July 12 2017

Big Cat Updates

Do YOU Hate Seeing Big Cats in Cages?

We so often hear people say they hate seeing big cats in cages.  We hate it, too.  We believe that saving the species in the wild where they belong is the best way to save the species.  So when we heard about something that was killing big cats in the wild, something that could be so easily prevented, we had to jump in with both feet.  We are asking YOU to join us in a project that will truly help save wild tigers and leopards from senseless deaths.

Today’s Big Cat Update focused on a very real problem that can be so easily solved.  This problem is a very real danger to wild tigers, wild leopards, wild lions, and other wildlife.  Again, big cats in the wild are dying from something that is so easily prevented.  We cannot do it it alone, but with YOUR HEP many big cats in the wild CAN BE SAVED!!

Today’s Big Cat Update shows you the problem AND offers YOU two ways to help solve this problem facing precious big cats in the wild.

• One way costs you a little money
• The second way won’t cost you a single cent and will still be a huge help.

So, WHAT IS the Problem?

The problem is currently there are about 2500 open wells are farming villages, many in the core zone of the Tiger Reserve.   These wells are open with nothing to prevent wildlife from falling it.  Maybe you think this cannot really happen, but sadly, it not only happens it happens quite a bit.

Some have asked, “Does this really happen?”

Here are some examples that made it to national news, or viral videos.  Can you imagine how many more do not make it to national news or viral videos?  This is a senseless loss of big cats in the wild but the solution is so simple.

In 2016 one animal advocacy group reported to having saved 31 leopards that had fallen into wells.

Click on the small photos below to see them larger.  Please note, we did NOT post the photos of the cats whose help came to late and they drowned.

Example One:  4 year old leopard rescued from well in August 2016.  The leopard was checked over, found to be healthy and released back into the wild.

Example Two:  A pregnant leopard rescued from a 40′ open well.  The villagers worked and was able to rescue this pregnant leopard from the well.  She was taken to be checked over and released, however, she died because of severe stress and internal bleeding.

Example Three:  Leopard rescued from 15′ well.  This exhausted leopard was lucky there was a small ledge to cling to.   It was treated for severe injures to its nails from trying to climb out.

Example Four:  A leopard fell into a 30′ well, thankfully there was ledge to cling to.

Many of the wells do not have ledges which gives the cats something to cling onto until they are too exhausted and fall in and drown anyway.  Sometimes, if they can hang on until rescue arrives (if it arrives),  the animal later dies from injuries caused by landing on those ledges.

Here are some screenshots from videos of other incidents of big cats falling into these wells.

These wells are open as you can see from these photos.

So from these few examples you can see this IS HAPPENING!

So What is that Simple Solution!!

Now that you have seen the problem is real and big cats in the wild are dying and have been for the past years since these wells were built, you are probably wondering what can you do, living across to ocean to save those wild big cats from such senseless tragedies.

The simple solution is to build fences around the wells.  Its cost about $100 to fence each well.

Example of fenced farm well in the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in India. Photo courtesy of Corbett Foundation

What are the Two Ways to Help?

One:  Share our posts and links about this issue.  Make it your purr-sonal mission to make sure everyone you know know about the problem and the solution.  Ask your friends, family, and social media groups to share, share, share, the posts and links.

• Share this page: BigCatRescue.org/july-12-2017/
• Share our International Tiger Day 2017 page: BigCatRescue.org/international-tiger-day/
• Share our gift shop merchandise link:  Tigers911.com

Two: PURR-chase special merchandise we made specifically for raising funds to fence wells.

• The easy to remember link is Tigers911.com
• Or, see the items listed below.

Is Big Cat Rescue Doing Anything About This?

Big Cat Rescue will match the profit from your purchases of our International Tiger Day merchandise – and any donations you make on that merchandise page – dollar for dollar up to $5000 and donate it to the Corbett Foundation’s in situ work to protect wild tigers, leopards and other animals in India from falling into open farm wells. The funds will be used to construct fences around the wells, keeping the big cats from falling into these very deep wells and drowning.

Big Cat Rescue has designed a unique line of International Tiger Day merchandise featuring our very own TJ tiger to raise much-needed funds to construct fences around open wells in farming villages in India. Currently about 2500 of these open farm wells exist, many in the core zone of the Tiger Reserve. It costs approximately $100 to construct a fence around one well in India. WITH YOUR HELP, we hope to donate $10,000, which will fence in 100 wells and save wild tigers and leopards!

Order your International Tiger Day merchandise and/or donate here:

One specific area the Corbett Foundation is working on is the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve. Open farm wells, dug by villagers, in the buffer zone of the Tiger Reserve, are proving to be deathtraps for wild animals, with several cases reported of tigers and leopards drowning by accidentally falling into the open wells. The Corbett Foundation has initiated a project to install chain-link fencing around such open farm wells to prevent accidental drownings of tigers, leopards and other wild animals who fall into these deep, unmarked wells.

Endangered wild tigers and leopards in India already face enormous challenges to their survival…let’s help them remove one obstacle that we can control by fencing these open farms wells!

Big Cat Rescue will match the profit from the sales of our line of International Tiger Day merchandise – and any donations on our merchandise page – dollar for dollar up to $5000. It is our goal to send the Corbett Foundation a donation of $10,000 following International Tiger Day 2017 –July 29. As an added incentive, post a photo of yourself wearing or holding your International Tiger Day gear on our Facebook page on July 29 to be entered into a drawing for an original tiger paw print painting!!

Order your merchandise and/or donate here:  International Tiger Day

More about the Corbett Foundation:

The Corbett Foundation is a charitable, non-profit and non-governmental organization solely committed to the conservation of wildlife. They work towards a harmonious coexistence between human beings and wildlife across some of the most important wildlife habitats in India, namely Corbett Tiger Reserve, Kanha and Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserves, Kaziranga Tiger Reserve and around the Greater Rann of Kutch. Local Communities and wildlife share natural ecosystems and this often raises conflict, so the health and wellbeing of these communities are often directly linked to their willingness to participate in wildlife conservation efforts. The Corbett foundation has implemented its programs in over 400 villages in the last decade. Learn more at www.corbettfoundation.org

Products Supporting This Project

International Tiger Day Shirts

Each shirt style is available in multiple color choices.

International Tiger Day – Tote Bags

100% spun polyester weather resistant fabric, dual handles 100% natural cotton bull denim, bag 15″ x 15″, made in America.

Big Beautiful TJ Tiger Beach Blanket

This 30″x60″ beach blanket is made from a light and soft 100% polyester microfiber material.

Mug featuring International Tiger Day on one side and TJ Tiger on the other side.

ADDED Incentive

As an added incentive, post a photo of yourself wearing or holding your International Tiger Day gear on our Facebook page on July 29 to be entered into a drawing for an original tiger paw print painting!!

This will be fun seeing all you modeling TJ’s the International Tiger Day shirts, showing off your tote bags, or sipping from your mugs!  Lets, FILL Facebook with International Tiger Day Modeling photos!!

Don’t forget, doing that enters you into a drawing to win an original tiger paw print painting!!