#leopard conservation

[hope-for-the-planet]

Endangered Species Sightings from This Year

This is thought to be the first time in over 20 years that a blue whale was spotted off the Coast of Massachusetts.

I highly recommend watching the video and listening to the reaction of the people on the whale watching boat--the cheers and emotion in some of their voices, especially the woman saying "I'm trying not to" when someone jokingly tells her not to cry.

This is the first time ever that a mother clouded leopard with two cubs has been spotted on a game cam!

"After being considered regionally extinct for over a century, giant anteaters have been spotted roaming once again in Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul state. Scientists have concluded these returned natives ventured over from Argentina's Ibera Park, where conservationists have released around 110 rescued and captive-bred anteaters since 2007."

Over 100 years and the anteaters are finally coming home!

[animentality]

[theconcealedweapon]

"I used to be able to afford the cost of living. What happened?"

It's actually quite simple. Rich people ideally would have everything while everyone else has nothing. But if they did that, society would riot.

So they instead tried to get as close as possible to that ideal without causing people to riot. They made sure most people could afford the cost of living. A few people couldn't, but those people were easily dismissed as being lazy or making bad decisions.

Then, rich people slowly got greedier. They carefully experimented with increasing their greed and seeing how much they can get away with. The number of people who struggle to pay their bills slowly increased. And eventually, the people who struggle to pay their bills began including you.

[pangeen]

" Sassy Tank boop 🐆" // © Samantha Faircloth

© Original Audio

[horroryolks]

Poor Alicent, who has always permitted the men around her to control her life. To uphold the 'order of things,' (aka particarchy) only to be relegated to a back seat once more.

Watching her realize that all the sins shes commited to keep a small group of powerful men happy has been for nothing must be soul crushing.

Anyways.... When she watched Aemond being chosen as regent, perhaps she was thinking about her last conversation with Rhaenys.

And yet you toil still in service to men...

[sitting-on-me-bum]

“An Unforgiving kingdom”

by Shafeeq Mulla (Zambia)

“A leopard known as Olimba carries the carcass of a female vervet monkey with its baby still hanging on for dear life.”

The Nature Conservancy 2022 Photo Contest

[thingstrumperssay]

Surprise! The racist who's in the racist party is racist! If only there were decades of proof proving this? Like maybe around the same time people switched parties due to racism?

[rinusuarez]

New species unveiled: The Javan Leopard. To receive the infographic, subscribe to the club. Link here: Unveiling Club

[zenythycal]

My take on a classic

[johnnyslittleanimalblog]

Rare Amur Leopard Cubs Born at the San Diego Zoo by San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Via Flickr:

[reasonsforhope]

In southern Africa, leopards have long been harvested for their beautiful spotted furs. These coveted furs are often used in ceremonial regalia by cultural and religious groups in the area, making it difficult to address the dwindling wild cat population in the area.

Bridging the gap between animal conservation and cultural heritage, Panthera — a global wild cat conservation organization — has partnered with area communities and world-class designers to instead distribute synthetic furs for ceremonial garb.

This approach is ground-breaking and shows potential to be replicated in other areas of the world. In fact, new data shows that these initiatives have tripled the leopard population in the region. 

Pictured: Two wild leopards are spotted in southern Africa. Photo courtesy of Panthera.

It started in 2013 when Panthera began its Furs For Life program when it was discovered that members of the Shembe Church were using as many as 15,000 leopard furs during religious gatherings. 

Working with the Shembe community, Panthera created high-quality (and affordable!) synthetic leopard fur capes — amambatha — known as Heritage Furs. Since then, more than 18,500 capes have been distributed. 

In 2019, Panthera extended these efforts with the Saving Spots initiative. The program was created in conjunction with the Barotse Royal Establishment of the Lozi people with the mission to preserve rich cultural traditions and declining wild cat populations.

Every year, hundreds of Lozi community members wear lipatelo, elaborate full-length skirts made of leopard and other animal furs, as well as mishukwe, lion-mane trimmed berets, as they gather for the Kuomboka Festival...

Pictured: Paddlers on the Nalikwanda Royal Barge wearing Heritage Furs.

Since implementing the Saving Spots program, the Barotse Royal Establishment has switched to over 1,350 synthetic fur lipatelo and 600 synthetic fur mishukwe. At a recent Lozi gathering, nearly 70% of participants wore garments of synthetic furs. 

The idea was to maintain the sacred relationship the Lozi people have with these animals. By using a high-accuracy design, these synthetic furs have become trusted regalia to pass through future generations — all without causing harm to the animals they revere.

“It is important to conserve nature. If you don’t take care of nature, then you are headed for doom,” Lubinda Nyaywa, the chairperson of the Mwandi Council District said. “It’s a learning process for our young generations, teaching them that they must preserve, one, their culture, and, two, their natural resources.”

With the support of both the Lozi and Shembe leaders, affordable synthetic furs are gaining increased acceptance and popularity as alternatives to authentic furs. Some groups have even banned the use of authentic wild cat skins at future gatherings.

This, in turn, majorly contributes to the protection and stabilization of wild cat populations in the region.

As mentioned, new data suggests that Saving Spots has helped triple leopard densities in the southern region of Kafue National Park. 

-via Good Good Good, May 4, 2023

[sagerainephotos]

Snow Leopard cub

📷: nikon d3300

[tsalala]

Her story has been well documented over the decades but few know that without her – Londolozi would not be what it is today. She was the first leopard that allowed us into her world. She was an emissary from nature showing that trust could be rebuilt between animals and humans. She had many litters of cubs that grew up modelling their mother’s trust of the Land Rovers. As she raised these cubs the allure of ‘The Leopards of Londolozi’ was born.

We called her the Mother, not only because of her cubs but also in some magical and symbolic way – she was the mother of Londolozi. She helped make it a successful business. As word got out that there was a place you could go in the wilderness of South Africa to see wild leopards – people began to visit us from all over the world and still do to this day.

She birthed a kinship between people and wild leopards. A guardian of sentient wild creatures – she made the choice to partner in trust and love with humans.

— On Mother (b. 1975 - d. 1991), words by Londolozi Private Game Reserve

[theconcealedweapon]

"As a conservative woman, how do I convince conservative men to be more respectful of women?"

Translating:

"When the leopards are eating people's faces, how do I stop them from eating my face?"

[pangeen]

“ baby Shen “ // The Big Cat Sanctuary

Music:  Jessie Villa - wicked game