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Hello fellow animal enthusiasts!

Discussion in 'New Member Introductions' started by AmurLeopardLair24, 12 Jan 2019.

  1. Arizona Docent

    Arizona Docent Well-Known Member 15+ year member

    Joined:
    10 Feb 2009
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    7,702
    Location:
    Arizona, USA
    Welcome. I am also a wild cat loving male, but I am most definitely not *ahem* twenty-three years old! ;) I think perhaps the best cat exhibit near you (though I realize it's the other side of the state) is Philadelphia Zoo. I have been there twice and they have a very nice big cat complex. If you ever make it out to my state of Arizona, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum has the best mountain lion exhibit I have ever seen and Phoenix Zoo has the best cheetah exhibit I have ever seen. Of course the best zoo in the world for cats is Le Parc Des Felins in France, so you should start saving up for a trip across the ocean some day.
     
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  2. AmurLeopardLair24

    AmurLeopardLair24 Member

    Joined:
    12 Jan 2019
    Posts:
    12
    Location:
    Pittsburgh
    Thank you for your input! I have seen pictures and videos of KeyBank Big Cat Falls and I have to say it is VERY impressive. The big cats have plenty of room to roam, and it’s awesome. The exhibits though aren’t what impress me the most. What impresses me the most, is the fact that they have all six of the big cats (I know that snow leopards and cougars aren’t part of the genus, Panthera because they can’t roar, but, I still consider them big cats because of their size and, their ability to hunt big prey). I have never seen either a jaguar or a cougar in captivity before, and I can imagine the experience is breathtaking. They also have cheetahs, black-footed cats, and Canada Lynx. I’ll have to check out both of the facilities in Arizona.

    Honestly, though my dream is to go to the Saint Louis Zoo. I have a few reasons: 1. Their cat collection: They have all the big cats plus Cheetahs which is awesome. Granted, I realize the exhibits are outdated, but, they’re not terrible either. 2. The herpetarium: I cannot wait to see all the different snakes and the crocodilians (too bad they don’t have a Komodo dragon though). 3. Their bear collection. Currently Pittsburgh only has polar bears and I grew very fond of their Kodiak, North-American Black, and Andean Bears. Saint Louis has Polars, Grizzlies, Andean, and Malayan Sun Bears. 4. African Painted Dogs and Spotted Hyenas. I miss Pittsburgh’s Wild Dogs and I’ve never seen a hyena in captivity before. 5. Asian Elephants: In addition to bears and big cats, elephants make every zoo complete.
     
    Last edited: 21 Jan 2019
  3. Arizona Docent

    Arizona Docent Well-Known Member 15+ year member

    Joined:
    10 Feb 2009
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    7,702
    Location:
    Arizona, USA
    From my memory of trip in I think 1999, Saint Louis Zoo cat exhibits were (as you say) decent but not breathtaking. I went because they had (at the time) the only remaining king cheetah in USA. (Now the only king cheetah is at a private facility in Connectict). Memphis Zoo has one of my favorite cat complexes and is well worth the trip. Project Survival's Cat Haven has one of the best cat collections in USA (as does nearby Exotic Feline Breeding Compound, but their cages range from mediocre to awful and is not worth visiting IMO). The Living Desert (the one in California not the one in New Mexico) has an excellent cat collection and natural and photo friendly exhibits.
     
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  4. Ann Esther Sprizzo

    Ann Esther Sprizzo Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    3 May 2018
    Posts:
    72
    Location:
    Staten Island, NY
    Hello, two Amur Leopard updates. 2 cubs born at the Beardsley Zo in Connecticut January 25th just announced, a male and a melanistic female. In Russia a badly injured young wild male has been retrieved and treated for his injuries. Only worthy of mentioning because in an earlier such case it resulted in offspring that marked the first introduction of a wild Amur Leopard into the captive population gene pool in almost sixty years. Well, anyway I find this exciting.
     
  5. Ann Esther Sprizzo

    Ann Esther Sprizzo Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    3 May 2018
    Posts:
    72
    Location:
    Staten Island, NY
    Excited to report a male Amur Leopard was born April 21st at the Staten Island Zoo to Kolya (m) and Liski (f).
     
  6. Ann Esther Sprizzo

    Ann Esther Sprizzo Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    3 May 2018
    Posts:
    72
    Location:
    Staten Island, NY
    2 Amur Leopard cubs (a male and a female) born 6/19th at Rosamond-Giffords in Syracuse to relatively young parents Raffery and Tria. The female has white toes like her dad.
     
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