Sections: Feline Conservation Federation News and Events.... 2 FCF Member Zoos and Sanctuaries to Visit... 5 Learning about the Cats... 6 Efforts to Save the Wild Cats...7 Holiday Cats...8 Feline Fun... 13 Wild Cat Fan Page.. 14 Happy New Year! 2013 was a very exciting year. Those who were able to attend the 2013 FCF Convention in Nashville got a very special and very rare treat: to hold a baby clouded leopard! gfa Not many people can say that they got to hold a baby clouded leopard. Those at the Convention also got to visit the rest of the animals at the Nashville Zoo, participate in line dancing or watch others attempt it, and spend an afternoon and evening visiting various cats that were brought. This year, the FCF Convention is headed west again. The 2014 Convention will be held in Arizona and will include a trip to Out of Africa, a park known for its Tiger Splash Show where you get to watch tigers playing and jumping in a large pool. Be sure to watch future issues for more details. This month is the FCF Wildcat Weekend where you can take both their basic husbandry and edcuator s courses and tour a facility. It will be held at Big Cat Habitat and Gulf Coast Sanctuary in Sarasota, Florida. In this issue are holiday cat photos, so be sure to check them out! Feline Conservation Federation 141 Polk Road 664 Mena, AR 71953 www.felineconservation.org The Feline Conservation Federation is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the conservation of wild felines through preservation, education and research. 1 Out of Africa Park
FELINE CONSERVATION FEDERATION NEWS AND EVENTS Produced by the Youth Education Committee Chair: Debi Willoughby Kim Barker Lauren Bean Dawn English Amy Flory To Unsubscribe from the mailing list: Send an email to Youth@FelineCo nservation.org and put unsubscribe in the subject line. 2014 FCF Calendars for Sale The Feline Conservation Federation still has some 2014 calendars available. Each month has a photo of a different cat provided by members of the FCF. Calendars are $24 US, $26 Canada, and $30 for all other countries. Calendars and several other items can be ordered through the FCF website at http://www.felineconservation.org/programs_services/fcf_produ cts online_store.htm, so be sure to get yours today! WILD S: African Golden Cat Andean Cat Asian Golden Cat Bay Cat Black-Footed Cat Bobcat Canada Lynx Caracal Cheetah Clouded leopard Cougar Eurasian Lynx Fishing Cat Flat-Headed Cat Geoffroy's Cat Iberian Lynx Iriomote Cat Jaguar Jaguarundi Jungle Cat Kodkod or Guiña Leopard Leopard Cat Lion Marbled Cat Margay Ocelot Oncilla Pallas Cat Pampas Cat Rusty-Spotted Cat Sand Cat Serval Snow leopard Tiger Wildcat 2
Date: January 10-12, 2014 FCF Wildcat Weekend Place: Big Cat Habitat and Gulf Coast Santuary 7101 Palmer Blvd, Sarasota, Florida Cost: $125 FCF members, $160 non-members per course $15 tour is FREE if you sign up for both courses Hotel: AmericInn 5931 Fruitville Road, Sarasota, FL 34232 Events: ~ Friday - 8:00 6:00 FCF Basic Feline Husbandry Course ~ Saturday - 12:30pm 4:30 pm Tour of facility ~ Sunday 8:00 6:00 Wildlife Conservation Educator Course 2014 Feline Conservation Federation Convention Date: June 19-21, 2014 Facility: Out of Africa 3505 W. Camp Verde Bridgeport Highway Camp Verde, AZ 86322 http://outofafricapark.com/ Hotel: Scottsdale Cottonwoods Resort - $82/night 6160 North Scottsdale Road Scottsdale, AZ 85253 480-991-1414 http://www.scottsdalecottonwoods.com/ Set against the backdrop of the beautiful Mingus Mountains of Camp Verde, Out of Africa Wildlife Park is nestled on over 100 acres of rolling hills and valleys. This setting is home to hundreds of exotic mammals, birds, and reptiles from all over the world. Upon entering the Serengeti preserve, you re immediately transported to the world of roaming African wildlife. Perhaps you ll make friends with a herd of giant eland or spot a zebra foal nuzzling up against its mother. How about an encounter with an ostrich, or a kiss from a giraffe? You may be in Arizona, but you ll feel like you re in Africa when hitching a ride on your own African Bush Safari Tour. Imagine yourself surrounded by some of the world s most exotic free roaming animals as you ride in our safari vehicle, complete with expert guide and narration. Get closer than you ever thought possible to giraffes, zebras, sable antelope, gemsbok, and so many more inhabitants of Out of Africa Wildlife Park s spacious Serengeti preserve. Maybe even steal a kiss from a giraffe while feeding treats. Be sure to bring your camera so you can capture all the priceless safari moments! 3
Gemsbok - Out of Africa Park Stay in luxury at the Scottsdale Cottonwoods Resort and Suites Hotel. The special FCF Convention rate is only $82, including breakfast for two each morning, if you reserve your room early. NOTE: Around a half dozen cats under 30 pounds are allowed. Scottsdale Cottonwoods Resort and Suites Hotel 4
FCF MEMBER ZOOS AND SANCTUARIES TO VISIT Alligator Adventure 1891 Colony Drive Surfside Beach, SC 29575 Collins Zoo 2900 Hwy 49 Collins, MS 39428 www.collinsmszoo.com Cricket Hollow Zoo, Inc. 1512 210th Street Manchester, IA 52057-8951 www.crickethollowzoo.com Dade City's Wild Things 37245 Meridian Ave Dade City, FL 33525 www.dadecityswildthings.com Heaven's Corner Zoo & Animal Sanctuary 385 Quinn Rd West Alexandria, OH 45381 www.heavenscorner.net Hernando Primate Inc 14495 Chicanic Road Brooksville, FL 34614 www.hernandoprimate.com Hesperia Zoo 19038 Willow St Hesperia, CA 92345 http://www.thehesperiazoo.com/ Natural Bridge Zoological Park 5784 S Lee Hwy Natural Bridge, VA 24578 http://naturalbridgezoo.com/ Olympic Game Farm 1423 Ward Rd Sequim, WA 98382 www.olygamefarm.com Out of Africa Wildlife Park 4020 N Cherry Road Camp Verde, AZ 86322 http://www.outofafricapark.com/ Panther Ridge Conservation Center 14755 Palm Beach Point Boulevard Wellington, FL 33414 http://www.pantherridgesanctuary.org/ Phillips Park Zoo 1000 Ray Moses Dr Aurora, IL 60505 http://www.phillipsparkaurora.com/ Safari Zoological Park 1751A CR 1425 Caney, KS 67333 http://safaripark.org/ Sierra Safari Zoo 10200 N. Virginia St. Reno, NV 89506 http://sierrasafarizoo.org/ Tanganyika Wildlife Park 1037 South 183rd Street West Goddard, KS 67052 www.twpark.com Tiger Creek Wildlife Refuge 17552 FM 14 Tyler, TX 75706 www.tigercreek.org Tiger World 4405 Cook Road Rockwell, NC 28138 www.tigerworld.us Wild Animal Safari 3246 E Seminole Springfield, MO 65804 http://www.goanimalparadise.com/ Wildwood Wildlife Park 10094 Hwy 70 West Minocqua, WI 54548 http://www.wildwoodwildlifepark.com Zooville USA 4702 Cooper Rd Plant City, FL 33565 www.zoovilleusa.com Note to FCF members: If you would like to be included here, please contact the committee. 5
LEARNING ABOUT THE WILD S Flat-headed Cat Prionailurus planiceps Weight: 3-6 pounds Body Length: 13-19 Tail Length: 5-7 Habitat: forests, wetlands, scrubs Range: Southeast Asia Diet: rodents, frogs, fish, birds, fruits Behavior: nocturnal, hunts from ground Breeding: Unknown Gestation: 56 days # of Babies: 1-4 Sexual Maturity: Unknown Lifespan: 14 years captivity Status: CITES Appendix I, IUCN Endangered * Flat-headed cats are named for their long snouts and flattened skulls * The flat-headed cat may be found in the forests, wetlands, and scrub of southeastern Asia. * Very little is known about the species there have only been a small number of observations and camera trap records. * Flat-headed cats are small, having a length of less than two feet and weight of 3-6 pounds. * The cats are similar to otters with their long body, short legs, and reddish-brown or dark brown fur. * Though rare for cats, this species has webbed feet. * Also unusual, the flat-headed cat is omnivorous, content with meat or plants. * Flat-headed cats hunt by night, eating rodents, frogs, fish, crustaceans, small birds, fruit, sweet potatoes, and legumes. They often raid garbage cans and gardens, similar to raccoons or weasels in other parts of the world. * There are fewer than 10,000 flat-headed cats in the world. * Habitat destruction (for human settlement, agriculture, and wood cutting) and over fishing are the primary threats to the species. Trapping and poisoning are also threats. References: http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/full/18148/0 http://www.theanimalfiles.com/mammals/carnivores/cat_flat_headed.html For more information about the flat-headed cat, visit the Youth Section of the FCF website. 6
EFFORTS TO SAVE THE WILD S Flat-Headed Cat Conservation Currently, the flat-headed cat is listed as endangered. Its biggest threats are habitat loss due to the increase in the number of palm oil plantations and the fact that very little is known about this cat. Over 70% of the wetlands and forests where this cat lives have been drained and turned into palm oil plantations. Palm oil is a very popular product in the United States and can be found in many foods and even in other items we buy such as soaps. In addition to losing their lands, the palm oil plantations are also polluting the nearby waters, something that is very important for the survival of the flat-headed cat, a cat that lives in and around the water. One group that is working to save the flat-headed cat is the Small Wild Cat Conservation Alliance. This group is trying to Palm oil plantation save these cats and their habitat by telling the public what palm oil is doing to the cats and teaching owners of the plantations why saving these cats is important. They are working to make the public aware of the impact palm oil is having on endangered species in Southeast Asia and asking them to stop buying items that have palm oil in them so that the businesses that use it in their products will switch to less harmful items instead. Another part of the plan is to talk to the people that own these plantations about why it is import to save these cats. The second biggest threat to the flat-headed cat next to palm oil plantations is the fact that not enough is known about the behavior of this cat. Reliable information about a cat s numbers and breeding, hunting and other habits is needed in order to create a successful plan to conserve it. Conservationists need to know what types of habitat the cat lives in and the areas that have the best habitat left for them. The Small Wild Cat Conservation Alliance is leading this research project. Sources: Updates on three small wildcat species Feline Conservation Federation Journal, May-June 2013; Flat-headed cat IUCN Red List Flat-headed Cat Project Small Wild Cat Conservation Alliance 7
Serval baby - Bob Turner 8
Boris the Pallas cat Nancy Vandermey 9
Leopard Panther Ridge Conservation Center 10
Gypsy the serval Roger Newson 11
Ocelot Jill Galindo 12
FELINE FUN S OF THE WORLD List the cats under the continent(s) they are found in. List can be found on page 2. 1. Africa (6) 3. Africa and Asia (2) A L D B - L N C C S S L H L 4. Europe (3) E I X X 2. Asia (13) 5. North America (3) A B T B C X C D C R F F - I E J L M P R - S D T R 6. South America (6) A G K D M Y O A P 7. North and South America (3) J R J I O T 13
Glossary Ambassador a person who speaks out or takes action for a cause Conserve/Conservation to save and protect an animal Conservationist a person that saves and protects animals Diet what an animal eats Gestation how long babies grow inside their mom before they are born Habitat the type of place (forest, ocean, desert) where an animal lives Husbandry the breeding and raising of animals Nocturnal active during the evening or at night Omnivorous eats both plants and meat Range the countries or continents where an animal can found Scrub an area that has mainly brushes and other small plants Tropical an area that is often hot and wet Wildlife Educator someone who teaches others about wild animals Answers to Fun Page: 1. Africa - African golden cat, Black-footed cat, Caracal, Cheetah, Sand cat, Serval 2. Asia - Asian golden cat, Bay cat, Clouded leopard, Fishing cat, Flat-headed cat, Iriomote, Jungle cat, Leopard cat, Marbled cat, Pallas cat, Rusty-spotted cat, Snow leopard, Tiger 3. Africa and Asia Leopard, Lion 4. Europe - Eurasian lynx, Iberian lynx 5. North America Bobcat, Canadian lynx, Cougar 6. South America - Andean cat, Geoffroy s cat, Kodkod, Margay, Oncilla, Pampas cat 7. North and South America Jaguar, Jaguarundi, Ocelot 14