Saving Wild Cats

Captivity
In total, approximately 26 billion animals are kept in
captivity whether in zoos, farms, breeding centres or
research labs. There are arguments for and against keeping
animals captive: from positive associations with education
and conservation to concerns regarding animal welfare and
cruelty.
There are over 10,000 different species of captive animals
and the way in which they react to captivity varies greatly.
In general, captive animals live longer, healthier lives with
greater breeding success than those in the wild. This is
due to the fact that they are provided with food and water,
protected from predators and have access to veterinary care
when required. However, this is not the case for all animals; giraffes, African elephants and Asian elephants are
examples of those that have shorter life spans in zoos than in the wild. The stresses induced by captivity itself may
play a role in the negative effect on survival.
Endangered Cats in Captivity
There are approximately 11,000 tigers in captivity
throughout the world. Only 1000 of these are kept in
zoos with the remaining numbers being split almost
equally between private ownership in North America
and breeding centres, the majority of which are in
China. In comparison to the 11,000 tigers in captivity, a
mere 3000 are estimated to be present in the wild. This
is a stark contrast to the 100,000 tigers that were living
in the wild just a century ago, and human persecution is
largely to blame for the population decline. Of the nine
different tiger species that are known, three are already
completely extinct. The territorial range occupied by
tigers stretched from China to Turkey but this has also
shrunk dramatically. Tigers now occupy only 7% of the
area they used to.
Tigers along with many other species of big cats, such
as leopards and cheetahs, are classified as endangered
and there are great fears that they may become extinct
Fig 8: Giraffes
(Giraffa
camelopardalis)
in captivity have a
shorter lifespan
in the wild. The African Lion (Panthera Leo) is
considered vulnerable with population numbers having
declined by 30% over the past 20 years leaving between
30,000 and 35,000 individuals in the wild. Of the key
populations, a number of which are in protected areas
throughout Africa, 40% are in decline. The severest
threat of extinction is that faced by the Amur leopard
(Panthera pardus orientalis) with only around 70
individuals left in the wild. Fifty of these inhabit an area
in Russia’s Far-East and another small population can
be found in China. Like tigers, the population of Amur
leopards has suffered due to poaching and habitat loss.
Amur leopards exist in zoos mainly in Europe, Russia
and North America with a few also in Asian zoos.
Their presence in zoos has contributed positively to
their conservation in the wild through fundraising and
increased public awareness. Research in zoos has also
enabled essential data to be collated and for important
genes to be maintained.
Breeding & Genetics in Captivity
Breeding programmes are one way in which zoos and
breeding centres hope to increase population numbers
with the possibility of eventually releasing individuals
back into the wild.
There are concerns over these breeding programmes
as, with most endangered species, populations within
captivity are relatively small. Even among small
populations in the wild, breeding within these groups
leads to a loss of genetic diversity as the gene pool
is reduced. This can result in genetic mutations and
reduces the chances of that population’s sustained
survival. This is one problem incurred by the small
numbers that make up the current wild Amur leopard
population. In addition to this, captive animals also
develop genetic adaptations in response to captivity
through both natural and artificial selection.
In order to minimise the chances of these genetic
adaptations impacting a species’ chance for survival,
measures are taken to control population growth and
limit the number of generations reared in captivity. One
way to do this is to delay reproduction by separating
Fig 12: A captive
Amur tiger
(Panthera tigris
altaica) grooming
male and female members or by using reversible
contraceptive methods. Separating males and females
can lead to aggression and stress and so contraceptive
methods may be better in terms of allowing social
interactions to remain as natural as possible. The
reversibility of these forms of contraception is vital
especially when administered to individuals with strong
genes and desirable traits.
Contraceptive methods do have side effects however
and these are shown to vary between species. The use
of hormonal implants has been shown to result in a
lower chance of successful reproduction in the Amur
tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) whilst the African lion
displays a loss of secondary sexual characteristics. Oral
contraception leads to aggression in the Amur leopard
and the African lion with the former also refusing food
and the latter exhibiting weight loss and masculisation.
In all three species, some forms of contraception also
increase the likelihood of individuals contracting
disease as a result of reproduction.
Fig 9, 10 & 11: African Lion
(Panthera Leo), Amur leopard
(Panthera pardus orientalis)
and Amur tiger (Panthera tigris
altaica) in captivity
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