Yes, you are right! There are five big cat species: the lion (Panthera leo), tiger (Panthera tigris), jaguar (Panthera onca), leopard (Panthera pardus) and snow leopard (Panthera uncia). Learn more about those species here.

Yes, you are right! The main threats to big cat populations are habitat loss, human–wildlife conflict, (illegal) wildlife trade and hunting. Wild population numbers would benefit more from habitat protection than from the release of captive big cats into these environments. Learn more about the threats to big cat populations here.

Yes, you are right! Canned hunting mainly concerns the hunting of lions. For the hunter everything is made as easy as possible. The animals were born in captivity and are accustomed to humans. They are released in a fenced-off area, which means they cannot escape. Read more about canned hunting here.

Yes, you are right! Trading tigers from the wild is illegal in the EU, but trading tigers which were born in captivity is not. FOUR PAWS wants to ban the trade in captive bred tigers in Europe. Read more about our work here.

Yes, you are right! Unfortunately, the world has already lost over 90 percent of its tigers and there are only an estimated 3,900 tigers left in the wild. This dramatic decline is a result of a relentless demand for tigers traded for their parts but also to be displayed commercially. Read more about our work to stop the tiger trade.

Yes, you are right! FELIDA Big Cat Sanctuary is a project by FOUR PAWS, located in the Netherlands. Read more about FELIDA here.

Yes, you are right! Twenty big cats were transferred from FELIDA to LIONSROCK. Learn more about those animals here.

Yes, you are right! Tiger Tsezar was exploited in a private club in Ukraine as well as used for intensive breeding. Get to know Tsezar.

Yes, you are right! Lioness Elza is the older sister of lion Simba, together with their 5 younger siblings they were rescued from private keeping in Romania. Get to know Elza and Simba.

Yes, you are right! In January 2022 FOUR PAWS was contacted by the local authorities of Montenegro about a illegally kept lion cub that had escaped from private keeping and was roaming the streets near Budva on the Adriatic coast. After 10 days the starved and exhausted lion cub, who got the name Nikola, was rescued and brought to a temporary safe place. Read more about his rescue here.