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I have read that that the Cougar population is estimated at approximately 5,100 in Oregon.  I have read several articles supporting the hunting of Cougars and the threat of the high numbers of this wild cat.  I also came across a rather disturbing picture of two young girls (who were “hunted” by a cougar that was later killed).  The girls can be seen smiling in front of a cougar with what appears to be a bullet hole and bloody area on its side.  It reminded me of a black and white photo I came across of a young girl, smiling, in front of jaguar that had been killed in the southern part of the United States in the early twentieth century.

On May 19, 2008 a resident of Neosho was startled by “scratching” at her back door. The woman saw a “large, black cat” that she believed was a mountain lion. She called the Newton County police and they responded to the scene. The Newton County Sheriff was “charged” by the large black cat and so the sheriff shot the cat, killing it. After discovering that the cat was not a mountain lion, it was then believed the cat was most likely a captive animal.

The above are the “facts” being portrayed as news in several newspapers across the country and among others, msnbc.com. After doing additional research on the incident, there are several facts that are left out of the incident.

Mountain Lions, or Puma Concolor, are one of the few species of wild cats that are solid in color. They are usually tan or light brown depending on their geographical location. Mountain lions are not black. They are solitary, elusive animals. Mountain lions normally weigh between 80-230 lbs.

The large black cat believed to be a mountain lion, on the verge of attack, was a six month old declawed, (most likely) captive bred and captive raised male leopard. It weighed 40 lbs. In the state of Missouri, owners of exotic cats must have a permit and register the animal in the county where they reside. In Newton County there is one permit on file and the permit is for a Bengal Tiger. No one has reported the leopard missing because it is believed that it was
illegally obtained.

The bureaucratic system in place that is supposed to regulate and monitor the transportation and ownership of exotic animals is flawed and ineffective. Situations like the one involving the Leopard in Neosho show the tragedy of illegally owning a wild cat and specifically the
danger to neighbors and the unnecessary death of a young animal, whose species faces ultimately faces extinction.

People seem to have very strong opinions about Big Cat Rescue. Regardless of what those thoughts might be, Big Cat Rescue is a lean, mean, money making machine and that is said with the utmost respect. The organization’s innovative fund raising ideas are both successful and fresh, always appearing one step ahead of the curve. A lot of non profit organizations could learn from Big Cat Rescue’s marketing, public relations and overall, money generating approach.

Big Cat Rescue’s annual Fur Ball is one such event, it offers a night of festivities and the chance to win an array of awesome prizes, ranging from one month free in the new XF Jaguar, a raffle for two Rolex watches and amazing vacations to exotic locations. Thailand, anyone??? But the real question is… Will last year’s award winner and Wild Tiger Conservation advocate be present? Who, you say? Bo Derek is last year’s recipient of the Wildlife Guardian Award and Harrison Ford is a board member of Conservation International. So in addition to the awesome prizes, amazing food and worthwhile causes, you might get to meet Indiana Jones or the original “10.”

Come back and visit this site often as information will be updated and added, current news regarding Wild Cats will be posted and fun games/puzzles will appear to stimulate knowledge.