Africa

What do you know about lions? While you may have seen videos of these iconic big cats wandering the plains of Africa, there’s a lot to learn about the world’s second biggest cat. 

Why do lions sometimes climb trees? We talked to Panthera lion experts Paolo Strampelli, Kristoffer Everatt and Philipp Henschel to help us explain this phenomenon — which is actually more common than you might think! 

Late on what seemed like a regular night in 2023, a scaly animal darted past one of our remote cameras that are intended to measure large carnivore densities as part of a BIOPAMA-funded project in Niokolo-Koba National Park, Senegal. Panthera Coordinator of Fauna and Habitat Monitoring Mouhamadou Mody Ndiaye and his team were shocked to find it was a giant pangolin, a rare species that had not been recorded in Senegal in nearly 25 years.

Celebrate Mother's Day with us as we honor the remarkable mothers of the wild! Panthera is thrilled to cast a spotlight on the feline matriarchs who have made significant contributions to conservation in the past year. Across our project sites worldwide, these wild cat mothers have not only given birth but have also nurtured and protected their cubs with unwavering dedication. Much like the mothers or mother figures in our own lives, these matriarchs are instrumental in the flourishing of their offspring.

Can technology help big cats? Meet Shannon Dubay and Nikki Le Roex, integral members of Panthera South Africa’s team who are pioneering the use of cutting-edge technology in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve. Together with technology consultant Neoxia, they’ve developed a customized Wildlife Sightings App that’s revolutionizing leopard research and conservation. This innovative tool empowers trained ecotourism guides to meticulously document wildlife activities, providing unprecedented insights into the lives of individual leopards.

Jumping high into the air, one of the world’s most recognizable small cat species brings down a bird in flight. It’ll make a hearty meal for a hungry caracal — a small cat certainly worthy of a spotlight. This small cat, which ranges across much of Africa and West Asia, is one of the most adept and geographically widespread small cat species in the world — which also means it comes into conflict with humans. Read all about caracal biology below.

In 2024, Panthera, the Direction des Parcs Nationaux (DPN) of Senegal and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) embarked on one of the most ambitious wildlife monitoring efforts ever attempted in a protected area in Africa. 

With our partners on the ground, the Ivorian Office of Parks and Reserves (OIPR), Panthera supports Côte d'Ivoire's Taï National Park to establish the status of leopard populations in the region. Accompanied by Panthera field technician Robin Horion and a team from the OIPR, Dr. Marine Drouilly, our Regional Carnivore Monitoring Coordinator for West and Central Africa, shares her experiences monitoring leopards. 

Like lions, cheetahs form male coalitions as a means of survival after maturing and separating from their mothers. And for cheetahs –– a species whose wild population only numbers around 7,100 –– coalitions are extremely important to increase the chances of survival, as the number of cheetahs continues to decline.

Did you know that lions sometimes hunt elephants and crocodiles? Dr. Kris Everatt, Conservation Scientist and Panthera Canada Director, is intrigued by this phenomenon. Learn more about these unusual behaviors in his blog.