A quick species introduction

WHF is a site quite unlike other zoological sites in that it houses only cats. On my first visit I was quite overwhelmed by the amount of enclosures and species that are cared for there, and still after almost two weeks of volunteering there I am trying to remember who and what is where. In an attempt to get to grips with names and species I attempted to compile a list and with the help of the keepers and other volunteers the total came to fifty-three individuals representing eighteen species (including sub-species). WHF is currently home to: 

Pallas cat - Wei Shand

African lions - both tawny and white (Panthera leo) : 6

Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae) : 6

Amur/Siberian tigers (Panthera tigris altaica) : 5

Bengal tigers (Panthera tigris tigris) : 2

Hybrid tiger : 1

Snow leopard (Uncia uncia) : 1

Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) : 6

North Chinese leopard (Panthera pardus japonensis) : 2

African leopard - black (Panthera pardus) : 1

Clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) : 2

Serval (Leptailurus serval) : 5

Rusty-spotted cat (Prionailurus rubiginosus) : 1

Black African leopard - Khan

Pumas/cougar/mountain lions (Puma concolor) : 4

Pallas cat/manul (Otocolobus manul) : 3

Jaguar (Panthera onca) : 2

Fishing cat (Prionailurus viverrinus) : 2

Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) : 1

Jungle cat (Felis chaus): 1

Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatas) : 2

Over time I shall give an introduction to these species and individual cats at WHF and how/why they came to be at the site. Many are part of a European breeding program (EEP), others are rescued animals and some have been retired from other zoological sites. Even after such a short time working with them I have seen their differences in personality, and favourites although hard to chose are beginning to surface. Again this is something I shall touch upon in future entries, along with more details on the conservation efforts for these species. For now I shall leave you with some teaser pictures that I have managed to snap on my rounds. 

Lion pugmark (plus one cold hand)