Lion, photographed at Melbourne Zoo, Victoria, Australia at closing time. This photo was taken on a winter’s day, as the sun was moving below the tree-line – casting a warm glow over the scene.
The eyes of a black panther
STALKING TIGER Slowly through the grass / The tiger stalked his prey / His movement long and languid / In the middle of the day / The sun was high and bright / As a vivid burning orb / His body moving slowly / Less heat there to absorb / Gazelles were moving fitfully / Around the waterhole / Nervous eyes were flitting wildly / As the world they did behold / A movement in the distance / And the animals did jump / The nerve ends all a jangling / Each one with quivering rump / Then like avenging angels / The tiger now does pounce / Gazelles are scattering wildly / With a death like spinning dance / And one of them is slower / No longer held at bay / The tiger now triumphant / As it finishes its prey Phil Sanders (aka Brummieboy) / 5/4/07 Thanks for the wonderful poem Phil!
Lion at Melbourne Zoo / The lion is a vulnerable species, having seen a possibly irreversible population decline of 30 to 50 percent over the past two decades in its African range; populations are untenable outside designated reserves and national parks. Although the cause of the decline is not well understood, habitat loss and conflicts with humans are currently the greatest causes of concern. Lions have been kept in menageries since Roman times and have been a key species sought after and exhibited in zoos the world over since the late eighteenth century. Zoos are cooperating worldwide in breeding programs for the endangered Asiatic subspecies. / Traditionally, twelve recent subspecies of lion were recognised, the largest of which has been recognised as the Barbary Lion. The major differences between these subspecies are location, mane appearance, size, and distribution. Because these characteristics are very insignificant and show a high individual variability, most of these forms were debatable and probably invalid; additionally, they were often based upon zoo material of unknown origin that may have had “striking, but abnormal” morphological characteristics. Today only eight subspecies usually are accepted, but one of these (the Cape Lion formerly described as Panthera leo melanochaita) probably is invalid. Even the remaining seven subspecies might be too many; mitochondrial variation in recent African lions is modest, which suggests that all sub-Saharan lions could be considered a single subspecies, possibly divided in two main clades: one to the west of the Great Rift Valley and the other to the east. Lions from Tsavo in Eastern Kenya are much closer genetically to lions in Transvaal (South Africa), than to those in the Aberdare Range in Western Kenya. / Wikipedia FZ20 Panasonic
Amur Tiger – 9mths old- Super big now
The jaguar is a near threatened species and its numbers are declining. Threats include habitat loss and fragmentation. While international trade in jaguars or their parts is prohibited, the cat is still regularly killed by humans, particularly in conflicts with ranchers and farmers in South America. Although reduced, its range remains large; given its historical distribution, the jaguar has featured prominently in the mythology of numerous indigenous American cultures, including that of the Maya and Aztec. / (from Wikipedia) /
Black and white version of Mramba, to me this has a whole different level of intensity. Which version do you like? Captive animal. / / / / The future of African predators is in peril. It is estimated that only 10,000-15,000 free-roaming African lions remain, down from 50,000 a decade ago. African lions are now listed as Endangered (West African subspecies) and Vulnerable (East and Southern African subspecies) by the World Conservation Union and are on Appendix II of the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) list. African lions are in danger of disappearing altogether due to disease (FIV, bovine tuberculosis, canine distemper) and habitat encroachment. Today’s modern world subjects lions and other wildlife to many dangers. Mankind constantly seizes more and more of the remaining wild areas of Africa, forcing lions onto smaller and smaller parcels of land. Large-scale developments destroy the lion’s natural habitat. In areas inhabited by livestock, lions are frequently shot, snared or poisoned. And sadly, the hunting of these amazing animals for “sport,” for man’s pleasure, is still encouraged as a revenue producing industry by many African governments. African predators simply will not survive unless they are protected. 100% of proceeds from any sales of this image will be donated to the Virginia Zoo
A Jaguar getting some rest / /
Pride exemplified via Mramba, the male African lion at the Virginia Zoo. The future of African predators is in peril. It is estimated that only 10,000-15,000 free-roaming African lions remain, down from 50,000 a decade ago. African lions are now listed as Endangered (West African subspecies) and Vulnerable (East and Southern African subspecies) by the World Conservation Union and are on Appendix II of the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) list. African lions are in danger of disappearing altogether due to disease (FIV, bovine tuberculosis, canine distemper) and habitat encroachment. Today’s modern world subjects lions and other wildlife to many dangers. Mankind constantly seizes more and more of the remaining wild areas of Africa, forcing lions onto smaller and smaller parcels of land. Large-scale developments destroy the lion’s natural habitat. In areas inhabited by livestock, lions are frequently shot, snared or poisoned. And sadly, the hunting of these amazing animals for “sport,” for man’s pleasure, is still encouraged as a revenue producing industry by many African governments. African predators simply will not survive unless they are protected. 100% of proceeds from any sales of this image will be donated to the Virginia Zoo
Two beautiful lionesses nestling together in the sun at the Adelaide Zoo, South Australia.
Amur Leopard- Endangered- only 30 remainding in the wild / Sometimes my own photography makes me smile and emotional..:) / /
Critically Endangered The Bengal tiger, or Royal Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris or Panthera tigris bengalensis) is a subspecies of tiger primarily found in Bangladesh, India, and also Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and southern Tibet. The white bengel tiger is not an albino, it has blue eyes. The white coat and light features are caused by a recessive gene. Very few survive in the wild because they do not have the ability to camoflauge themselves in their suroundings. Sadly, there are those who breed them for their exotic looks all for money. Because they occur so rarely, many orange tigers die or are mistreated in the process. Tigers are solitary hunters. They love the water, and are not afraid to chase their prey down into the water. In fact, this is how tigers often get food. The wait for an animal to be drinking at a water hole, then scares the animal into the water, where the tiger will chase it farther into deeper waters, making it easier to catch. Tigers have retractable claws. This enables them to walk through rocky, grassy, muddy, or sandy areas without dulling their claws, which they need to hunt with. Tigers eat almost anything in their range that they can catch. Large and medium sized prey, ungulates, rabbits, wild boar, deer, buffalo, young elephants and rhinos, waterfowl, and elk, make up the majority of their diet. They stalk their prey, and pounce when they are about 30 feet from their quarry. They kill by a lethal bite to the back of the throat, which often dislocates the backbone and severs the spinal cord. Often, a lethal bite is applied to the throat, which cuts off air supply and asphyxiates (suffocates) the animal. Tigers can eat as much as 40 lb (18 kg) of meat in one sitting. Tigers, like other felines, need to eat some grass to provide nutrients and roughage. Tigers will usually avoid humans because they do not provide much meat, and they prefer the taste of wild game. However, if a tiger becomes a maneater, there is usually a reason for it. One reason is that the tiger is very old, to the point where his teeth are worn down, and cannot catch wild game anymore. Humans are much easier to catch and kill, so they prey on humans. Another, more common reason, is the tiger was injured or sick, and can no longer hunt for itself. However, many tigers, like those that live in the mangrove forests of the Sundarbans, seem to have a taste for humans. No one knows why they do this, as these tigers are young and healthy. Some speculate that they are guarding their territory, others think that the salty waters in the marsh they drink makes them irritable. These tigers, however, do not come into human settlements, they only kill humans that have wandered too far into the mangrove forests. People who venture into the forests to gather wood and food wear masks on the backs of their heads since tigers only attack them from behind. Since they started this, the numbers of tiger attacks have been greatly reduced. However, once a tiger becomes a man-eater, it will not cease, and has to be destroyed to protect people.
Another Sumatran tiger, taken in the Dickinson Park Zoo. Name: Panthera tigris sumatrae (Sumatran Tiger) Description: The Sumatran tiger has the darkest coat of all tigers. Its broad, black stripes are closely spaced and often doubled. Unlike the Siberian tiger, it has striped forelegs. Sumatran tigers are the smallest tiger subspecies. Males average 2.4 meters (8 feet) in length from head to tail and weigh about 120 kilograms (264 pounds). Females measure approximately 2.2 meters (7 feet) in length and weigh about 90 kilograms (198 pounds). Distribution: The Sumatran tiger is found only on the Indonesian island of Sumatra in habitat that ranges from lowland forest to submontain and montain forest with some peat-moss forest. Biology: The Sumatran tiger eats wild pig, big deer (called rusa), and small deer (called muntjak or barking deer). The specific range size of this tiger is not know, however the population density is approximately 4–5 adult tigers/100 km 2 (39 mile 2) in optimal lowland rainforest. As elevation increases through submontain and montain forests, the number of tigers in any given area decreases because there is less prey available. Status in the wild: 400-500 wild Sumatran tigers were believed to exist in 1998, primarily in the island’s national park areas, but no island-wide census or monitoring system has been possible. Tiger numbers have continued to decline because of poaching of tigers to supply the illegal trade in tiger parts. The last remnants of lowland forest are being eliminated to establish oil palm plantations and for shifting agriculture by recent settlers from other areas of Sumatra and Indonesia. Ongoing road development makes many formerly inaccessible mountain areas accessible to illegal logging even on the steepest slopes, and many mountainous areas are being converted into plantations for coffee and other products for international markets. Tigers are legally protected but are not highly valued. Captive breeding: For three years, the Indonesian Zoological Parks’ Association (PKBSI) has been working with the Tiger Global Conservation Strategy to develop a conservation program for Sumatran tigers. In addition to the 65 Sumatran tigers living in Indonesian zoos, there are 55 tigers managed by North American zoos, 100 in European zoos, and 12 in Australasian zoos. This captive population is descended from 37 wild-caught founders. The Indonesian Sumatran Tiger Masterplan now has the potential to function as the heart of the Sumatran tiger population worldwide. It is designed to preserve sufficient genetic diversity to reinforce both captive and wild populations, thus fulfilling its goal to ensure that the in situ tiger program comprises verifiable founders permanently identified and registered in the Indonesian Sumatran Tiger Studbook. It also extends the capabilities of Indonesian zoo staff to professionally manage their tiger programs in Indonesia, and at the same time serves as a model for other range country tiger management programs in Southeast Asia.
THANKS SO MUCH TO RED BUBBLE / FOR FEATURING THIS ON THE HOME PAGE# / 10th September 2008 My CRITTERS Calendar – now rolled over to 2010 / ♥Other Critter pics ♥ / ~ /
Name: Panthera tigris sumatrae (Sumatran Tiger) Description: The Sumatran tiger has the darkest coat of all tigers. Its broad, black stripes are closely spaced and often doubled. Unlike the Siberian tiger, it has striped forelegs. Sumatran tigers are the smallest tiger subspecies. Males average 2.4 meters (8 feet) in length from head to tail and weigh about 120 kilograms (264 pounds). Females measure approximately 2.2 meters (7 feet) in length and weigh about 90 kilograms (198 pounds). Distribution: The Sumatran tiger is found only on the Indonesian island of Sumatra in habitat that ranges from lowland forest to submontain and montain forest with some peat-moss forest. Biology: The Sumatran tiger eats wild pig, big deer (called rusa), and small deer (called muntjak or barking deer). The specific range size of this tiger is not know, however the population density is approximately 4–5 adult tigers/100 km 2 (39 mile 2) in optimal lowland rainforest. As elevation increases through submontain and montain forests, the number of tigers in any given area decreases because there is less prey available. Status in the wild: 400-500 wild Sumatran tigers were believed to exist in 1998, primarily in the island’s national park areas, but no island-wide census or monitoring system has been possible. Tiger numbers have continued to decline because of poaching of tigers to supply the illegal trade in tiger parts. The last remnants of lowland forest are being eliminated to establish oil palm plantations and for shifting agriculture by recent settlers from other areas of Sumatra and Indonesia. Ongoing road development makes many formerly inaccessible mountain areas accessible to illegal logging even on the steepest slopes, and many mountainous areas are being converted into plantations for coffee and other products for international markets. Tigers are legally protected but are not highly valued. Captive breeding: For three years, the Indonesian Zoological Parks’ Association (PKBSI) has been working with the Tiger Global Conservation Strategy to develop a conservation program for Sumatran tigers. In addition to the 65 Sumatran tigers living in Indonesian zoos, there are 55 tigers managed by North American zoos, 100 in European zoos, and 12 in Australasian zoos. This captive population is descended from 37 wild-caught founders. The Indonesian Sumatran Tiger Masterplan now has the potential to function as the heart of the Sumatran tiger population worldwide. It is designed to preserve sufficient genetic diversity to reinforce both captive and wild populations, thus fulfilling its goal to ensure that the in situ tiger program comprises verifiable founders permanently identified and registered in the Indonesian Sumatran Tiger Studbook. It also extends the capabilities of Indonesian zoo staff to professionally manage their tiger programs in Indonesia, and at the same time serves as a model for other range country tiger management programs in Southeast Asia.
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Amur Leopard- roughly 40 left in the wild and my favourite big cat / /
Click to visit my animal photography & art blog! / Email me at durberville@optushome.com.au Subscribe by Email to Natalie Manuel Photography Find me at Flickr Join my facebook group More of my work on Redbubble* /
Watching 100’s of people come and go at the lion section of Dubbo Zoo paid off, after sleeping all day, they started walking around. When he stood over her, and both looked our way, I was in awe with the treat they were giving me for my patience! I hope you enjoy this one, Open Plains Zoo is well worth a look if your in the Dubbo area. Canon 50D, 325mm. Available Large!
“Oh, hello Officer.” “What was I doing in the Tiger enclosure? Well, that is where the shot was. You see, nothing matters but THE SHOT” “Yes Sir, I know it can be dangerous for people. But I am a photographer. When looking through the lens a photographer is no longer subject to the dangers of the world.” “Yes, of course I can close my eyes and walk a straight line…” (Taken at the Los Angeles Zoo with a Nikon D300 using a Nikkor 80-400 f4 lens). Featured in Tiger Tiger in August 09 / Featured in Southern Style: A Downhome Perspective in September 09 / Featured in Made by Nature in September 09 / Featured in the Nikon DSLR group in Oct 09 / Featured in Tiger Tiger in Nov 09 -1st place finish in the My Favorite Zoo Animals Challenge in the Playful Photogenic Pets group. / -1st place finish in the “Just Try Me” challenge in the group Mood and Ambience. / -Top 10 finish in the Zoo Animals Challenge in the group Made by Nature. / -Top 10 finish in the Asian Animals Challenge in the group 4 Winners Only. / -Top 10 finish in the New Avatar challenge in the You’re Accepted group. / -Top 10 finish in the October Winner Challenge in the Playful Photogenic Animals group.
Nikon Coolpix P80 Featured in Cards : Animals and Pets Group, thank you moderators. Top 10 placement in Cards : Animals and Pets challenge, Straight in the eye. Thank you voters. Taken at Mogo Zoo on the south coast of New South Wales, where they have successful breeding programs for several endangered species. In the wild, these beautiful gray leopards live in the mountains of Central Asia. They are insulated by thick hair, and their wide, fur-covered feet act as natural snowshoes. These cats have powerful legs and are tremendous leapers, able to jump as far as 50 feet (15 meters). Snow leopards use their long tails for balance and as blankets to cover sensitive body parts against the severe mountain chill. Snow leopards prey upon the blue sheep (bharal) of Tibet and the Himalayas, and mountain ibex found over most of the rest of their range. Though these powerful predators can kill animals three times their weight, they also eat smaller fare, such as marmots, hares, and game birds. One Indian snow leopard, protected and observed in a national park, is reported to have consumed five blue sheep, nine Tibetan woolly hares, twenty-five marmots, five domestic goats, one domestic sheep, and fifteen birds in a single year. As these numbers indicate, snow leopards sometimes have a taste for domestic animals, which has led to many deaths of the big cats at the hands of herders. These endangered cats appear to be in dramatic decline because of such killings, and due to poaching driven by illegal trades in pelts and in body parts used for traditional Chinese medicine. Vanishing habitat and the decline of the cats’ large mammal prey are also contributing factors. Source : National Geographic. Mounted Print /
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