[felis-chaus]

This is a post to go along with the Chausie pictures I have posted/will be posting. Other people, feel free to add any other things you think the “public” should know about hybrid cats.

[felis-chaus]

Chausies are a mix between a Jungle Cat and a Domestic Cat. This kind of cat goes along…

[for-theloveofautumn]

Spent the day at one of the few accredited sanctuaries in the country, Lions, Tigers and Bears in Alpine, CA.

The animals had great enclosures and the caretakers stressed the “no direct contact” policies as well as how destructive cub petting schemes are. Every animal at LTB was rescued. in addition, they educate people on the dangers of inbreeding and make sure to point out that the “generic tiger” that has been bred from different tiger species serves no conservation value whatsoever. They do not buy, sell, trade or breed. I cannot stress enough how important sanctuaries like these are, and if you get the chance to visit one, take it!!

[bucketlistlionblog]

The only truly eco-friendly way to experience lions in Africa — through your camera.

Please practice responsible tourism and volunteering; don’t engage in cub petting or any other lion interactions.

(Photo credit to Michael Nichols)

[devotedlyhopefultaco-blog]

@big-cat-network or @panthxra @ccaracal @bigcatwildcat and @jaguarssoul for better consideration. If Big Cat Rescue, CITES, the WWF, Duke University and Oxford University's studies and statements on trophy hunting weren't enough, how about the sources in this link. And here you can see how hunters prefer canned hunt cats to beneficial hunting: www.lionaid.org/news/2013/04/lion-trophy-hunting-costbenefit-wins-over-ethics.htm Still deny the "why not others" catch 22? I also haven't seen anything supporting Jaguar, Tiger or Leopard trophy hunts are hit conservation success stories either. Have any links or book recommendations yet?

[big-cat-network]

The misconception that trophy hunting is "hugely" beneficial to big cats. Permitting a hunt of a singular sick or elderly individual cat for conservation funds is more beneficial to a single given population than letting it be, that much is true. But that is not "hugely" beneficial from logistics standpoint nor is it anything more than "not a negative impact" from a big cat conservation view. Moreover, the money creates a catch 22; if one animal is worth more dead than alive, why not others?

All right honey listen up. Killing one animal costs money. A lot of money. That’s where I come from, when I say that it’s hugely beneficial… oh wait I forgot the scare quotes- ”hugely”. That money is more than photoshooting tourists and ARAs alike will ever make. You’ll only get the right to nag about it once you actually manage to invest more than trophy hunters have so far. Because, you know, protecting a species costs money. A damn lot of money. Money to keep poachers out, money to manage the parks, money to pay the staff, you name it. Stay a little realistic and accept the fact that you and your little fellow ARA friends have done shit so far for lions and other wildlife alike. 

Am I claiming that trophy hunting is utterly perfect? Nope! As you might remember, I also wrote the following:

With that said, trophy hunting is only a good conservation tool when well regulated. If it is poorly regulated, or not at all, then avoid it at all cost. Sometimes the money doesn’t even go to conservation efforts at all, so it really depends on the situation. But yeah, generally big cat hunting has its benefits (there’s a reason that even WWF supports this).

Lions are a unique species that needs lots more research, if you want trophy hunting to work for them. But it still is beneficial, in it that they now get an economic value, and thus local people are more willing to welcome them rather than kill them for retaliation or snare/poison them in the name of pest control. And no dear, the money does not create a catch 22. Hunters don’t work that way; this might come as a shock, but a thriving population is important for hunters. No hunter wants to deplete a population; otherwise they’ll fuck it up for the next season. Thus answering your ”why not others” question. There’s much more to it than this, but seeing as numerous people have already talked about it, I fail to see why I should repeat them. I can suggest you one thing, however; please do a bit of research rather than pinpoint our use of terminology on that high horse of yours, and come with arguments that actually worth our time.

In case you feel like talking some more, I’d appreciate it if you came off anon. Any more of your asks will be ignored if you decide to keep on hiding.

- Jaguar

[devotedlyhopefultaco-blog]

Again, the character limits of the ask box is an impediment. Ignoring the unnecessary slandering (pardon my own such behavior from earlier) the two points are 1) trophy hunts for big cats go so far beyond the costs that they are massively beneficial and 2) the huge price of big cat selected for trophy hunting does not incur or otherwise encourage a catch 22 for other big cats correct? First, as you stated the well-regulated hunts are expensive in a monetary and resource sense. This means in order to get a decent net turnaround, participants of well-regulated big cat (and I do mean big cats only) must pay a high price and such hunters are typically wealthy non-natives. Americans comprise the majority of these wealthy hunters and as I stated earlier, "trophy hunting" to the American public (or the lay American, that is those with no or minimal education in conservation biology) includes any hunt that yields a prize animal, including poorly managed hunts and canned hunts. Most Americans hunting big cats in Africa or South America (I don't know of well regulated hunts elsewhere, and jaguar hunts are debatable at that) don't care about a thriving population either. They may care about the number of elk or bighorn they hunt in their own locale but the lions Africa? Nope, that's up to their African or South American hosts to take care of. There are no "seasons" for trophy hunters who travel far and pay a gigantic sum to kill one leopard, lion or jaguar for a lifetime of bragging rights. But Americans aren't the only problem. Local governments are too. Politicians happen to like money. They like money so much that more of the funds generated from even the best managed big cat trophy hunts go to singular politicians than to conservation efforts OR locals. That's not all. Seeing as it's a lucrative opportunity, there are a lot of politicians who promote canned hunts under the guise that it's helpful. Yes, canned hunts, promoted as helpful to conservation. Kinda explains the catch 22 right there. Would you happen to have links or book recommendations on the subject? Specifically big cats still. I recommend Duke University's work at www.panthera.org/sites/default/files/Size-of-Savannah-Africa-A-Lions-View-2012.pdf since it is free to read

[big-cat-network]

Actually I do not have a very high opinion of ARA groups and the quotes were used to clarify that they are your words, not mine. But that's beside the point and I'd rather not get too far off topic. Hugely (or anything more than failing to reject a null like greatly, wildly, etc.) implies a dramatic value that goes above and beyond predicted analytics and/or offsets resource costs so greatly that the net value from one event (one trophy hunt here) can provide for at least 5 times the original

Hereby allow me to plaster a ”I’m not a native English speaker” sticker right on my forehead because I had no idea such a little word had such a drastic meaning. Truth be told, for a split second I even had trouble trying to find out what you actually really meant with this. Either way, I’m not a native English speaker (and I speak for myself; everyone else is either from the US or the UK).

With that said you didn’t need to go through the trouble of making a new blog and all. 

- Jaguar

[devotedlyhopefultaco-blog]

In which case, thank you for going beyond your native language to read and consider these asks. My apologies for not choosing more lay English speak, it's a little hard to fit everything in the character limit

[big-cat-network]

-original gross resources required for any other event. This would include keeping the status quo, holding a charity event, trading any type of related resource etc. I am aware that trophy hunting events for a few ungulate species could be considered 'hugely' (greatly or otherwise above and beyond) but as of 2014 big cat trophy hunts have not been anything more than a rejection of the null. As for the catch 22 I highly recommend reading a university level Environmental resource & management text

It’s honestly really sad that you created a whole new blog just to message us off anon….

-Chinon

[devotedlyhopefultaco-blog]

You asked me to come off anonymous and I complied. Though now I am of the belief you may have only been baiting me to do so? In which case, that is poor form for any conservationist and not particularly encouraging or welcoming behavior for blog moderators.