CAUGHT ON CAMERA
This edition of Our Zoo shines a spotlight on big cats – and this feature is no exception.
Welcome to a special cats edition of Caught on Camera, where we share footage from the wildlife monitoring projects we support around the world.
Some of these wild moments might even remind you of the new arrivals here at Chester Zoo.
Snow leopard
This camera trap clip captured a fascinating interaction between two of the top predators of Kyrgyzstan; wolves and snow leopards. Although the species are very different, one canid and the other feline, they are both shy, elusive and highly effective hunters. This clip comes courtesy of the Snow Leopard Trust. Find out more on how we're supporting the conservation in the Himalayas.
Tiger
The average number of tiger cubs in a litter is three, so this mother has done particularly well to raise her five young. This camera trap was placed alongside a man-made track, and this footage is a great reminder of how wildlife can traverse landscapes shaped by industry and agriculture. In Terai, our teams are working to reduce conflict between the people and tigers who share a landscape.
Leopard
If you’re a cat owner, you’ll recognise this behaviour. In many respects, big cats like the leopard in this clip share many of their instincts and habits with house cats, including using scent to mark their territories. Both Felis catus (house cats) and Panthera pardus (leopards) rub their chin glands to alert other cats to their presence and they may spray.
There are several subspecies of true leopards, including Indian leopards and African leopards, both of which have made an appearance on our camera trap trails. We’re helping protect Indian leopards in a key big cat landscape.
Serval
This elegant feline is a serval. These small wild cats have the longest legs in relation to their body of any feline species. They are solitary, although they often inhabit overlapping territories with other servals. The majority of their diet is made up of small rodents. They are not listed as being under threat, but their habitats are shrinking. We’re monitoring wildlife in Murchison Falls National Park, where this cat was spotted.
African Lions
This brief glimpse of a lioness on a night-time walk was captured at Murchison Falls National Park, where we’re monitoring several species, including giraffes. Learn more about how we're working to protect giraffes. Compared to Asiatic lions, African lions are slightly bigger and heavier. African lion males have fuller manes and broader skulls, and they tend to live in bigger prides. Both are under significant pressure and are classified as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. This is why we are involved in an EAZA Ex situ Programme to breed Asiatic lions. Discover how we are helping to protect African lions in the wild.
Golden cat
The last feline on the list is the African golden cat. They are a stocky species, roughly twice the size of a house cat, and their fur can vary in colour from reddish to greyish. They are found in Kibale National Park, where we have previously carried out conservation work. They are extremely shy and nocturnal, which makes it especially thrilling when they appear on a trail camera!
Bonus: genet
When is a cat not a cat?
At first glance, this genet could be mistaken for a feline, with its leopard-like rosettes and tabby-striped tail. It occupies a similar ecological niche to small cats and hunts similar prey, including small mammals and birds. However, it is a viverrid rather than a feline and is much more closely related to civets and binturongs than to cats (you can often spot a binturong on Islands at the zoo). They cannot fully retract their claws, and they have longer, slimmer skulls when compared to cats. They are still fascinating, though.
Camera trap fact
Despite the name, there's no trapping involved! The cameras are simply left in a secret spot and sense when there's some movement or animal action in the surrounding area, helping us to capture incredible moments like these.
Camera trap fact
Despite the name, there's no trapping involved! The cameras are simply left in a secret spot and sense when there's some movement or animals action in the surrounding area, helping us capture magic little moments like these.
