http://www.rutland-falconry.com/rws.html This private collection (out the back of Rutland Falconry and Owl centre) houses many big cats including Amur Leopards, two of which recently came from zoos in the UK; WHF and Colchester.
How did this happen to allow big cats from larger collections to small collection, even though they are not a member of BIAZA or EAZA?! By the way, the photo of Puma looks like an old aged cat with cataracts.
This happens more times than most people are aware!In fact many of the animals are housed as good if not better than the zoo they left!
I agree this Pumas eyes are definately not very good at all, although it may not be cataracts?? Does anyone know any more about this particular Puma ?
As well as 4 Amur leopards and at least 1 puma , does anyone know what else is in the Big Cat collection ?
I totaly agree! Just because an animal is in a private collection doesnt mean its husbandry conditions are worse than zoo enclosures. Especialy with the DWA guidelines and inspections, a DWAL for big cats isnt just going to be given to any numpty. Stu
This quote from zootiger's link explains it: Animals which are not suited for breeding for a variety of reasons (Old age, genetics, health) are often moved out of EESP participant collections.
Does anyone know what cats they still have. I know they've had generic leopard, amur leopard, persian leopard and cougar but does anyone know what is left there??
Their website Visit the Rutland Falconry and Owl Centre includes the following Come and meet Uri, Dende, and Argun our Amur Leopards. These cats are among the rarest in the world. Then there is Sadi and Cyrus our Persian Leopards, together with Karli our African Leopard. We haven't finished there as we also have Inca our Puma and Shilo who is a Serval. It also has a list of the (9) big cat open days in 2019.
I'd love to see the enclosures but am not paying £20 to do so, knowing that photography is forbidden.
I think it's a permanent policy ... I visited one day, maybe 2017 and he was telling visitors then about his cats (how smug he loooked when referring to the "only Persian leopard in the country") and he said he didn't allow photography in the cat sanctuary.
It could be argued that the cat area is a truer sanctuary than somewhere like ... I don't know ... ermmmmm ....that monkey place in Wales perhaps. It is a private place for animals that have been rescued from human exploitation and only allows limited exposure to the public. Plus it actually tries to raise money for wild populations, which is something I can't remember seeing in any WAMS material (but I have been a little blinkered in that respect )
