Why Wild Cats?

Panthera is exclusively devoted to conserving the world's 40 species of wild cats and the vast ecosystems they inhabit — but our work impacts much more than populations of these species. Protecting wild cats has a ripple effect on their habitat and the thousands of species they live alongside. Big cats are umbrella species due to their large ranges, meaning that their conservation helps protect other essential species that share these large ecosystems. Meanwhile, the world's 33 species of small wild cats are deemed indicator species because healthy populations of small cats indicate that their ecosystem is healthy and more resilient to threats like wildlife disease and natural disasters. Small cats have unique diets and habitat requirements and are sensitive to human-caused changes and disruption, which help us gauge ecosystem health.

Below are just a handful of our comprehensive projects. Your donation will help fund initiatives like these and enable us to continue to make demonstrable progress for global wild cat populations.

Fishing Cat Action Plan

Fishing cats are a threatened species that prefers to live near water sources, bringing them into close proximity with humans outside of protected areas in Thailand. As a carnivore, fishing cats have come into fatal conflicts with humans over fish and domestic chickens, which is exacerbated by the fact that law enforcement doesn’t have a strong presence outside of protected areas. To mitigate these threats and foster co-existence with local communities, we've implemented a comprehensive five-year plan that involves collaring a dozen fishing cats, strategically placing motion-activated cameras near waterways, fortified chicken coops and introduced local schools to conservation activities that highlight fishing cats and other vital wildlife. Our focus for the next year centers on the critical issue of land use and we are committed to collaborating with local communities to explore better, sustainable alternatives to selling land to developers. Protecting fishing cats not only helps ensure a future for this rare but important species, but also safeguards these fragile wetland ecosystems.