven to be especially challenging in most wild cat breeds so every successful birth as a result of AI is a major achievement. AI has also been successful in other small wild cat species. The  Cincinnati Zoo recently celebrated the birth of an Ocelot as a result of AI. Other assisted reproduction procedures such as embryo transfer and in vitro fertilization are also being researched and developed for use in endangered cat species.

asian golden cat allwetter zoo

Asian Golden Cats (Pardofelis temminchkii) are listed as “near threatened” on the IUCN Red List and as Appendix 1 of CITES (as Catopuma temminchkii). There are very few Asian Golden Cats in captivity and most are housed in zoos in Europe and the UK. The EAZA 2007/2008 EEP report on this species listed only 20 cats  being housed in 8 European institutions on Dec 31, 2008. Some of these animals were thought to belong to the subspecies “tristis” and thus not as genetically valuable. The report also stated that there was a need for more  successful breeding pairs to at least keep the captive population stable.

asian golden cat allwetter zoo

The future of this subspecies in captivity is uncertain but hopefully with each small success we are headed in the right direction.

Photo Credit Allwatter Zoo 

Read more about these small cats on our fact sheet

28 Apr 2013

Any Crossword Puzzle Fans?

by | posted in: Cats in the wild, Zoo cats | 0

7476156110_9bd1ae3ce8_zUpon researching captive wild cat conservation further afield in Europe, Asia and Australia, I found that there are several organizations throughout the world with “ex situ” conservation programs and they all seem to have an acronym. It occurred to me that all of these acronyms would make a great crossword puzzle. Given more time and talent I may have attempted to present my findings in such a format but alas, the clock is ticking so I will resort to a brief description of a few of these programs. At the very least we should have a short quiz at the end of all this.

 There are several regional Zoo and Aquarium organizations throughout the world and most of these have conservation and breeding programs similar to those of North America’s Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) also has Taxon Advisory Groups (TAGs) and develops Regional Collection Plans which identify which species need to be managed in European Endangered Species Programs (EEPs). The Australasia Species Management Program (ASMP) is managed by the Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA). The Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums (JAZA) has a Species Survival Committee (SSCJ).

 In addition to these regional organizations, the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) has a global conservation program which includes 4 Global Species Management Programs (GSMPs). The concept of GSMPs have been slow to gain momentum due to several challenges such as lack of communication, issues with transport of animals and a lack of resources. One of the four programs and the longest running is the Sumatran Tiger GSMP which was established in 2008. WAZA was founded in 1935 and was originally called the International Union of Directors of Zoological Gardens (IUDZG) until being renamed in 2000. In 1948 the IUDZG was a founding member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

8148942999_4455df1421_zThe IUCN is an environmental organization that helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges. The IUCN manages a complex Global Species Programme which includes the Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (CBSG); a global network of conservation professionals working both inside and outside a species natural range. The IUCN is also responsible for the production of the IUCN Red List. The IUCN Red List is a comprehensive information source on the status of wild species and their links to livelihoods. The overall aim of the Red List is to convey the urgency and scale of conservation problems to the public and policy makers, and to motivate the global community to work together to reduce species extinctions.The IUCN Red List assesses the extinction risk of species. The IUCN also has a Species Survival Commission (SSC). Working in close association with IUCN’s Global Species Programme, SSC’s major role is to provide information to IUCN on biodiversity conservation, the inherent value of species, their role in ecosystem health and functioning, the provision of ecosystem services, and their support to human livelihoods. This information is fed into The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

 So, there you have it in a nutshell (STYHIIAN). Now if only all of these dedicated people spoke the same language, worked in the same time zone and had infinite resources we could start solving the world’s conservation issues, starting with one small cat at at time!

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21 Apr 2013

Dating Service for Wild Cats?

by | posted in: Zoo cats | 0

by W. Angermeyer

Originally published on our Felids blog February 14, 2013

Before moving on in my series of posts on conservation programs for endangered captive cats, I would like to go in to a bit more depth on the American Association of Zoo’s and Aquariums (AZA) conservation programs to provide some updated information and answer some questions we received.

In the past couple of years, the AZA has made some changes and they are phasing out Population Management Programs (PMPs). All of them have been changed to Species Survival Plans (SSPs) which are now designated as one of three colors: green, yellow and red. If an SSP is green, that means that the population in captivity is predicted to be sustainable with a high percentage of genetic diversity (at least 90%) for at least the next 100 years based on genetic analyses. If an SSP is yellow, then the population of that species in AZA zoos is OK now but is not sustainable. These populations need work if we want the species to persist in zoos long-term. Finally, red SSPs are populations that are nowhere near sustainable (less than 50 individuals with poor genetic diversity) and need a lot of help or may be extinct in zoos in the very near future.

Wild Cats in SSP Programs

Yellow: Caracal, Serval, Amur Leopard, Canada Lynx, Cheetah, Snow Leopard, Ocelot, Puma, Clouded Leopard, Bobcat, Jaguar, Black-footed Cat

Green: Lion,Tiger

Red: Fishing Cat, Sand Cat, Pallas’ Cat

The original purpose of an SSP was to get zoos to communicate and cooperate when managing animals to ensure that the captive population of each species was healthy so zoos weren’t constantly taking animals out of the wild or inbreeding to produce individuals. Genetics certainly played a big role in influencing this purpose. Now the purpose (also genetics driven) is to achieve sustainability within the captive population so that we have healthy populations in the long-term. One reason is to have a reserve of animals to help supplement the wild population in case it is ever necessary. Although zoos and researchers still have much to learn about how to effectively reintroduce animals back into the wild, the possibility to do so is a goal and is a reality for some SSPs such as the Mexican Wolf, Whooping Cranes, Vancouver Island Marmots or the Amur leopard. An SSP species may not be considered endangered in the wild but might require better management in captivity to improve the genetics of the captive population.

clouded leopards

Captive individuals that are part of an SSP breeding program may or may not be on public exhibit depending on the availability of space at the institution. A shortage of space tends to be more of an issue with mammalian species. Some institutions do have off-exhibit space and utilize this space as necessary. Whether or not breeding stock will be on exhibit depends on how imperative privacy is for breeding and births. If public display is detrimental, then it will be a priority for off-exhibit space to be created. A lot of species that zoos have had success with breed fine while on exhibit. Each individual animal’s temperament would need to be considered as well. For zoos in temperate or sub-arctic climates, there would also be seasonal considerations and limitations for housing.

It could be said that all AZA institutions participate in all SSP programs because at some point they are likely to communicate about an SSP species such as when they are considering bringing in a new species They must agree to follow the rules of the SSP which vary according to the color designation. For example, all AZA zoos have to follow the breeding and transfer recommendations of a green SSP (however, keep in mind that recommendations are never made without considering the wishes and wellbeing of each zoo). Zoos are not forced to follow the recommendations of yellow or red SSPs if they choose not to, but it is strongly encouraged. Any zoo housing an individual member of an SSP species participates to some degree in the program.

Lastly, there was a question regarding fundraising for SSP animals regardless of whether the institution houses that SSP species. Any zoo may fund raise for any species regardless of whether there is an SSP designation for that species and any SSP can (and with the exception of extenuating circumstances probably will) accept funds raised by anyone regardless of whether they are an AZA accredited organization.

cat heart
So in short, I guess you can think of the AZA Felid Tag as a very complex and involved dating service for cats. I wonder if there are some cats out on blind dates or taking the plunge in an arranged marriage for Valentine’s Day?

Thanks for providing updated information to:
– Dan Dembiec from the Jacksonville Zoo, Serval SSP Coordinator/Studbook Keeper and a Felid TAG Steering Committee Member
– Pam Pritchard, Animal Collection Specialist at the Calgary Zoo

14 Apr 2013

Captive Felid Conservation – Part 1

by | posted in: Zoo cats | 0

by W. Angermeyer

This post was originally published on our Felids blog January 15, 2013

On our blog we often focus on felid conservation and research news occurring “in situ” or in the wild cat’s natural habitat. A good deal of conservation also occurs in captivity or “ex situ”. Who oversees the management of these captive conservation efforts? There are several well renowned organizations that collaborate and manage programs which focus on the conservation of many threatened and endangered species including felids.

In Part I of this topic, I would like to focus on the conservation efforts of the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums  (AZA) which  has a membership of 222 accredited zoos and aquariums throughout North America. Twenty years ago, AZA established the Species Survival Plan Program (SSP), which is a long-term plan involving conservation breeding, habitat preservation, public education, field conservation, and supportive research to ensure survival for many of the planet’s threatened and endangered species.

Currently, AZA members are involved in 319 SSPs working on behalf of 590 species. Each SSP Program is managed by a corresponding Taxon Advisory Groups (TAG) within AZA. The TAG is responsible for developing a comprehensive population Studbook and a Breeding and Transfer Plan which identifies population management goals to ensure the sustainability of a healthy, genetically diverse, and demographically varied population. The TAGs are in turn managed by the Wildlife Conservation and Management Committee. Are you confused yet?

Sand Cat
The AZA Felid TAG is a committee of advisors with expertise in issues relating to wild cats. These advisors hold regular meetings attended by people from both AZA-member institutions and the private sector who have an interest in felids. The Felid TAG provides a forum for discussing husbandry, veterinary, ethical, and other issues that apply to the wild cats housed in AZA-member institutions. TAG advisors also examine animal management techniques based on scientific studies and assist SSP coordinators in developing animal care manuals to present best practices for the care and welfare of felid species. TAGs also promote cooperation and sharing of information between AZA and other regional and international conservation programs.

One important role of the Felid TAG is to recommend the wild cat species managed by studbooks, SSPs, and other zoo-based programs through the regional collection planning (RCP) process. The Felid RCP helps animal managers determine which species are most in need of zoo-based conservation programs; establish priorities for management, research and conservation; and recruit qualified individuals to carry out these activities. In developing the RCP, the TAG takes into account both the limited amount of enclosure space available and the need to maintain animals in populations large enough to ensure their long-term genetic viability and demographic stability. They also consider the potential of selected species to contribute to conservation through education, scientific research, fund-raising to support field conservation, and managed breeding for potential reintroduction. The goal of this careful planning process is that each cat species and individual animal held at AZA zoos has a defined conservation or education purpose.

Fishing cat
Species may be added or taken off the TAG managed list periodically, based on what the needs of that species are and how likely it is that zoos can manage and conserve them effectively. The current AZA Felid Species Survival Plans and Population Management Plans include:

SSPs: Amur Leopard, Black-footed Cat, Cheetah, Clouded Leopard, Fishing Cat, Jaguar, Lion, Ocelot, Sand Cat, Snow Leopard, Tiger
PMPs: Canada Lynx, Caracal, Pallas Cat, Puma, Serval

For more information on the Felid Tag and participating institutions, please visit the National Zoo’s web-site.