Four years ago, cheetahs were introduced from southern Africa into India in an effort to rewild the landscape with this predator, extinct in India since 1952. However, several challenges have hampered the project’s success.

Last week, images of a leopard walking through a South African town were widely distributed on social media, but were later confirmed to be AI-generated. Why does this matter?

Utah is proposing to remove mountain lions across six regions - despite clear evidence it won’t save mule deer. A controversial new “study” in Utah aims to eliminate cougars in an effort to boost deer populations—ignoring decades of science showing that predator removal is ineffective.

New research from Felidae! Our new paper, published in Urban Ecosystems, highlights how urbanization can affect pumas, bobcats, and mule deer in CA. We used 3 years of camera trap data from the Bay Area and Orange County to explore how human disturbance affects nocturnal activity in wildlife.

In the mid 1900’s, protected areas were seen as islands - independent habitat patches without the need for connectivity to nearby patches.

Following the death of a common murre, avian influenza has now been confirmed at Point Reyes National Seashore, here in the Bay Area.  Avian flu was also recently documented in elephant seals at Año Nuevo State Park-

Cheetah populations are increasingly isolated by human-induced habitat fragmentation (e.g., fences, highways, human development). This has led to an emphasis on metapopulation management, which focuses on maintaining gene flow by protecting corridors for dispersal.

In the high Peru Andes, Quechua women once faced conflicts with wild cats, including pumas, pampas cats, and Andean cats, that threatened their livelihoods by attacking their livestock.

Yesterday was Save the Florida Panther Day! Panthers are a subspecies of the mountain lion, and intensive conservation efforts have brought this species back from the brink of extinction. (1/3)

Many wild cats rely on healthy rivers. Jaguars and other species use riverbanks as prime ambush-hunting habitat, where dense cover and flowing water support the perfect balance of predator and prey.

Last month, Felidae’s software team lead, Prabath, attended the 1st International Conservation Technology conference in Peru! Prabath gave a presentation about his work on WildePod, Felidae’s cloud-based camera trap processing software.

A study using 15+ years of camera trap data across Borneo reveals new insights into clouded leopard residence time. Residence time indicates how long an individual stays in a space (e.g., habitat). The longest residence times were 4.47 to 6.51 years.

The declining mountain lion population in Utah is facing a greater decline due to a “study” analyzing how widespread hunting of lions across 6 districts would impact local mule deer populations. The study is facing backlash due to its lack of a control group and the risk of confounding variables.

Last month’s change in status for CA pumas has led to a new question - who pays the price for human-wildlife conflict? Most ranchers recognize the ecological importance of pumas, but some feel pumas are now better protected than their lands, some of which have been in families for generations.

When two look-alike wild cats appear on the same camera trap, careful review of key characteristics is essential for correct identification. At our Bhutan Wild Cat Health Project, marbled cats and clouded leopards share overlapping ranges —and sometimes even the same camera station!

Poaching and illegal trade of small cats is largely under reported compared to big cat species. This is the case in Latin America, where wild cat protections are focused on big cats. A lack of data on small cat populations makes protecting and enforcing laws far more difficult, and in many cases-

In 2013, over half of the N. Botswana lion population was wiped out, most having been poisoned by bait set by ranchers to protect their cattle from carnivores. Traditional herding practices often had young people watch over the cattle and move them across grazing lands.

A recent outbreak of avian influenza in elephant seals at Año Nuevo State Park is CA's first confirmed marine mammal case of the virus in the state, contributing to the death of 30 weaned pups. There is still so much to learn about how avian flu spreads in wildlife, including in pumas.

From dense jungles to mountains and grasslands, wild cats keep ecosystems balanced. Did you know, a study from 2022 found that across their distribution, mountain lions indirectly and directly interact with > 500 different species of plants and animals?

The Tsavo Cheetah Project works to protect cheetahs within Kenya's Tsavo Ecosystem. When the team is not active in the field, there is a greater threat to cheetahs, as community and landowner engagement comes to a pause. Support our campaign at givebutter.com/aXhWAL or via the link in our bio!

Jaguars are under threat because of habitat loss, declining prey populations, and overhunting throughout their range. But Brazil is especially important for jaguar survival- it's home to over half the population due to their extensive protected area network and protected Indigenous lands.

Small cat species across the globe are threatened by human disturbance. This #FishingCatFebruary, learn about this highly adapted felid...that likes water?

Sightings of the elusive European wildcat are so rare, they were thought be extinct across much of Europe. Thanks to advanced monitoring techniques (i.e., trail cameras, genetic analysis, and GPS collars), biologists have been able to collect more data on the wildcat-

Mountain lions are in danger across their range in Utah, but lion populations are now also threatened by a new study aiming to link them to declining mule deer populations. In this 'study', 100% of mountain lions (with no restrictions) are able to be trapped using lethal snares and hound hunting.

In 2011, East Coast pumas were declared extinct, largely due to overhunting. Recently, some individuals have appeared in the eastern states. Large wildlife habitat patches in the Appalachians, New England, and Ozarks may be suitable for pumas and could allow them to re-establish-

The black-footed cat, weighing just 2-5 lbs, is Africa’s smallest felid species. New research found that these cats use burrows dug by springhares for shelter and protection, especially while they're raising young. This behavior has put their survival at risk.

Did you know pumas have the largest home range of any land mammal in the Western Hemisphere? When undisturbed, a male's home range can be over 1,000 sq. km. Here in the greater Bay Area, home ranges are heavily constricted as urban encroachment fragments the landscape-

Explore one of the leading-edge innovations in non-invasive monitoring with a deep dive into drones and thermal imagery in wildlife conservation.

An increase in mountain lion sightings along the Central Coast has led to misconceptions surrounding their abundance. As home security devices have gained popularity, previously unseen sightings have led to a prevailing thought of more mountain lions in the area.

Avian flu is known to affect wild felids, but there is still much to learn. Recently, researchers in NY collected blood samples from wild bobcats to test for avian flu (HPAI). They found that one in four cats previously exposed to HPAI had antibodies in their blood-

On February 12th, the CA Fish and Game Commission granted protections to 6 mountain lion subpopulations. But what does this mean? 5/6 of these subpopulations are estimated to be smaller than 50 individuals, meaning they are at high extinction risk.

And just like that, mountain lions across the Central Coast & Southern CA are officially protected under the CA Endangered Species Act! The CA Fish & Game Commission voted UNANIMOUSLY to expand the protections of these endangered subpopulations, listing them as a Threatened species.

Save the date! Felidae and Marin Humane will be hosting a virtual talk on the status of pumas and bobcats in Marin and the rest of the Bay Area, addressing why an uptick in sightings doesn't mean an increasing population, and our latest research on CA wild cats at the urban edge.

It's (almost) official: Permanent protection for 6 CA mountain lion subpopulations is just a vote away. In 2020, the California Fish and Game Commission granted mountain lions candidacy status. This provided them with temporary protections-

February 11th is International Day of Women and Girls in Science! Today, we recognize the efforts of all the amazing women of Felidae who contribute to our efforts to protect wild felids.

When your love language is... protecting wildlife. This Valentine’s Day, give a gift that makes a difference. Donate and share a special dedication to your valentine: felidaefund.org/take-action?... Or sponsor a wild cat species for a loved one: tinyurl.com/2u4f982c

Today is International Day of the Arabian Leopard! Despite being the smallest leopard species, they are the largest cat species on the Arabian Peninsula. Arabian Leopards are critically endangered, with only ~100 remaining.

What could you and a puma have in common? Leptospirosis! A bacterial pathogen, the Leptospira bacteria rarely cause direct fatalities, but they do reduce general fitness and immune function, strain organs, and threaten long-term population survival.

A 10-year-old leopard in North China became the first known leopard great-grandmother, starting a four-generation leopard dynasty during her lifespan. She has birthed 11 cubs in all, 4 of which have established their own territories in non-protected areas.

AI-generated media that shows unusual and inaccurate animal behavior is on the rise online. To experts, it's clear which AI-developed media is fake - but to the untrained eye, it can be less obvious and can contribute to misinformation and fear. This can undermine years of conservation efforts.

Save the date! Felidae and Marin Humane will be hosting a virtual talk on the status of pumas and bobcats in Marin and the rest of the Bay Area, addressing why an uptick in sightings doesn't mean an increasing population, and our latest research on CA wild cats at the urban edge.

Today's #SpeciesSpotlight is the Asian Golden Cat! A cat of many colors, with up to 10 color morphs recorded across its range. It’s also one of our 9 focal species in the Bhutan Wild Cat Health Project, where our camera traps have detected 3 different color morphs so far!

As many of you probably heard, the mountain lion who made it all the way up to San Francisco was captured and released south of the city last week.  Prior to this, the last time a lion made it up to the city was 2021, and it was also a juvenile.

In Utah, a new predator management study has been proposed, aiming to aggressively remove cougars at an unsustainable rate without the necessary evidence to back it up.

Dazed and unafraid- that's how a sick tiger near Bhutan's capital city was acting when health officials thought it might be exhibiting symptoms of canine distemper, a viral disease that can spread to other species.

In light of the recent mountain lion making its way into San Francisco, it is now more important than ever to show your support and protect mountain lion populations in CA.

Happy World Geoffroy’s Cat Day! Globally, Geoffroy’s cats are listed as Least Concern due to their wide distribution across South America, but this doesn't mean they are in the clear.

A young mountain lion was sighted last night in Pacific Heights/Cow Hollow and safely captured this morning. While rare, young lions nearing dispersal age can wander into urban areas, become disoriented, and hunker down.

Today is International Environmental Education Day! Today is a perfect opportunity to learn more about your local environment and why it's crucial to protect the species within it.

We are one week away from our Open House event in Mill Valley! Whether you are interested in volunteering or are just looking to learn more about wild cat conservation, stop by anytime for coffee, pastries, and all things wild cat!