Entries by species1

The Clouded Leopard

The clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) is one of nature’s shyest creatures. The smallest of the big cats, they prefer to remain hidden and out of sight. This presents significant challenges when studying the species, and as a result, much of their behaviour remains a mystery. Their range includes the Himalayan foothills of Nepal, into Southeast […]

The Ocelot

Distributed extensively across the Americas, the ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is somewhat similar to the bobcat, with fur not too different from the clouded leopard or jaguar. The ocelot likes to live in places with thick vegetation, so they are found in tropical forests, mangroves, and savanna regions. Ocelots are primarily solitary animals; males scent-mark territories […]

The Jaguar

The jaguar (Panthera onca) is the largest cat in the Americas and the third-largest feline in the world, behind only the tiger and the lion. The jaguar roams a variety of habitats. Although it prefers densely wooded areas and thick rainforests, it can also be found in scrublands and deserts. Its range stretches from Southwestern […]

The search for the Javan fishing cat

The Javan fishing cat is perhaps the rarest cat in the world. The last survey of the species was conducted in the early 1990s, and this led to its designation as “critically endangered.” Since then, the habitat which the Javan fishing cat depends upon has been developed, and today, the fate of the species remains […]

Carnivores of Sri Lanka: A Collaboration with SLWCS

S.P.E.C.I.E.S. is joining forces with the Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society to launch priority conservation surveys for at least five of the island nation’s native carnivore species, and initiate a more comprehensive effort to assess threats to these carnivores across the country. These activities began in early 2016 with expeditions to focus on the endangered Sri […]

Mitigating Carnivore Conflict with Partners in Northern Mexico

Mexico is among the top three countries in the world with the greatest biodiversity.  Because the country contains mammal species native to both North America and Latin America, it hosts the greatest number of carnivore species and endangered mammals in the western hemisphere.  S.P.E.C.I.E.S. is now supporting the efforts of the Wildlife Investigation Laboratory at […]

The Maned Wolf

The maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) is the largest canid of South America. Standing approximately 35 inches tall with relatively large ears and a slender build (about 50 pounds), the maned wolf is not a wolf at all, but a distinct evolutionary lineage of canids unique to South America. More like a tall, strikingly reddish fox, […]