It is horrifying that they are suffering such massive drops in numbers and I hope that the joint CMS/CITES African Carnivore Initiative will soon help turn things round.”īradnee Chambers, Executive Secretary, CMS They play a vital role in their environment as top predators and in many countries, they are a mainstay of wildlife tourism. “Big cats are a precious part of our natural heritage and we must do our utmost to protect these magnificent and charismatic creatures. The statistics are alarming – the world lost over 90 per cent of its Tigers in the 20 th century while Lion populations have fallen by two-fifths in just 20 years. Symbols of power, majesty and physical prowess, big cats – Lions, Tigers, Leopards and Jaguars as well as their smaller cousins such as Cheetahs, Snow Leopards and Pumas, are facing many different threats, most of which are caused by human activities from habitat loss, poaching, human-wildlife conflict and climate change. The campaign will stress the importance of actions – at the international, national and personal level – to ensure that big cat species survive in the face of a range of largely human-induced threats. World Wildlife Day, led by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora ( CITES), brings together a coalition of conservation organizations – joined this year for the first time by African Parks, Panthera and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Overseas Territories/Autonomous Regions & Reservationsīonn, 20 February 2018 – The theme for next month’s World Wildlife Day being celebrated around the world on 3 March will be “Big Cats: Predators under Threat”.Review Mechanism & National Legislation Programme.Contribution from Parties to the CMS Trust Fund.

Cat predators