Our conservation projects focus primarily on Africa’s big cats, but we may offer support for small cats from time to time. See below for a list of all of Africa’s wonderful cats!
BIG CATS:
Cheetah
Acinonyx jubatus
The world’s fastest land mammal is racing towards extinction, with numbers at a mere 6,700 worldwide. A dangerously low number that sees them listed as Vulnerable on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Cheetahs face numerous threats including competition from larger carnivores - which sees them pushed out of protected areas which often results in them succumbing to human-cheetah conflict incidents. They also face threats such as habitat loss. Cheetahs have been driven out of 91% of their former historic range (thanks to us humans) - they used to roam freely all over Africa and Asia, but now only reside in six African countries, and they are almost completely extinct in Asia with fewer than 50 individuals in Iran. Cheetahs, like all big cats, also face huge threats from poaching, unsustainable trophy hunting and the illegal wildlife trade.
Lion
Panthera leo
The world’s only social cat, and Africa’s most iconic animal, the lion, is currently listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List with numbers at an estimated 20,000 across Africa. In the last 25 years, half of Africa’s lions have disappeared and just over a century ago, there were more than 200,000 wild lions living in Africa. Lions are extinct in 26 African countries and have vanished from over 95% of their historic range, due to human encroachment and development. They also face threats such as poaching, hunting, the illegal wildlife trade, and human-wildlife conflict.
Leopard
Panthera pardus
Leopards are Africa’s most abundant big cat, with numbers somewhere between 50,000 - 80,000, but like the lion and cheetah, are still listed Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List with numbers decreasing. Leopards are elusive and of Africa’s three big cats, known about the least. A solitary hunter with a sleek coat covered in rosettes, the leopard has been hunted to near extinction in some of their former historic ranges for the fashion industry. Still today, as many as 800 leopards a year are killed for their coat. Leopards also face the same threats as their other big cat companions such as habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, the illegal wildlife trade, poaching and unsustainable trophy hunting hunting.
