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Leopard

Panthera pardus

Description:

Photographed at the Born Free centre in Shamwari Eastern Cape SA, where they rehabilitate captive african big cats from zoos & private owners in the hope of eventually returning them to the wild. Sadly many of the cats at the sanctuary are so traumatized by their lives in captivity the most they can do for them is to provide a natural environment for them to live permanently.

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22 Comments

KarenL
KarenL 12 years ago

Thank you Gerardo!

Gerardo Aizpuru
Gerardo Aizpuru 12 years ago

Extraordinary series Karen

KarenL
KarenL 12 years ago

I agree Lily! :)

Lily Barth
Lily Barth 12 years ago

Who could not love that face!

KarenL
KarenL 12 years ago

For me disseminating information on issues like these is an opportunity we need to explore more on PN. I'm not sure how, but it is something I will raise on the Ranger's discussion.

Maria dB
Maria dB 12 years ago

Thanks for posting that link, Karen. We want more people to know about this and protest against the breeding business and misinformation.

KarenL
KarenL 12 years ago

I never knew that about white tigers - it's obvious really I guess. I can remember going to Bristol zoo in England as a child to see the white tigers & their cubs, so beautiful but having just googled them I for their history it makes me feel sad
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captive_whi...

Maria dB
Maria dB 12 years ago

Yes, the white tiger is a crowd favorite. But we "use" him to educate people on the fact that white tigers should not be bred. Zoos and others misinform people that white tigers are a separate species; they are not. They exhibit a recessive gene of the Bengal tiger in India and do not survive to adulthood in the wild. In the United States, they are all inbred and most display abnormalities; 80% die before one year but the entertainment industry and others breed them in a kind of "puppy mill" business to get the ones that are beautiful, disposing of the others. You would be a welcome tour guest to CTR!

KarenL
KarenL 12 years ago

Fantastic! I look forward to seeing your photos!
I have just been checking out the website & i see you have a white tiger - how awesome! I will have to plan a trip to NC to visit!

Maria dB
Maria dB 12 years ago

Yes. I am a tour guide there and do educational research. It's called Carolina Tiger Rescue but there are many other animals - lions, tigers, a cougar (just rescued today!), servals, caracals, ocelots, binturongs and kinkajous. I sponsor a serval and may post a few photos from there as I get some great photos of the animals there. It's great to have a place where these animals can live out their lives outside cages (they have fairly large enclosures with natural ground and vegetation) after being rescued as pets and from other places that have abused them.

KarenL
KarenL 12 years ago

Thanks Sachin!
Nopayahnah, how wonderful that you get to work with these awesome cats - is the sanctuary where you volunteer in North Carolina?

Maria dB
Maria dB 12 years ago

I love leopards! We just got two new rescues at the wildlife sanctuary where I volunteer. They are actually even more dangerous than tigers and leopards. Really impressive big cats!

Sachin Zaveri
Sachin Zaveri 12 years ago

Excellent Shots KarenL

KarenL
KarenL 12 years ago

Thanks Kerry! Yes, it was a very mobile tail!

kerrydonovanbrown
kerrydonovanbrown 12 years ago

Beautiful. I love the tail.

KarenL
KarenL 12 years ago

Thanks Cryptozaga!

Mattia_Zagami
Mattia_Zagami 12 years ago

beautiful shot!

KarenL
KarenL 12 years ago

Thanks Ivan!

Very pretty kitty Kat, but not one to give a belly rub!

KatCuff
KatCuff 12 years ago

Incredible! Pretty Kitty!

ivanrey969
ivanrey969 12 years ago

Beautiful!!

KarenL
KarenL 12 years ago

Thanks Alex!

AlexTaylor-dellar
AlexTaylor-dellar 12 years ago

Fantastic shot

KarenL
Spotted by
KarenL

Makana Local Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Spotted on Feb 19, 2008
Submitted on Dec 8, 2011

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