NEWSLINK: Tennessee has first cougar sighting in 100yrs

In late November, a trail camera caught sight of a cougar in Humphreys County, Tennessee, 70 miles west of Nashville. There have been other big-cat sightings in West and Middle Tennessee this year that the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has verified, as well. TWRA spokesman Don King says that a cougar “[had] not been confirmed by state authorities in Tennessee in perhaps 100 years” until these recent reports. Speculation about Tennessee mountain lions has been a source of myth and lore in the region for about as long.

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UK SIGHTING: Dursley man reports seeing big cats

A Dursley man has seen what he believed to be a pair of big cats hunting on the outskirts of the town.


The man was cycling to work in a morning roughly a month ago when he witnessed the pair apparently hunting a domestic cat.

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NEWSLINK: Big cat prowls close to village and kills bull

A quiet morning with welcome sunshine turned out to be a busy and tense day for Karanaipuducherry near Vandalur as a leopard ventured very close to the village. The big cat killed a bull and fled back into the forest when villagers gathered in huge numbers, though it initially it acted a little aggressive.

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UK SIGHTING: Is big cat behind sheep kills?

Could a big cat be behind savage sheep kills in fields north of Gloucester?


Farmers in and around the Norton area said they had heard of several sheep being killed in the last few weeks at The Leigh.

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NEWSLINK: Lion cub dies after poisoning and attack

A famous lion cub featured on a BBC wildlife documentary has died after being poisoned and injured by a buffalo.


The male lion, called Alan, had to be put down by vets in Kenya on Wednesday.

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NEWSLINK: Poisoned lions back on the prowl

Eight lions from the famous Marsh Pride in Kenya’s Masai Mara reserve have recovered from an attack of poisoning – and are roaming the savannah once more.


Yesterday they were well enough to be hunting again and were feeding on a buffalo they had killed.

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VIDEO: Tiger makes friends with its meal

When Timur the goat was put inside Amur the tiger's pen at Russia's Far Eastern Safari Park, it was with the expectation that Amur was going to be having himself some dinner. But that's not what happened.

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NEWSLINK: Mountain lion sightings in Reno

A mountain lion was reportedly spotted in southwest Reno on Monday morning, a spokesman with the Nevada Department of Wildlife said.


The Reno Police Department reported the mountain lion sighting at about 4:30 a.m. to NDOW, spokesman Chris Healy said. The big cat was allegedly seen in the area near Mayberry Drive, Healy said.

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RESEARCH ARTICLE: Non-Invasive Pregnancy Diagnosis in Big Cats

Non-invasive monitoring of hormones using feces has become a vital tool for reproductive management and reliable pregnancy diagnosis in big cats. Previous studies described the PGF2α metabolite (PGFM) as an indicator of pregnancy in various feline species. The present study aimed to standardize pregnancy detection in big cats like the tiger (Panthera tigris), jaguar (Panthera onca) and lion (Panthera leo) using fecal samples

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ARTICLE: Africa's Best Kept Secret: An Ultra-Luxury, Ultra-Eco Safari Lodge

It’s National Geographic’s Big Cat Week, time to turn our attention to the plight of the beleaguered felines of the world, the lions, leopards, cheetahs and tigers facing pressure from poachers, environmental destruction, crazed Chinese medicine practitioners and Minnesota dentists. If you want to see many of these majestic animals at their best, in high style, while doing good, there are few better places to consider than Zarafa. This ultra-luxury, ultra eco conscious lodge may be Africa’s best kept travel secret.

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ARTICLE: Big Cat Fossils: Early Ancestors Might Have Killed Off The Saber-Toothed Tiger

New fossils indicate that the saber-toothed tiger of ancient times might have been killed by our early ancestors, according to BBC News.


The homo heidelbergensis were the first human ancestors to use wooden tools like spears for hunting deer.

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NEWSLINK: New Mountain Lion Found in Santa Monica Mountains

There's a great big cat roaming the western end of the Santa Monicas, according to the National Park Service. An adult male puma previously undocumented by biologists was captured and collared by Park Service biologists in November, bringing the possible total of adult male cats in the Santa Monicas to three.

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VIDEO: Black panther attacks zookeeper

This is NOT the correct way to feed big cats. Watch as this careless zookeeper gets way too close to these leopards, and he pays the price

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NEWSLINK: Boxer given 'pet' tiger as birthday present

On Thursday, boxer Floyd Mayweather shared a photo on social media of “a rare and exotic tiger from India” he said he had received as a gift.

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NEWSLINK: Are cougars moving south? Sighting confirmed in Tennessee

Big cat sightings happen on occasion in Alabama and the rest of the South, but they are very rarely verified by wildlife officials.


The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency issued a warning on Wednesday after confirming an image of a cougar was captured on a trail camera in Humphreys County, a rural area in Middle Tennessee, last week.

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ARTICLE: Jamala Wildlife Lodge gives you an up-close African wildlife experience

If you've ever lived with a cat, you will know they don’t give two hoots (or a meow) about you (except at dinner time). They don’t care when you are happy to see them. They don’t care that you are watching their every hilarious, cute-when-they’re-hungry and downright rude move. They will not come closer when you call them. In fact, they will go out of their way not to look at you. It can feel as if you are not there at all.

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ARTICLE: Beast of Bolton and possible link to WWII American aircrews

Following a rash of alleged recent sightings of the Beast of Bolton, we chatted to British Big Cat Society founder and Boltonian, Danny Bamping, about the likelihood of its existence.


Danny, originally from Bromley Cross, set up the British Big Cat Society 20 years ago after spotting a large cat-like creature himself in Kent.

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NEWSLINK: Nine injured in leopard attack

At least nine people were injured in an attack by a leopard in Telangana's Medak district on Tuesday, police said.


After five-hour-long struggle, forest officials managed to captured the animal.

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UK SIGHTING: Driver describes moment he saw black panther in Ryarsh

A delivery driver has described the moment a big black cat, believed to be panther, loomed up in front of him in a quiet village, sparking a police search and urgent warnings to parents.


Yesterday we reported how a school sent text messages to parents warning them there was a panther on the loose. Today we tracked down the man who spotted the cat.

Paul Turk, from Ditton, was so terrified when he saw the large creature in The Street, Ryarsh, on Wednesday morning he had to take a break at his next destination to calm down.

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NEWSLINK: Cougars Are Returning to the Midwest

The large North American cat known as the cougar, puma, or mountain lion is notoriously elusive, haunting the hills of Hollywood. Though they once ruled the American Midwest, populations have since plummited. But their stealth may be helping to bring them back, allowing them to dominate the region within a few decades, reports Maggie Ryan Sandford for National Geographic.

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NEWSLINK: After eight days on run, tiger captured in Sunderbans village

The tiger that was on the prowl in the Sunderbans' Jharkhali area since the last eight days was finally captured on Saturday evening.

Confirming the news, A Sunderbans official said that the big cat, a female and aged around four years, was trapped in a cage laid in the Asorala area of Jharkhali. Till the last reports came, the foresters have started from the 3 No. Ghat area with the tiger towards the Jharkhali rescue centre.

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NEWSLINK: Big cat wants a well-bred mate

Rajiv Gandhi Zoo to kick off second breeding programme in a decade, as tigress Riddhi gets ready to choose a partner


Five-and-a-half-year-old tigress Riddhi, who was brought to Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park at Katraj a couple of years ago from Aurangabad Zoo, is all set for her first date with either of her male counterparts — Tanaji or Bagyaram.

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ARTICLE: Big cats that once roamed the world have less space to call home

Africa is running out of lions, and scientists are worried. Philipp Henschel studies lions. He says the big cats used to be found on the continents of Africa, Europe, Asia, and even North America.


The 40-year-old scientist says that up until 11,000 years ago, lions roamed much of the world. Now, they are only in the country of India and on the continent of Africa.


Indian officials say only about 500 lions are left in India.


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VIDEO: National Geographic - Champion of the Hunt

Boone Smith challenges the big cats to a hunt.

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VIDEO: Mountain lions on video

It's not everyday you see a big cat in the semi-wild. And I mean three BIG cats. 

Three mountain lions captured on video congregating around a spring-fed pond in Bennett Valley near Annadel State Park. 

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VIDEO: Hamilton Zoo review won't cover big cats despite fatal tiger attack

Hamilton City Council will not review its zoo's keeping of large exotic animals as part of investigations into a fatal tiger attack.


The review of the zoo comes after a fatal tiger attack on curator Samantha Kudeweh on September 20.

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NEWSLINK: Sir Roger Moore Calls On Public To Help Fly 33 Lions Home To Africa

James Bond actor Sir Roger Moore has launched an urgent appeal to the public to help Animal Defenders International fly 33 lions home to Africa.


The big cats endured years of brutality and confinement in circuses in Peru and Columbia but now a perfect home has been found for them in their native Africa.

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VIDEO: Leopard Rescued From Vegas Is Over The Moon For His New Toy

When Zorro was just a young leopard, he had his paws cruelly declawed. So when his owner, a Las Vegas entertainer, turned him over to Forever Wild Exotic Animal Sanctuary in 2007, he was at risk of a lifetime of pain from the unnatural procedure.


Fortunately, he was able to undergo a restorative surgery that ensured he could live a life without pain. But his story's an important reminder of the dark practice that often haunts performing or "pet" big cats.

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PHOTOS: Big Cat Moves From Newquay To Australia

Newquay Zoo bids farewell to a four legged resident.


One of its female fishing cats, Maew, is moving to a new home Down Under at Taronga Zoo, in New South Wales, Australia.


Maew (cat in Thai) , aged 3 ½ years old, was born at Newquay Zoo and is moving to Australia as part of the breeding and conservation programme designed to protect the species, classified as "endangered " by the IUCN (International Union For The Conservation of Nature).

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NEWSLINK: Woman thinks a cougar was on her property

Amanda Hilton swears she saw a cougar on her property in Fraserville this week.


She was watching TV at about 9 a.m. Tuesday when she saw movement out the window that looks onto her backyard on Cedar Valley Rd.


"I flung the curtain back and went, 'Oh my God!'" said Hilton, who lives in Fraserville with husband Brad and their six-year-old son.

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NEWSLINK: Evidence of big cats mounts

There is photographic evidence that large predators, including multiple types of big cats, inhabit wooded areas of Steuben and Allegany counties.


Hornell resident Thomas Roselli knows everything about the land he hunts near the Klipnoky State Forest in the Almond/Bishopville/Canaseraga area and few things shock him, but he was surprised to see a bobcat in stalking pose on his trail camera.

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NEWSLINK: Three injured in leopard attack

At least three persons were today injured in leopard attack in a village under Udala block in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district.

Earlier this morning, one person was injured in big cat attack as it had strayed into a village in ward no. 12 in the town. The injured–Hari Murmu—was admitted to Udala community health chentre (CHC) for treatment.

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VIDEO: Big cats love boxes too

Big cats are given big boxes at Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, Fla. just for fun. The results are hysterical, as each cat figures out what the box is and then re-purposes it for their needs.

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NEWSLINK: UMN study says cougars unlikely to settle in northern US

Cougar populations are making a comeback in the Midwest, but the cats likely won't be letting out a big roar in Minnesota anytime soon.


A new study coauthored by a University of Minnesota professor shows that while Minnesota and Wisconsin both have suitable habitats for cougar populations, the big cats are likely to have only very small, if any, breeding numbers in the two states over the next 25 years.


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NEWSLINK:Photos of scrawny-looking lion and tiger raise concerns for Beijing Zoo’s big cats

Zoos bring the thrill of being able to observe wild, exotic animals up close that we normally wouldn’t have the opportunity to see. For young and old alike, seeing one’s favorite animal just a few meters away can be a magical experience, but sadly for the animal involved, the experience may not be a happy one.

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NEWSLINK: Activists decry release of tiger in Panna reserve

A wild tiger captured from a human habitat here was on Friday carted to Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR) much to the surprise of activists who alleged that the reserve had turned deadly for big cats due to presence of canine distemper virus (CDV).


The big cat, possibly 3 to 4 years old, was captured from the campus of Central Institute of Agriculture Engineering on Thursday. It was released in an enclosure of Panna Tiger Reserve at around 7.30 am, forest officials said.

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NEWSLINK: Fear of big cats grips Nainital villages

Villagers from the Manora range of Nanital claim that at least four tigers are prowling the area. The animals have killed a number of pets and domestic animals, instilling fear among locals. However, forest officials claim the animals are leopards and not tigers but they have initiated steps to capture the big cats. Divisional forest officer of Nainital forest division Tejasvini Arvind Patil told TOI that protective measures are being taken to avoid loss of life. "The animals must have been leopards not tigers.

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NEWSLINK: Rescued tiger from Bhopal adapting to new environs at Panna Tiger Reserve

A tiger which was rescued from Central Institute of Agriculture Engineering (CIAE) campus here three days ago has started to adapt to the new environment at the Panna Tiger Reserve (PTR), officials said.

The stripped-animal had sneaked into CIAE complex in Nabi Bagh area here on Thursday, and was rescued by trained rescue team of Van Vihar National Park.

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NEWSLINK: Rare tiger shot dead by hunter who claims he was 'attacked' by the predator which 'killed his dog'

An unnamed hunter said he was mauled by the rare Amur tiger which bit his legs after killing his dog. The man claimed he was hunting wild boar when the tiger pounced. He killed the big cat in self defence, he said.

But investigators are now checking this version for any clues that the 60 year old could have been a tiger poacher. Hunting the Siberian or Amur tiger is illegal but the animals are valuable on the black market, especially for export to China for medicinal cures. The hunter was rescued and rushed to hospital after he used his cell phone to alert relatives of the attack.

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ARTICLE: Threatened cheetahs: why saving big cats means getting big dogs

Nothing in this world moves like the cheetah: from zero to 70 kilometres per hour in just four seconds, 7.5 metres per stride, their feet barely touching the ground, speeds reaching a jaw-dropping 125 kilometres per hour.

But cheetahs — the world’s fastest land animals — are also speeding toward their extinction.

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ARTICLE: How to Find Cheetah Poop, and Other Stories from the Field

I’ve seen this sequence time and again in any number of wildlife documentaries: There’s a cheetah. It stalks a gazelle, body slung low, shoulder blades pumping like pistons. It launches forward with astonishing acceleration, head level to the ground, spine flexing dramatically, hips and shoulders swinging out at impossible angles. The cheetah reaches out with a paw, trips the doomed gazelle, and clamps its jaws onto its throat, closing its windpipe and suffocating it. Within a minute, it’s all over. End scene.

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ARTICLE: Paleolithic humans in Europe dealt with saber-toothed cats, study shows

Any artist-created images you may have seen depicting prehistoric humans hunting or fighting with saber-toothed cats may not represent a scene very far from reality about 300,000 years ago when Lower Paleolithic humans actually did share the same environment with the big cats in what is present-day Europe.

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NEWSLINK: Activists say escaped tigers highlight Mexico’s need for a wild animal sanctuary

Police in Mexico are on the lookout for two tigers that escaped from a ranch in the western state of Michoacán on Sunday afternoon.


Backed by local zookeepers, police officers have been patrolling the surrounding area in car and on foot in a bid to capture the felines that are considered a risk to the population.

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ARTICLE: Phantom of the Forest: Cougars in Eastern US Woodlands

The phantom, it’s been called, this big cat that now prowls western North and South America forests from the Yukon to Patagonia. It has dozens of monikers, from panther to puma to mountain lion, catamount to deer tiger to cougar.

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ARTICLE: 35 Things We Learned from the Roar Commentary

Roar is an accidental gem of suspense and absurdity that really has to be seen to be believed. Part terrifying animal attack film, part goofy family film, it’s an epic of entertaining irresponsibility.


The film bombed in 1981, but thankfully Drafthouse Films CEO Tim League and friends recognized it as a movie worth saving nearly thirty five years later.

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ART: Mystery big cat rises from ashes

The black panther of Lancefield has been the stuff of legend (and slow news’ weeks) for decades.


So, understandably, residents were somewhat bemused when a larger-than-life sculpture mysteriously appeared on the High Street median strip overnight on October 23.


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NEWSLINK: Cougar shot dead after Halloween night sightings prompted fear for trick-or-treaters

An adult cougar shot and killed by police in a New Westminster residential neighbourhood on Halloween night was in good health and was likely dining on raccoons, says the B.C. Conservation Service.


Conservation officer James Kelly told The Province that the big cat was first spotted at about 7:40 p.m. Saturday by someone in the 400-block Glenbrook Drive.

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NEWSLINK: Elephants brought in to push rogue tigers back into the jungle

Smita and Geeta, female elephants of Satpura tiger reserve, finally arrived in Bhopal to track movement of tigers, T1 and T2, in Kaliasot and Kerwa forest areas.

After at least 80 big cat sightings in 30 days and their intrusion in human habitat adjacent to the two main reservoirs, the forest department decided to rope in the 'two jumbos' to track the striped beasts and push them into the jungle.

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NEWSLINK: Leopard that spelt terror in Koodanahalli trapped

A leopard, which had struck fear among locals by prowling in Koodanahalli on the outskirts of the city, was trapped on Saturday.

The big cat had recently attacked a cattle, leading to panic among the villagers. The forest department placed a cage in a farmland. The leopard was found trapped in the cage early in the morning.

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NEWSLINK: WWF calls for urgent action to protect snow leopards

With only 4,000 snow leopards left in the wild and 500 of them in India, a new report has urged countries to take urgent action in the wake of climate change to save the endangered species and conserve its "fragile" mountain habitats.

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NEWSLINK: Florida panthers spotted in north Florida, though recovery elusive

A glance. Just a few seconds.


That was all. But it was enough for Frank Woodard to witness the seldom seen Florida panther as he drove down a rural highway near the Clay-Putnam County line in August.

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NEWSLINK: Lions saved from Peru circus start new life in South Africa after help from UK charity

The traffic cones last a day, the giant bags of catnip a few minutes, the footballs just seconds. In a temporary compound in a dusty, down-at-heel suburb of Lima, the toys, and the stimulation they provide, are among the first treats that 24 lions rescued from Peruvian circuses have ever experienced.

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NEWSLINK: 10-yr-old boy attacked by leopard

A 10-year-old boy was attacked by a leopard in Kukrigava village under the Katarniaghat wildlife sanctuary here, forest officials said on Saturday.

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UK: NEWSLINK: Big Cat ‘On The Loose In Kent’ After Walkers Find Stripped Animal Carcasses

Is a big animal-killing cat on the loose in Kent?


That’s what some experts believe - after the remains of mangled sheep, foxes, goats and deer were discovered in county fields.


It’s believed that a puma, panther or lynx could be behind the spree.

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ARTICLE: As Tiger Numbers Dwindle, Will Smugglers Target a Different Cat?

Among wild cats, clouded leopards are increasingly coveted—and bred in captivity—for commercial purposes, according to a new study from University of Oxford’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit. They’re being sold into the pet trade, to tourist attractions offering cat encounters, and to other such profit-driven businesses.

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PHOTO: Zimbabwe's innovative lion guard program protects both rural communities and lions

In this photo taken Tuesday Sept. 29, 2015 a lion guard, wearing a lion-like mask, demonstrates how he scares off lions using a plastic horn during a training session at their base in Hwange, south west of Zimbabwe's capital Harare. Zimbabwe’s lion guards are brave community members selected and trained to prevent attacks on humans and cattle by big cats who stray from the unfenced Hwange park, which sprawls over 14,500 square kilometres (5,625 sq. miles) in western Zimbabwe.

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NEWSLINK: Aussie attacked by Phuket tiger returns to Kingdom

The Australian tourist who was mauled by a Phuket tiger last year returned to Tiger Kingdom yesterday to visit the big cats.


“This is my first time on the island since the last visit twelve months ago. My leg is good… it healed well,” said Paul Goudie, who immediately set off for Tiger Kingdom with his wife Jennifer and son Jake, once they arrived in Phuket.

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NEWSLINK: First confirmed cougar sighting in Tennessee in over 100 years

Big cats are coming back to Tennessee, and it's about time, or is it? The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency has confirmed a Sept. 20 photo taken by Blake Spencer, of Mason Hall, Tenn. is indeed a cougar. Spencer was using an automatic game camera with motion sensors. The photo depicts a cougar roaming an area he likes to hunt in south Obion County near the town of Mason Hall.

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NEWSLINK/PHOTO: Officers search for cougar in Oak Bay after young girl snaps picture

The search is on for a cougar in Oak Bay after a young girl who snapped a photo of the big cat called 911 to report it.


The cougar was last spotted in the area of Central Avenue at Monterey Avenue Friday afternoon, according to Oak Bay Police.

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NEWSLINK: Three Young Mountain Lions Found Dead In Los Angeles Area

Three young mountain lions have been found dead in the mountains surrounding the Los Angeles area, highlighting the challenges the big cats face as they try to navigate the dangers of an urban landscape, wildlife officials said Friday.

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NEWSLINK: Albuquerque BioPark lioness passes away

After being diagnosed almost a year ago with renal failure, Sarabi the lion passed away Friday morning at the ABQ BioPark Zoo.


The immediate cause of death was a ruptured splenic tumor, but according to the BioPark, renal failure is a common ailment in big cats.

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VIDEO: Big Cat Pumpkin Toss offers creative spin on pumpkin carving

Carving pumpkins is a popular fall tradition, that isn't reserved for humans, alone. Tigers and lions at Untamed Mountain carved pumpkins this weekend- with their teeth.

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NEWSLINK: Nature conservancy working to provide homes for big cats

In advance of Canada’s general election, the Nature Conservancy of Canada is hoping people get to practice voting by helping raise money for Maritime habitat of bobcat and provincially-endangered Canada lynx.

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NEWSLINK: Proposed Bill to Free Captive Tigers and Wildcats in the U.S.

According to a report by Huffington Post, it is said that there are more captive tigers in the United States than in the wild worldwide. In an effort to free these wild animals, the Big Cat Public Safety Act would ban most private ownership of lions and tigers and other family of these species.
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ARTICLE: Conservationist discusses her successful effort to protect lions

In the last 20 years, the population of lions has been cut in half and the animals have gone extinct in about 33 countries, researcher Amy Dickman said during an appearance Monday night at the St. Louis Zoo.


There are only about 10 lion strongholds left in the world, Dickman said. In total, there are fewer lions than rhinos, with a population of only about 20,000.

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VIDEO: Curious snow leopard investigates camera trap in India

Be they domestic tabbies or wild lions, curiosity almost always gets the cat. Take this inquisitive snow leopard cub, who decided to investigate a camera trap in India's Hemis National Park.

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NEWSLINK: Five lions from former Romanian zoo to start a new life in African sanctuary

Petrica, Lavinia, Lidia, Tarhon Big, and Marin are the five lions who lived in a former zoo in Baia Mare, northwestern Romania, that get to start a new life in a sanctuary in Africa. After long years behind bars, they will make the first contact with the wild nature and other big cats.

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ARTICLE: Albany woman sinks teeth into vet studies

Beth Burton spends her days preparing food, cleaning pens and training big cats as part of an internship at PrideRockWildlife Refuge in Terrell,Texas.

Burton, of Albany, has been intrigued with large cats since childhood, and after receiving her bachelor of science in biology from Southeastern Louisiana University this spring, she accepted an internship at PrideRock.

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VIDEO: Jaguar leaps into water to snatch caiman

In this short clip posted to YouTube last month, one of these apex predators can be seen leaping into the water in pursuit of an invisible target. When the cat comes into view again moments later, tourists who appear to be filming the spectacle get to witness the jaguar's brief battle with the caiman, before the victor drags its spoils into the undergrowth.

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NEWSLINK: Missing tigress killed in Uttarakhand by poachers

Poachers killed an adult tigress in the forest of Rajaji Tiger Reserve (RTR) in Uttarakhand, disclosed an official source on Monday evening. The tigress with her three cubs was often captured on cameras fitted by Uttarakhand forest division but she had not been sighted for the past two weeks.

The tigress is said to be almost 54 months old. According to sources, she was captured on camera for the first time in 2014.

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ARTICLE: Southeast Idaho residents remember escaped big cats from 20 years ago

On April 1, 1995, the residents of Lava Hot Springs were told to keep their kids and pets inside because a lion had escaped from a nearby compound, known as Ligertown, according to Cathy Sher, the director of the South Bannock County Historical Center. Fortunately, this was just an April Fools joke.


A few months later, the town was completely shut down as law enforcement spent days killing and capturing lions, tigers and hybrid ligers that escaped from Ligertown, located just 2 miles outside of town. This time it wasn’t a joke.

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NEWSLINK: Kaliasot dam hotspot for big cats

The Kaliasot dam, located on the outskirts of the capital Bhopal, has become the new hotspot for tiger sighting. People, especially youngsters, are constantly heading towards the forests around the dam to catch a glimpse of Tiger T-1, which frequently wanders off in these parts.

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ARTICLE: Panthersville likely named for big cat

Let’s let the cat out of the bag.


Or at least add to the numerous stories of panther sightings in Georgia, this one in a portion of DeKalb County near where Interstate 285 and Interstate 20 now meet.


Folks have been telling the tale of Panthersville’s origins for 150 years, which likely earned its name from one of those mysterious big cats that supposedly still roam our state.

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VIDEO: Big cats go wild for Calvin Klein

Wildlife Conservation Society researchers at the Bronx Zoo found that captive cheetahs were attracted to Calvin Klein's

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NEWSLINK: Georgia 'frozen zoo' aims to save endangered large cats

A research team is aiming save endangered animals from extinction using a "frozen zoo."


Scientists at the University of Georgia are teaming with Zoo Atlanta to build a genetic storage center to help preserve big cats and other species.

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NEWSLINK: SD GF&P Comm Kills Non-Resident Mountain Permit Plan

The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Commission on Friday rejected a proposal to allow non-residents to join this season's mountain lion hunt, which starts December 26 in the Black Hills.

The commission did approve lowering the maximum number of big cats that be killed from last year's 75 total lions or 50 females, whichever was reached first, to 60 total or 40 females.

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ARTICLE/PHOTOS: When Amitabh Bachchan Was Chased By A Tiger For 4km

Bollywood’s megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who is always seen sharing each and everything about him on micro-blogging site twitter, added another series of tweets about his most memorable and thrilling day.

The ‘Piku’ star Amitabh Bachchan shared about his thrilling day experience after he was chased by a tiger for 4 kms in Mumbai’s Sanjay Gandhi National Park Reserve.

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NEWSLINK: Tiger rescued by Uppingham businessman has died

A rescued tiger flown 6,000 miles to be re-homed from a Greek zoo to a sanctuary for big cats in the USA has died.


Uppingham businessman David Barnes raised £13,,000 to fly Phevos, a 17-year-old, 40-stone tiger to the Lions, Tigers and Bear Sanctuary (LT&B)near San Diego, California last year.

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NEWSLINK: Mountain lion found dead on popular hiking trail

An adult mountain lion was discovered dead Sept. 30 within the boundaries of Point Mugu State Park near Newbury Park.


Kate Kuykendall, spokesperson for the National Park Service, which tracks and researches the animals to help aid in their survival, confirmed to TheAcorn the animal’s death but would not release any further details. The animal’s death is being investigated, she said.

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NEWSLINK: Dramatic cougar chase in Victoria ends with big cat felled by tranquilizer dart

It was the perfect Hollywood ending to a guns-drawn pursuit of a cougar bounding across backyards, over fences and through garages in a downtown Victoria neighbourhood steps from British Columbia’s legislature.


Dozens of residents peered over fences or stood on balconies watching the drama as police and conservation officers with dogs ran through alleys and along sidewalks with their pistols drawn as noisy crows led the chase from the sky.

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NEWSLINK: Cougar sightings in south Oak Bay spark warning

Police are urging residents to stay vigilant after reports of a cougar in south Oak Bay.


Local schools have been notified and police as well as the BC Conservation Officer Service are investigating the sightings.

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NEWSLINK: Scovill Zoo cheetah Runako dies

After more than a decade delighting visitors to Scovill Zoo, one of its two cheetah brothers died Monday.


Runako suffered difficulty eating over the past two weeks, zoo director Ken Frye said Tuesday. He grew weaker, had trouble walking and began to lose control of bodily functions. Blood work indicated he was in kidney failure.

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NEWSLINK: Councillor calls for big exotic animals to go from Hamilton Zoo

 A city politician says Hamilton Zoo should stop exhibiting large exotic animals.

Hamilton City Councillor Andrew King said tigers and other large animals have no place in a New Zealand zoo. He doesn't oppose the council's owning a zoo, but said keeping large animals caged in cold environments is inhumane.

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NEWSLINK: Zookeeper killed in tiger attack

Experienced zookeeper Samantha Kudewah died yesterday morning when the tiger, a Sumatran male called Oz, attacked her at Hamilton Zoo, south of Auckland.
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NEWSLINK: Tiger toothache cured by Mayfair dentist

A "grumpy" 31-stone (200kg) tiger with an infected tooth has been treated by a Mayfair dentist.


Keepers at Noah's Ark Zoo near Bristol noticed their large male tiger, Khan, was "a bit off" and spotted a chip in his five-inch-long (13cm) canine tooth.

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NEWSLINK: PAWS shares news of passings

In the wake of recovering from the Butte Fire, PAWS (Performing Animal Welfare Society) wildlife sanctuary shares related news along with word of two PAWS residents’ recent passings.


Big cat rescue Bambek, 23, was one of four African lions that Animal Defenders International was able to free from a Bolivian circus, after which they were relocated to the sanctuary five years ago. The last surviving of three males from that rescue, Bambek, like the others, developed cancer.

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NEWSLINK: Paru, the Rescued Tiger, relaxes in his personal pool

Splish, splash! A tiger in Brazil is all about breaking stereotypes by showing that big cats can love water, too.


While Brazil faces a heat wave with temperatures in the mid 90s, Paru, a rescued Bengal tiger at the Racho dos Gnomos sanctuary has found a way to cool off: sitting in his spa with water up to his neck.

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NEWSLINK: Father fights cougar off of 2yr old daughter

With a cougar’s jaws wrapped around the head of his two-year-old daughter, Travis Nielsen selflessly did what any other parent would do.

The Tahsis, B.C. father fired a punch at the big cat and shielded his daughter, Bree, before it could do any more harm.Read more...

NEWSLINK: Warning issued after tiger family attacks forest guards

A warning has been issued to the villages in Terai East Forest Division after a tigress, spotted in the area along with her cubs, attacked forest guards on patrol. The big cat was caught on camera trap last week.

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NEWSLINK: Wagholi traps sighted leopard

Just about a week after leopard sightings were reported from Wagholi, the Pune forest division finally trapped a big cat at Awalwadi village there early on Friday morning. The leopard, a seven to eight year- old male, was frequently spotted by locals and had attacked dogs and livestock as well.

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NEWSLINK: Mystery feline spotted around UK town

One furry Waterbury resident is getting a lot of attention lately on Front Porch Forum, and no, it’s not Murphy the dog.


Local users of the community-building website have been abuzz about a large cat seen wandering around town, mostly because nobody knows exactly what it is.

Stowe Street resident Angie Gentley was the first to see the mystery cat when she was waiting for her neighbor to get home one evening a couple weeks ago.

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NEWSLINK: Hope for India's Bengal Tigers as US and Tourist groups get involved

As with several other big cats and large mammals in the world, Bengal tigers are under threat of extinction. Various efforts are now being made to both combat poaching and to protect India’s Bengal tigers in their natural habitats.

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NEWSLINK: Rugby World Cup fever in Longleat Lions

If these 'roarsome' pictures are any indication, Rugby World Cup fever has infected the animal kingdom - and these leaping lions are keen to show off their skills.


The pride of lions at Longleat Safari Park, in Wiltshire, held an open training session for spectators ahead of England's clash against Wales on Saturday.

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NEWSLINK: US President Barack Obama Asked to Raise Issue of Tiger Trade With China

More than a dozen leading NGO's including those from India today exhorted US President Barack Obama to raise the issue of trade in tiger organs in China when he meets his Chinese counterpart.


In a joint letter to the US President, NGOs urged Mr Obama to impress upon China the vital need to take immediate action to protect the fewer than 3,200 wild tigers remaining across Asia.

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ARTICLE: Studies says cities must coexist with big cats

City dwellers should be willing to share space with big cats like leopards in urban areas bordering forests.


This is the conclusion of a 15-year research by wildlife researchers which stresses that the wild cats have adapted very well to the city environment and should not be translocated because of pressure from public and the media

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NEWSLINK: Wounded rare leopard wins battle to return to the wild

The unnamed male Amur leopard, known only as Leo 80M, has confounded animal experts and proven he can hunt, so will be readied for a return to the wild.


He is one of only 80 or so of the endangered big cats in the wild. He lost three front claws after becoming entangled in a trap set by hunters in the Land of the Leopard Reserve close to the Chinese border.

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NEWSLINK: UK Big black cat spotted

The beastly creature - described as “the size of a puma” - was spotted in Iveshead Road, in the field on the right of the Charley Road junction.


Pauline Shields, aged 76, of Freehold Street, was driving towards Coalville when her eyes cast over the creature in a field she says is usually occupied by cattle.

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VIDEO: Just say.. roar? White tiger dental treatment

A 7-year-old white tiger from the nonprofit Tiger Preservation Center of Cave Junction, Oregon, traveled to Lodi’s Arbor Pet Clinic on Sept. 29 for dental work. The female tiger named Vail had two growths removed during the hourlong procedure.

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NEWSLINK: Mountain Lion perched up pole near Cougar Buttes

A mountain lion climbed up a 35-foot-high wooden power pole Tuesday afternoon about two miles south of Cougar Buttes in Lucerne Valley on East End Road.


Two California Department of Fish and Game officers, who were parked several hundred yards away, were requesting passers by to not stop. They hoped the animal, which appeared to be a healthy adult, might climb back down from the high voltage wires and go back into the wild.

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NEWSLINK: Keeper death 'should send message to zoos'

The death of a keeper mauled by a tiger in Hamilton Zoo should send a message to zoos around the world to "reconsider their continued confinement of big cats", animal activist group Peta says.

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ARTICLE: Panther attacks are old news, reports show

Earlier this month, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission considered a policy proposal that critics said would have undercut efforts to expand the population of Florida panthers.

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ARTICLE: Lava Hot Springs residents remember escaped big cats 20 years later

On April 1, 1995, the residents of Lava Hot Springs were told to keep their kids and pets inside because a lion had escaped from a nearby compound, known as Ligertown, according to Cathy Sher, the director of the South Bannock County Historical Center. Fortunately, this was just an April Fools joke.

A few months later, the town was completely shut down as law enforcement spent days killing and capturing lions, tigers and hybrid ligers that escaped from Ligertown, located just 2 miles outside of town. This time it wasn’t a joke.

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ARTICLE: Leopard numbers rise but this cat is in danger

There's good news and bad news in the country's first-ever leopard census. The numbers are the good news: The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) estimates that there are 12,000 to 14,000 in the wild - a very healthy number for the endangered spotted big cats. The bad news is that almost half live outside protected areas and are vulnerable to conflict with people.

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ARTICLE: Tiger trainer keeps big cats in line

When “Misty,” a tiger that easily outweighs her trainer, refused to go back to her seat after successfully completing a trick, trainer Brunon Blaszak offered her one kiss, and a second, before the audience at the Kansas State Fair reminded him of the key to getting Misty’s compliance.


She’d done her trick, and it was time for Blaszak to do his: giving her a piece of raw meat. Misty didn’t budge until she got her treat.

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NEWSLINK: Firefighters battle to protect treasured California Sequoias

Firefighters in Central California on Thursday say the state's largest wildfire threatens to sweep through an ancient grove of Giant Sequoia trees considered to be a national treasure.

Firefighters are clearing lines with bulldozers around the Grant Grove and putting up sprinklers, said Andy Isolano, a spokesman for the Clovis Fire Department.

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NEWSLINK: 'Lifeguard' tiger cub rescues his brother by giving him a piggy back

This is the moment a tiger hitched a lift on his brother's back and was brought to safety after almost drowning in a lake.

The pair of big cats had been splashing around on the water's edge at John Varty's Tiger Conservation Project in Pillippolis in South Africa.

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ARTICLE: Florida's panther problems get a writeup in the New Yorker

We've written recently about the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission's attempt to quietly cut back on its efforts to expand the state's panther population.

The argument for doing so, put forth in a draft memo posted to the agency's website with little fanfare or attention, was that the 180 or so breeding panthers that live in Southwest Florida are "straining and currently exceed the tolerance of landowners, residents and recreationists in the region."

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NEWSLINK: Rough fire’s spread forces Cat Haven to begin moving animals

As the Rough fire continues to grow, new evacuation plans reach into the Sierra foothills including a call for the Endangered Cat Haven near Dunlap to begin moving its animals.

The nearly 6-week-old fire reached 103,244 acres by 9 a.m. Wednesday, making it the 10th largest in the country. The Sierra blaze has grown nearly 25,000 acres in the last week. It remains 31 percent contained.

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