The One-Word Rule Change
The One-Word Shift Gutting the Endangered Species Act: Why Habitat Protection is Under Fire
For over 50 years, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) has served as America’s most powerful shield against extinction, saving 99% of protected species from disappearing. However, a silent regulatory shift announced on July 10, 2026, seeks to dismantle this legacy by redefining a single word: "harm"
The Uninvited Guest
A new CDC study identifies a South American parasite, Dracunculus sp. PantanalBR, currently infecting Florida panthers and bobcats. Genetic analysis reveals a 98-99% match to specimens from Brazil, suggesting the worms may have been introduced through historical puma releases in the Everglades. Learn about the health risks these Brazilian worms pose to the survival of Florida's endangered big cat population.
SWCCF News 2026 06
Bobcat Teeth
Cats are obligate carnivores, which means they require meat to survive. It is not a preference. It is written into their biology, their gut chemistry, and especially their teeth. In this post and video, Big Cat Rescue breaks down the carnassial tooth, the specialized shearing blade found in all wild cats, and explains why cats have no flat molars for grinding plant matter. We also look at bobcat dental anatomy (28 teeth, not 30), how the carnassial compares in wolves and bears, and what obligate carnivore status means for the nutrition and welfare of all wild cats in human care. Featuring insights shared by Christopher Baldwin, Catawba and Sandhills Master Naturalist, who has been teaching skull anatomy in schools for 10 years using a collection of over 60 skulls.
AdvoCat 2026 06
The June 2026 AdvoCat Newsletter from Big Cat Rescue covers the latest in wild cat conservation: Stanford research on mountain lions reshaping suburban ecosystems, Kyrgyzstan's new 2-million-acre snow leopard corridor, the first documented sand cats in Libya, Bengal tiger reintroduction plans for Cambodia, and the alarming pace of tiger poaching across Asia. Stay informed and take action for wild cats worldwide.
Mountain Lions Shape a Whole Ecosystem Even in a Small Preserve
New research from Stanford shows that mountain lions can drive a trophic cascade even in a small suburban nature preserve. Over five years at Jasper Ridge near San Francisco, rising puma activity lowered deer activity and helped young oak trees and woody plants thrive. The cats also reshaped the smaller predators, with coyotes and bobcats declining, gray foxes rising, and rabbits falling. The findings, published in Ecology and Evolution, show that the ecology of fear is not only a Yellowstone phenomenon. Small preserves connected to large wild areas like the Santa Cruz Mountains can host magnificent ecological effects, which makes protecting top predators and keeping habitats connected more important than ever.
