Catopoly Game

If you’re a cat owner, no doubt you are always on the lookout for great pet cat supplies. Right?

I know it – If you’re anything like me, I’m constantly checking to see if I can’t find a great deal on pet food, cute clothes, games that involve my pets or treats!

What I did find for you cat lovers out there is the neatest cat furniture at Outdora.com in their pet cat supplies section.

Cat Bed from Outdora

Check out one of their adorable beds (left)…too cute – and you could hide some of their toys in the drawer below or treats…

What I didn’t expect to find there, though, were cat safety kits for first aid. Great idea…We often don’t think about how important our pet’s safety is or if you’re prepared for an emergency or disaster with your pet.

Also, something unique I found in their pet cat supplies that I have never seen before were cat memorials. Our pets are so very important to us, don’t you want to make a statement about remembering them? I know our pets are very important members of our family and we honor them with dignity and love…

Cat House

We were at a friend’s house the other day and noticed a piece of furniture with a door in it that their cat kept going in and out of. It matched all of their furnishings in their home and we thought it was just the neatest thing! It is called a cat house.

Now, I’ve seen these before, but they were all “open air”. This one was perfect for their cat that thinks it’s royalty to go into privately and have a siesta or get some “quiet time”! LOL   This site has these sorts of cat houses too.

Cat Tunnel

Whether you’re looking for cat furniture, cat toys, or anything else “cat”, Outdora is a great place to check out that you may not have even thought of.

Plus, ground shipping is free with every order from their website! That’s awesome!

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I hope you enjoyed this Pet Cat post on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Exotic Animal Lover Updates are 1 click away!

Technorati Tags: pet cat, exotic cats, cats, pet cat supplies, exotic pets, cat beds, cat toys, cat furniture, cat safety, pets, cat house, cat games

Looking for Pet Cat Supplies? is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Abyssinian Cats have almond shaped eyes, but with colors such as green, gold, copper or hazel. Large ears standing at alert are typical, and cats that are shown have large tufts of hair at the tips.

Their coat is bright and short, silky and dense, owing similar markings to that of the African wild cat. Colors include reddish brown or “ruddy”, cream, red, blue and fawn in coloration, but can more rarely include silver, lilac, tabby and tortoiseshell.

Each hair of their coat has a base color, then 3-4 bands of color, the lighter color being at the root of the hair, and the darker color or “ticking” at the tip.

Apparently, this cat breed is a few thousand years old and comes from Ancient Egypt. However, today’s Abyssinian in America, has been rumored to have had 3 Abyssinians of Libyan descent introduced into the gene pool.

They are touted to be quite loyal and intelligent, extroverted, but willful as well. Not so much a lap cat, they are more concerned with exploration and playtime. They enjoy heights, but don’t often take risks that are seen as unnecessary, making them prudent.

However, without daily activity and attention from their human family, they can get depressed and very bored.

By nature, they get along well with other cats and are frequently reported to live beyond 20 years of age.

Get the domestication of a house cat, but with the exotic look of a wild animal with an Abyssinian kitten.

For more information on cat care, check out CatChannel.com

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I hope you enjoyed this Cat Breed on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Please be sure to Subscribe to this Blog!

Technorati Tags: Abyssinian cats, Abyssinian, Abyssinian kittens, cat breeds, exotic cats, exotic pets, Egyptian cats, African cats

Bring the Exotic Home with an Abyssinian Cat is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

I asked her to fill us in on having a Canadian Lynx as a pet.

This is her account:

Firstly, his name was Snaggletooth, and I rescued him from a breeder in Iowa. I found his information online and called him to find out more about owning a lynx.

I had always thought how wonderful it would be to own a big exotic cat. I went with a lynx because he would mature around 65lbs., which is equal to that of a medium sized dog.

With a smaller cat there are a lot of advantages. First off, the amount of food involved…I fed little Snaggletooth Zoopreem, a Purina dry pellet food, mixed in with raw turkey. This cost me less than $10 per week to keep him fat and happy.

Also, a cat of that size is not considered a lethal cat. Since I was new to exotic cat ownership, I certainly didn’t want to jump off and get something that would chew me up in the middle of the night. I did my homework before I picked up little Snaggletooth from the airport.

I made sure he had a large litter box (2) in each room of the house and removed anything from the shelves/tops of tables or cases that I didn’t want knocked off and broken. I also made sure to provide him with a fully enclosed outside run where he had access to trees and grass and plenty of space to play.

Now, most domestic cats learn to use the litter box by following what their moms do. Since Snaggletooth’s mom was an outside lynx (outside in an enclosure) and taken from her at 2 weeks of age, he never had a mother lynx showing him where to use the bathroom.

It is natural for a cat to want to dig and bury their eliminations, however a lynx doesn’t mind urinating on your floor or couch and doesn’t feel the need to dig and cover anything up. This was the case for little Snaggletooth.

So…I went and purchased a special clay cat litter that has an attractant in it to lure cats to the litter box. He got the idea almost immediately when I replaced the litter. This didn’t mean he never had an accident after that point, but in general, he knew where to go when he needed to eliminate. I had to provide him with 2 litter boxes (side by side) because it is normal for an exotic cat to want to defecate in one and urinate in the other.

He had a favorite toy and I used that toy to get him to come when called and as a reward for when he was being good. I never fed him treats as a reward since he had a tendency to be too interested in food and very possessive of it. When I would feed him, I would have to place his food down in the room and close the door and leave him alone. If I didn’t, he thought I was going to steal his food and would hiss and growl at me.

We had a system that worked well and we just stayed with it. Now I did try different things to get him to be less possessive with his food but each one of them failed. Trust me, an exotic cat acts nothing like a dog or domestic cat. So…he taught me a lot on how to be patient and compromise.

Snaggletooth is no longer with us, and of course I miss him quite a bit. If I had to pick again for an exotic cat to own I would own a Canadian Lynx again hands down. They are very personable. Snaggletooth would lay on the couch with me and watch TV. He also followed me all over the house during the day.

He had moments of boundless energy and would literally run on the sides of the walls. He also tested out the curtain’s strength, several of my free standing lamps and of course anything I left out for him to get to. I learned quickly that if I wanted to drink anything I had to put it in a bottle with a lid. Otherwise I could expect to find it all over the floor just minutes after setting it down.

Lynxes are not raised to be pets for the general public. Mostly, they are bred for the fur trade. This means that there are a lot of breeders out there who do not care about the health of these cats, since they are just interested in a nice fur for later use.

Some have serious health problems and don’t live past 1 year. So, you need to do your homework if you are looking for a breeder to purchase a lynx for yourself.

Some points to also consider before you run out and get a lynx for yourself is do you have other pets?

Snaggletooth got along with my large Akita and my Great Pyrenees, but a domestic cat he would have killed. In fact, any pet smaller than him was prey…This also includes small children. So, if you have children, or small pets, a lynx isn’t for you.

If you have heirloom furniture in your home you don’t need a lynx. Trust me they love wood furniture to scratch on. We purchased a large cat tree complete with scratching areas. It looked like a jungle gym covered in swizzle rope. Well he did enjoy scratching it, but he still managed to find furniture he liked just as much to kill.

You need to check with your state or province to see if you are even able to own a Lynx. Once you do, you will need to contact your state Vet to see what requirements are needed to keep a lynx. Some states require permits while others not only require permits but also a double fence system to keep your lynx from getting loose.

Also, you need to purchase insurance just in case your exotic cat does get loose and hurts someone.

In conclusion, if you think you would love to own an exotic cat, please think it through very carefully.

Owning an exotic cat isn’t like owning a dog or domestic cat. As you can see, there is a lot of homework that you need to do before you settle on a lynx to own. I actually advise most people not to purchase an exotic cat.

Several rescue organizations are overloaded with exotic cats that people saw and thought, “Oh man, I would love to own a lynx or tiger.” They either weren’t honest in their abilities or they didn’t do their homework. This isn’t fair to the pet, nor is it fair to the rescue organization that you will expect to clean up the mess you made.

Actually, if you want something exotic, I would recommend a Savannah cat. These are Serval (exotic cats) crossed with domestic cats. They are large cats and have beautiful exotic cat looks. They are a recognized breed by TICA and there are several reputable breeders out there who produces healthy Savannah cats. These cats do not require permits or any restrictions on ownership.

Well that is about it…I really want to stress to your readers that owning a Lynx isn’t for everyone, and of course to do your homework before you purchase one.

Running a rescue organization like the one you are thinking of would include getting exotic animals that were once thought of as a unique pet. Big Cat Rescue in Florida (I am a member there) has nothing but large exotic cats. 3 are retired cats from the circus (and they paid big bucks for these guys to keep them till they passed away) but the rest are cats that they rescued from breeders who didn’t provide proper housing or again, people who had illusions that an exotic cat made a great pet.

They have to turn away over 50 cats per year…Where do these cats go? Either to other rescue places or they are euthanized. Its a sad, cold fact of life, but it just shows you as humans, we need to be responsible and govern ourselves and not expect someone else to come clean up our messes.

BTW…I am not an animal rights activist. In fact, I do not believe animals have rights. I believe humans have rights, and with those rights comes the responsibility to do the right thing. LOL! You can never expect an animal to be responsible.

I donate annually to the ASPCA, however I never donate to PETA, who has made a mockery of what taking responsible care of animals is. (I’ll get off my soap box now)…LOL

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I hope you enjoyed this Unusual Pet post from Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Check out this beautiful Canadian Lynx Print from the 1899 Zoological Gardens:

Technorati Tags: Canadian lynx, lynx, big cat, exotic cat, unusual pet, exotic pet, Canadian animal, North American animal, mammal, cats

A Canadian Lynx as an Indoor Pet? is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

I have heard of ligers and tigons and even seen photos, and everything looks hunky dory, but behind the scenes we need to know what is going on with these albeit beautiful animals.

Check out this video to find out to get informed:

If we don’t speak up and spread the word, who will? These animals cannot speak for themselves, except through their suffering! That’s not fair and the entire thing is unnatural.

Spread the word, this post and the video above to others to educate them about this issue too!

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I hope you found this Mammal post on Exotic Animal Lover informative! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Let us know what your feelings are by Commenting in the Comment Box Below!

Technorati Tags: liger, tigon, animals, big cats, cats, lion, tiger, hybridize animals, mammals, African animals

Dangers of Hybridizing Lions & Tigers is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

You really need to see this video before you make any more judgments!

(My good stumble friend, kelliannie, shared this video with me, and it brought tears to my eyes!)

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A little background:
I realize this video has no sound, but it is certainly not even needed! This video is of a lion named Christian. Apparently, he was rescued by these two men, and then set free back into the wild. This is a reunion 1 year after his release.

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This reunion is so touching, and truly goes to show that animals have feelings, memories and express love and thanksgiving!

I hope you truly enjoyed this post on Animal Behavior on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. If only we could all be blessed enough to have an encounter of this magnitude with an animal of another species!

P.P.S. Add me as a friend on Stumble Upon.

Technorati Tags: animal personality, animal feelings, animal behavior, animal bond, lion, African animal, animal rescue, animal reuinion

Animals Have Feelings – You Can Be Sure of That! is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Many of the world’s most endangered animals also hail from the Amazon…

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Amazon Rainforest Animals by Lucien Oliveira

Most of the world’s rainforests are located in Central and South America, West and Central Africa, and Southeast Asia. They are very wet areas near the equator that give true meaning to the expression “world of abundance”, an expression that reflects on the variety of rainforest animals. Brazil holds 30% of all tropical rainforests that remain on Earth, and they are represented by Amazonia.

The Amazon rainforest animals are part of a big ecosystem sustained by an incredible amount of trees and other plants. Almost every inch is covered with vegetation. Amazonia has 427 species of mammals, 1294 species of birds, 378 of reptiles, 427 amphibians, and 3,000 fish. Among the mammals we can find the jaguar, an incredibly agile animal with a powerful bite, giant otters, the pink dolphin, also called “boto” by the natives, which is one of the three species of dolphins on Earth that live on freshwater, sloths (large and slow moving animals), armadillos, the peculiar tamandua, or anteater, tapirs, which are active mostly at night, manatees – the Amazon species is exclusively vegetarian and also one of the three manatee species in the world, etc. However, the majority of mammals are rodents and bats.

Among the birds, there is the harpy eagle, a great hunter that eats practically all species of mammals found in the Amazon rainforest, even monkeys. Other examples are the toucan, a colorful bird that is the symbol of Amazonia, the hoatzin, a unique bird with a small head and a long neck, hummingbirds, which are quite small and very hyperactive, and many other colorful, pretty birds. Among the reptiles, we can find the famous boa, which has a unique way of killing their prey: they wrap around the prey suffocating it and crashing its bones in order to be able to swallow it as a whole. Crocodiles, alligators, and turtles are also present in the rainforest.

The amphibians are mainly toads, frogs, and tree frogs. For example, the dart poison frog and the giant cane toad, which has got a strong poison that is enough to kill small animals. Among the fish, there is the famous red piranha, a carnivore fish that is known for its voracious appetite, the feared electric eel, and the Pirarucu, which is one of the largest freshwater fish in the world. This amazing fish can weigh up to 150 kg.

These are the most famous rainforest animals in Amazonia, but, crawling around, there are an immense amount of insects. You can find cockroaches as big as the palm of your hand, Rhinoceros beetles and their peculiar horn, Morpho butterflies with their astonishing deep blue wings, and also termites and ants, such as the leaf-cutter ant with its massive, strong jaw. No matter where you look, you will find enchanting and interesting species. After all, that is what rainforests represent: a universe of blooming life.

Lucien Oliveira is a freelance writer with strong interest nature, wildlife and animals. You can find more about wildlife, animals and geographic national. Read more about wildlife portraits.

Article Directory: Article Dashboard

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I hope you enjoyed today’s installment of Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards ;D

P.S. To learn more about the Amazonian Rain Forest, check out this informative book:

Discovering the Amazon Rain Forest Discovering the Amazon Rainforest

Technorati Tags: geographic national, wildlife portraits, endangered animals, animal endangered, rainforest animals, jaguar, harpy eagle, rhinoceros beetle, poison dart frog

Majestic Animals of the Amazonian Rainforest is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

You have made a vow to care and protect your adopted creature! Live up to it to the absolute best of your ability!

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Pets Are People Too….Wait……..Uh……. by Jeff Swett

Okay, so animals aren’t actually people, but they have feelings like we do. Which makes them like people, doesn’t it? If a group of us were sitting around the living room hanging out, my old dog would sit in his own place and just look around at everyones faces because he thought that’s all we were doing. He thought he was a person too.

People like to have fun, right? So do pets! In fact, I guarantee your pets need more fun. Imagine how boring it must be to sit around the house all day with no company, as you wait for your owner (your best friend mind you) to get home from school or work only to be too tired to show you the attention you’ve been craving all day.

Don’t forget to play with your pets. It is sometimes difficult for a pet who lives in an apartment to get the appropriate amount of exercise when they are cooped up in a smaller space with no back yard. If you have a dog, make sure to take it out for walks not only to go the bathroom, but also to stretch its legs, chase a ball, and run around. Some apartments even have dog parks or huge courtyards that welcome your animals expenditure of energy. Be sure to clean up after your pet though! You don’t want to get in trouble with a neighbor or management for Fido leaving any land mines.

If you have a cat I recommend fun stringy toys with catnip. The catnip itself will make your cat run around in circles and act like a sugar crazed school child. Throw a piece of string with some sort of feathery object at the end to a stick and bounce it around, the cat will go nuts. They also sell laser pointers that any animal loves to chase around the house. Sometimes I’ll turn out the lights and focus a flashlight on the wall for my friend’s cat, Peg Legs. She goes crazy for it!

There are a massive number of toys and treats out there that can be used to entertain you pets, but always remember that no matter how tired or busy you are, you should take a few minutes to show them some love, attention, and play with them.

Remember, they’ve been cooped up all day in YOUR apartment and can get restless, adventurous, and curious. For your sanity…make sure your animals are having fun. A smiling apartment pet has a smiling apartment owner.

Woof!

At AHL Apartmentites have a platform to share their own stories, get great info & tips on apartment living, read Jeff’s entertaining blogs/stories, find Answers to a wide array of apartment related questions, and have a ton of fun sharing their love of apartment living with others. Don’t forget to go and set up your own MyPlace page to really get the full Apartmentite experience!

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I hope you enjoyed today’s installment of Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. This Is The No. 1 Dog Training And Behavior Product On The Net And Has Been For Over 2 Years. Check it out here:

#1 Dog Training & Behavior Product

Technorati Tags: pets, style, play, entertain, apartment, living, cats, dogs, fun, apartment pets, cat, dog

Care, Protect and Play With Your Adopted Apartment Pet is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Grizzlies can be especially dangerous!

Grizzly Bear Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Ursidae
Genus: Ursus
Species: U. arctos
Subspecies: U. a. horribilis

Conservation Status:
The Grizzly Bear is an Endangered species.

American Black Bear Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Ursidae
Genus: Ursus
Species: U. americanus

Conservation Status:
The American Black Bear is a species considered to be of least concern in regards to it’s conservation status…That’s great news!

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Wildlife To Avoid On A Camping Trip by Darren Lintern

Going on a camping trip can be on one of the finest adventures. Fresh air, stunning scenery, magnificent trees, and more are all likely to surround your campsite. But we aren’t the only species to be found around camping grounds. And not all the other ones are friendly.

Bears may appear to look cuddly on TV programmes, but there are certain species that are dangerous and nearly everyone will have difficulty in telling the difference between one and the next. Adult grizzlies, for example are normally considered as life-threatening. Being able to establish the difference between a grizzly and a black bear can be tricky.

Black Bears as the name suggests are darkly coloured. But the grizzlies will differ from black to brownish yellow. Size can be a potential indicator, but it’s still difficult to notice the differences between an adult black bear (at 250 to 500 pounds and stands at 5 feet tall) and a junior grizzly.

Adult grizzly bears are significantly larger, at approximately 400 to 1200 pounds, and stands at 8 feet tall on its hind legs. Needless to state, when a grizzly bear is noticed in close proximity to you, you will definitely have other things to consider than identification.

One noticeable feature of the grizzly is that it has a large hump over the shoulders that the black bears lack. The Black bear has a small, almost triangular shaped head that makes identification easier.

Grizzly bears tend to have a concave facial profile. The black bears, by contrast have a long shout, and more pointed ears.

A wild cat has the tendency to inhabit wilderness and camping spots, and they too have the potential to be lethal. Most will shy away from human contact, but if pressed or hungry they may attack.

Bobcats, although small, are amazingly powerful for their size and one would not want to test their razor sharp claws and teeth. A similar species, the Lynx, has noticeable hair tufts on the ears and rounded tails.

If you bring your family pet along for the camping adventure be especially alert when letting it ramble where it could stumble upon a wild cat. Most dogs will not back down and scamper away and will almost certainly be on the losing side of any fight.

Research which of the species are know to habit in the region that you plan to visit, and take any necessary safety measure when you are there. Store any foot in odour tight containers before and after meal times, and keep any rubbish stowed away from your campground.

Darren Lintern writes extensively for www.andallabout.com, a popular informational website that provides helpful tips, and advice on many camping topics including Dog Tents, and Pop Up Tent Trailers

Article Directory: Article Dashboard

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Bobcat Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Genus: Lynx
Species: L. rufus

Conservation Status:
The Bobcat is considered a species of least concern! Yeah!!!

I hope you enjoyed today’s installment of Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Discover the Secrets of Family Camping – Escape With Your Family On A Camping Trip That Costs So Little You’ll Think It’s FREE:

Family Camping Secrets Revealed 

Technorati Tags: grizzly bear, black bear, North American animal, Canadian animal, carnivore, endangered species, mammals, cats, camping, camping gear

Plan To Avoid Some Wildlife On Your Camping Trip is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Subfamily: Pantherinae
Genus: Panthera
Species: P. uncia

Conservation Status:
The Snow Leopard is considered Endangered! Help educate and save these amazing cats!

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Snow Leopard
By Omer Ashraf

Perhaps the most beautiful of all big cats, the Snow Leopard is an amazing animal. Living at altitudes higher than those of most predators, the Snow Leopard creates a niche for itself in some of the most difficult terrains and hostile climates in the world.

Panthera Uncia, the Snow Leopard, is frequently grouped in small cats owing to its inability to roar, even as it is gifted a predator as any other felid. The cat is characterized by its nearly meter long tail that helps protect its face during extreme cold and enables it to balance itself while encountering adverse topography. The weight ranges from 80-130 lbs. Males are larger with a squarer face. The feet are bigger and furrier for its size relative to other cats, helping the leopard tread over snow. The coat is very attractive with thick fur and beautiful rosettes characteristic of leopards. In winter the coat gets more white than yellow.

Owing to inhospitable terrain and difficult habitats, Snow Leopards have evolved to be specialized predators and opportunistic hunters. They take a variety of prey, including animals much bigger than themselves.

Their leaping ability (45 feet) surpasses even that of the cougar enabling the marvelous cat to surprise its prey and encounter the hilly ranges of its territory. Distributed over a large mountainous terrain in South and Central Asia, Snow Leopards hunt a number of animals including boars, ibexes and rodents.

Conservation efforts over the past few decades have helped bring Snow Leopard population out of imminent threat of extinction. Numerous national parks and protection programs have sprouted in local countries with aim at boosting the numbers in wild, complemented by successful breeding in captivity. Numbers in the wild, though, hover around five to six thousand – the conservation status still being ‘endangered’.

The author is a blogger about cats and an expert on snow leopard.

Learn more about cats here: http://ailurophiles.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?Snow-Leopard&id=636628

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I hope you enjoyed today’s installment of Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Get your Amazing 2008 Wild Cat Deluxe Wall Calendar for those Big Cat Lovers in your life:

Wild Cats WWF 2008 Deluxe Wall Calendar Wild Cats WWF Wall Calendar: Twenty-six spectacular photographs capture the majesty and grace of the world’s wild cats in this far-ranging wall calendar. Mountain lions, Bengal tigers, African lions, jaguars, snow leopards, and more grace the pages of this calendar. A royalty of approximately 3% of this calendar’s retail price is received by World Wildlife Fund for its worldwide conservation efforts. Size Closed: 14″ x 12″ Size Opened: 14″ x 24″

Technorati Tags: snow leopard, leopard, cat, feline, European animals, Asian animals, mammals, big cat, animal, winter animals, big cat calendar

The Endangered Snow Leopard is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Genus: Lynx
Species: L. pardinus

Conservation Status:
This species is Critically Endangered!

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Saving the Iberian Lynx
By Mike McDougall

Of the 32 remaining species of big cat left in the world, the Iberian Lynx is the most endangered, even more so than the Siberian tiger. Western Europe’s last remaining big cat is in serious trouble, recent estimations place the number of lynx remaining at just over 100 and biologists maintain that if drastic action isn’t taken soon then the species will be extinct by the end of the decade – if this happens then it’ll be the first species of big cat to be made extinct since the Sabre-toothed tiger died out 10,000 years ago.

The question as to why the number of lynx in Spain has plummeted to such an alarming level is down to a confluence of a number of factors. The modernization of Spain and Portugal since the 50’s and 60’s has seen vast areas of the lynx’s natural habitat destroyed. Once abundant on the Iberian Peninsula, the animal can now only be found in two breeding areas in Andalusia.

Another reason we can look to is the simple lack of enough food to sustain the lynx population. Feeding almost solely on rabbit means the two animal’s destinies are inextricably tied to each other. Diseases such as Myxamatosis destroyed European rabbit populations in the 50’s and 60’s with as many as 80-90% of adult rabbits being lost to the disease in Spain. With the decline of Spain’s rabbit population it follows that the number of lynx would also be hit; an average sized adult Lynx requires about one rabbit per day in order to survive. It’s also fair to say that it gets harder for the species to coexist with man; illegal hunting and trapping still takes place but the biggest killer of all is road accidents, where lynx are hit and killed by cars. In the Doñana nature reserve in Andalusia it is thought that 80% of Iberian Lynx’s killed, die in this way and the proliferation of roads throughout these areas continue to be a huge threat to the species.

For many this begs the question what is to be done to reverse the trend that has seen numbers fall from 1000 a decade ago to the figure we see today? The obvious and most easy solution is basically to educate people about the plight of this solitary creature – not as high profile or well known as the less endangered Siberian Tiger, fewer people are aware of the critical situation facing west Europe’s last big cat species. However this appears to be changing with pressure coming from groups like the WWF and also activities of football club owner Corrado Correggi whose Algarve United club are nicknamed the Lynx’s and also donate 10% of all gate receipts and membership fees to Lynx conservation.

In his excellent article “Iberian Lynx: the last chance”, Carlos Sanz points towards the protection of habitat and preservation of food supply as key to saving the species: “Vegetation needs to be regenerated, and preventing the destruction of the Mediterranean shrub land is paramount, because it’s not only the ideal habitat for the lynx but also for it’s main prey, the rabbit”.

The simple equation is if there are more rabbits then there’s more food for the Lynx and numbers will increase. There are already programmes in place to replenish the rabbit population with healthy, disease-free rabbits being bred in captivity and released into lynx territory. At the moment due to the isolated nature of the breeding communities there’s a greater chance of inbreeding – this only serves to weaken the species by narrowing its genetic code, making them more susceptible to disease and defects. One way to avoid this is to breed more captive lynxes and earlier this year three lynx cubs were successfully born at a programme set up in the Doñana reserve. There’s certainly hope that this majestic animals can be saved from extinction but there’s still a lot of work to be done with regards habitat and their food supply before these creatures are safe – for western Europe’s last big cat, the struggle is just beginning.

Mike McDougall has five years experience working as a travel writer and marketeer. He is currenlty working to provide additional content for Babylon-idiomas, a Spanish language school with an excellent presence in Spain and Latin America.

This work is covered by a creative commons license.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_McDougall
http://EzineArticles.com/?Saving-the-Iberian-Lynx&id=77552

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I hope you enjoyed today’s installment of Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. For those Big Cat Lovers in your family, this is the perfect gift! Remember animals in peril, and admire their beauty! Only $12.99:

Lynx Under Bush Ornament (Round)

Technorati Tags: Iberian lynx, lynx, endangered species, carnivore, mammal, big cat, cat, feline, European animals

Trials and Tribulations of Saving The Iberian Lynx is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover