Feb 24 2017

Big Cat Updates

Hoover is on a chicken kick.  He wants nothing but chicken and wants it placed in the back of his mouth, from the left side.  If we do that just right he is eating well.  LOL, once again, he has changed his favorite food.

Josie cougar hasn’t been here very long and has not yet learned that a big meal will come every day.  Because of that she gobbles her food really fast.  So the keepers spread her food out on a big feeding tile which makes her slow down just a little bit.

The fluid on Seth’s ankle is not cancer related.  It appears that in his previous home he had a really bad break.  The kind of break that looks like perhaps his foot was stuck in something and he wrenched it back and forth to free it.  It also looks like it was never treated.  It is an old break and the only way to fix it would be to do a very invasive surgery and fuse the bones together which would create an even worse limp for him.  Sadly, in unaccredited facilities like the one he was rescued from cats do not get the medical care they need.  They used the cats to breed a stream of cubs to use for the pay to play schemes.  All the money they made off those cub petting and photo schemes and poor Seth was left untreated with a severe break.  How awful!!!!  This is just one more example of why those backyard breeding facilities that are breeding and pimping out cubs should be banned.  Getting a new federal bill passed that bans public contact with big cats and their babies would stop that craziness.  YOU CAN HELP at BigCatAct.com.

We have 77 cats, and are located on 67 acres.  Two of the cats here are rehab bobcats that will be returned to the wild.

Since we were moving Priya & Kali today Gale was out really early going over the tunnel route, checking all the doors, etc.

Dryden & Kewlona bobcats are on FunFaction.  After their vacation is over they will move to their new enclosure that is about 3,000+ sq. ft.  These two like to be up really high so they will have a wonderful tall platform.

 Heads Up

Jamie is in the process of working on the next issue of The Big Cat Times magazine that will be ready soon.  It is being packed FULL or photos and information about the cats.  You will not want to miss getting a copy of it.

For those of you who do not know what that is, it is a full color magazine that we publish and mail out quarterly.  It is FREE for our supporters.

If you want to receive one of these in your mail box at home go to bigcatrescue.org/join and sign up.  NOTE:  BE SURE in the space there to let us know that you want us to mail you The Big Cat Times magazine.

Here are the cover photos from the last four issues.  Click on each one to get the PDF version of the magazine.  The PDFs are large files so if you are on a slow connection or device it might take them a couple minutes to fully load, but will be worth the wait.

 Reminder & Invitation

We will be streaming live on The Dodo at 1:00 EST today.

Here is the link if YOU would have time to hop on there and help us talk to newcomers and make them feel welcome.  Any help you can give answering questions, sharing links to help newcomers find more information about the cats and issues would be greatly appreciated.  https://www.facebook.com/thedodosite/

Remember the Quick Links page is a great one to refer to when doing that. Here is the link for that or you can find it at the bottom of any updates page. http://bigcatrescue.org/quick-links/

We also, need to be sure to THANK The Dodo for sharing the cats with their huge audience!  They have over 9 million Facebook Page Likes so this is a wonderful opportunity for us to reach more people with our mission to save big cats from abusers and exploiters.  YOU can be a huge part of this just by hopping on there and purr-ticipating in the comments.

 Facebook Live Video Replays

It was Cat Moving Day  We normally move cats on Thursdays but this past Thursday it rained too much to do that.

• Sassy Cougar went home
• Dryden & Kewlona are now on FunCation
• Priya went home
• Kali will go on vacation

Note To Viewers:  Kali will move next so stay tuned in at Facebook.com/bigcatrescue so you don’t miss it.

VIDEO:  Priya Goes Home from Vacation

The keepers have Priya Tiger’s home cages all cleaned and spruced up for her.  Toys are in there waiting for her.  She will be busy for a couple days marking everything.

VIDEO:  2/24/2017  Moving Dryden & Kewlona Part 3

VIDEO:  2/24/2017  Moving Dryden & Kewlona to FunCation Part 2

VIDEO:  Catching Dryden & Kewlona Part 1

VIDEO:  2/24/2017 Morning Feeding & Snacks With Nancy

See Cats:  Joseph, Cameron, Hoover, Ares, Orion, Artemis, Mac, Mickey, Nikita, Josie, Andy.

See Keepers:  Sharron, Nancy, & Gale

VIDEO:  2/23/2017 Small Cat Enrichment with Karma

VIDEO:  2/23/2017 Cougar Enrichment with Karma

VIDEO:  2/23/2017 Checking on Progress at the NEW Bobcat Rehab Enclosures

 Facebook Live Contest

Each day that Carole does a Facebook Live video she asks a question and someone who answers it correctly wins a prize. So, go to Facebook and Like our Facebook Page and choose to get notifications of our live videos. Then participate in the contests, join in conversations in the comments area, too. Be sure to book mark BigCatRescue.org/win which is where you will post your answer to qualify for a future prize if you are the first one to get the correct answer.

Prizes can be a tour pass or one item up to a $36 value from one of our online gift shops.  1)  BigCatRescue.biz or 2)  CatRescue.biz

2/24/2017 Contest

Question:  What is the full name of the facility where Dryden & Kewlona were rescued from?

Winner:  Nicole

Answer:  Spirit of the Hills http://bigcatrescue.org/spirit-of-the-hills/

Winner’s Chosen Prize:  Shirt w/ Big Cat Rescue Logo – Color-Navy

Big Cat Rescue logo tee. BCR logo on left chest of this 100% cotton t-shirt. Pre-shrunk to make sure your size is maintained throughout several washes, and a classic fit.  Available in 14 different colors.  Here are just a few.

 Valspar Contest Update

WAY TO GO!!!  The cats have 18,504 votes!

THANK YOU, to each of you who have not forgotten this contest and are still asking at least one friend every day to go to VoteCats.com to vote for Big Cat Rescue’s Robert McGivney.

The funds from this contest will be earmarked for the wild bobcat rehab and release center.  Learn more at BigCatRescue.org/bobcat-rehab/

Bobcat Rehab Center Update:  The Rehab & Release  8 cages.  The first four cages have been built and by the time the trees & shrubs were planted, irrigation installed, etc they have cost over $200,000 and we are estimated the final total on those to run close to $220,000.  We had already done a lot of that fundraising, but will need to win this contest and do more fundraising to finish all eight cages.

 Keeper Corner

Change Per Viewer Suggestion:  Keeper Fun Photos & Notes section is being renamed to “Keeper Corner” THANK YOU, for that great suggestion.

VIDEO:   A Visit with Nikita  ~Keeper Afton

 Featured Big Cat & People Often Ask – “The Cubs”

People Often Ask:  Carole said something about “The Cubs” on a video feed.  Does BCR have cubs?

The answer is no.  Ares, Orion, & Artemis are cougar siblings whose mother was killed by a hunter back in 2005 so they came here as cubs.  Even though they are now 11 1/2 years old the nickname “The Cubs” has stuck when referring to the three siblings as a group.

A mother mountain lion had been shot by a hunter leaving her three newborn kittens orphans. A rehabber had been given temporary custody of three cougar cubs by Idaho’s Fish and Game Department and three weeks to find them a home in a zoo or to euthanize them. The idea of these magnificent creatures ending up in a zoo where they would be bred for generation after generation of imprisoned animals was more than she could bear.

She visited our web site and was asking herself if death might be more humane than life in a cage but before she made such a decision she contacted Big Cat Rescue. After more than twenty years in her business of rescuing, rehabbing and releasing native wildlife she was no stranger to tough choices, but this one was particularly hard. Because Idaho does not allow big cats to be rehabbed and released they could never go free. If the choice was made for them to live in an accredited facility then how would their sacrifice (life in a cage) be used to stop their kind from enduring persecution by man?

In the end it was decided that the cubs would come to Big Cat Rescue because we can make their story known. Our supporters are active in trying to change the laws that allow animal suffering. These three little orphans are symbolic of why we write letters, donate our time and do all that we do. Visit the page called Cat Laws to help.

The three share a 3600+ sq. ft. enclosure.  The enclosure is split up into multiple sections so we can separate them at feeding time etc.  The reason we separate cats at feeding time is so no one is intimidated, no one has to fight for food, and we know how much each cat ate.

These three have lost some weight recently so they are not getting the normal big breakfast but are also getting a second meal later in the day.  these three are so active they need a second meal to maintain their body weight.

Meet “The Cubs”

Ares:  Ares has freckles on his nose. Ares is the laid back mellow sibling. He likes to hang back and relax while his brother and sister wreak havoc. Ares has the loudest purr of the three cubs. His purring is so intense, his whole body shakes when he purrs! Ares also likes to play with the palmetto stumps in his enclosure and will often rip them out of the ground so he can shred them and bat them around his Cat.a.tat.

Orion:   Orion is the goofy one in the group, he is always up to something and puts a smile on our faces with his silly antics. The three cubs can be hard to tell apart at times, but if you look in their eyes, you will be able to pick out his mischievous gaze and know right away which one is Orion. Orion loves dinner time and can change abruptly from cute goofball to serious cougar with an appetite. Orion also loves to climb the trees in his enclosures and is constantly testing the limits of the tinier branches.

Artemis:  Artemis is the serious sister and the more aloof of the three cubs. She is very sweet and loves her brothers, but she tends to be a bit of a loner at times. Artemis also goes by the nickname of “Baby” among the Keeper Volunteers.  She can be very shy but she can also wreak havoc with her brother Orion.

How to Tell “The Cubs” Apart

Orion:

• Tallest of the three
• More rounded eyes then Ares
• Longer Muzzle than Artemis

Ares:

• Largest weight-wise of the three
• Has white stripes across his back ankles
• Has freckles

Artemis:

• Smaller than the boys
• Rounded eyes
• Shorter muzzle
• Browner on the top of her head

 SAVE Award January 2016

Scratch’s Award for Volunteer Excellence, the SAVE Award

You all seemed to enjoy hearing about our SAVE Award so I thought maybe you’d enjoy reading about the SAVE Awards for last year, 2016.  Note To Viewers:  If you do not want me to post last year’s SAVE Awards, let me know and I can skip them and just post 2017 as they come up.  Let me know in the comments or email if you do not want me to continue to post the 2016 SAVE Awards since you guys missed them.

For outstanding volunteer service, the January 2016 SAVE Award goes to Barbara Nicholas  for volunteering more than 60 hours in December to help with the holiday rush.  That’s 3.75 times more than the minimum hourly requirement for Partner Trainee.  Way to go Barbara!  Thank you so much for dedicating all of this time to the cats!. Thank you so much and congratulations!

A donation of $1000 has been made in your honor to the Species Survival Commission Cat Specialist Group to fund ongoing research of sand cats in the wild.

This is a first ever study on sand cat ecology and behaviour in Morocco, using radio tracking collars. Aim of the study is to investigate how sand cats co-exist in shared habitats and the distribution of the species within the moroccan sahara. Once sufficient data is collected, a long-term study is proposed to expand the research across the whole country to determine where the species live in high, medium and low densities, and where they are missing. In addition the hope is to raise awareness of the species amongst locals, training them to continue the work tracking and recording the sand cats which long term will dramatically improve current data held on the species. The researchers would like to study the animals over several years to collect data throughout their lives, ideally covering several generations.

Researchers will actively search for sand cats with a 4×4 truck, driving at low speed, at night, shining a 100W spot lamp in a sweeping motion to detect the eyeshine reflection of carnivores. Once located, they net the sand cat which has taken refuge in the shrubs. When the cat has been sedated, they are measured and given a health check, then fitted with a radio collar. These animals will then be followed with an receiver and antenna to determine their movements.  This project was launched this month.

Update from the field: “Back from Morocco, I have some good news : Dr Alexander Sliwa, Dr Azizi and Myself successfully caught, collard and followed 2.2 sand cats in the Sahara. This is the first time such a work is done on this species and we have taken great pictures (see below) and seen amazing moments (the meeting of two cats, hunting moments, …). We are going to write a publication and report about that. Depending on the funds, we may even be able to study the whole carnivore guilde there because there are 6 to 7 others there (3 canid, 1 mustelid and 1 or 2 other cat species).” Grégory Breton, Curator at LE PARC DES FELINS, Sand Cat EEP Coordinator & ISB Keeper, Co-chair of the EAZA FELID TAG

S.A.V.E stands for Scratch’s Award for Volunteer Excellence. Named for an outstanding cougar named Scratch, whose lifespan reached 30 years, the SAVE Award recognizes one volunteer or intern each month who is doing an outstanding job.

 BCR Website Updates

These pages on our site have been updated:

Ocelot Facts:  bigcatrescue.org/ocelot-facts/

Who Names the Cats:  bigcatrescue.org/who-names-the-cats/

 Explore.org/bigcatrescue Viewer Photos

Good morning! Group hug!  My photo of kittens at Big Cat Rescue using web cam at http://explore.org/live-cams/player/big-cat-rescue-kitten-cabana ~Viewer Scotti Cohn

Viewer Victology captured this cute shot

Viewer CherylJ caught a great screenshot of Wyeth Bobcat waiting to go outside to the Wild Bobcat Rehab Center.

 Viewer Videos From Explore.org/bigcatrescue

There are some GREAT videos recorded by viewers at explore.org/bigcatrescue that you will really enjoy watching.

Here is a list of YouTube channels that feature videos of the cats here:

• Susann  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUFOZiTvzKRvj-oVbzdByvg
• Ruxandra https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvCsjKptd1gM9BhfDkGQGNg
• Donna P:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcFbhMc8Sqr-8MreWuYr4Bg
• Shawna https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfl9S-vDPJIgjl8QpM6Aypw
• Cathy S https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6ynHBFLKj0BVnK5jo2gTnw
• A Heart For Nikita https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSxAXUTh29XWQw35acpU1Ag

Viewer Video from Nikita’s Breakfast

We have some Nest Cams that are not as good a quality as the Explore.org/bigcatrescue cams are but they are still fun to watch.  Viewer, “A Heart For Nikita” captured this from Nikita’s Nest Cam.

 Cole & Marmalade’s Corner

Chris’ Cole and Marmalade videos always crack me up.

 Quick Links

As per viewer suggestions, Quick Links now has it’s very own page http://bigcatrescue.org/quick-links/

Bookmarking it will help you find things quickly.  That will come in handy for:

• Helping us answer questions on social media
• Finding answers to some of Carole’s Facebook Live questions