My regular readers know that I am a huge animal lover. I enjoy animals of all different shapes and sizes. The only “critters” that scare me are not animals, but rather a spider and an insect. I’m afraid of Brown Recluse Spiders and Praying Mantis insects.
As the “mom” to four adult cats, a six week old kitten and a dog who thinks he’s a cat I can certainly appreciate any cause that would help protect Earth’s creatures.
Not too long ago I interviewed director Keith Scholey who co-directed the DisneyNature film African Cats. You can read my interview here, https://www.shescribes.com/2011/04/chatting-with-african-cats-director-keith-scholey.html. The movie helped to bring awareness to the beautiful cats that live on the African plains. The movie also helped to raise funds to protect these gorgeous creatures.
National Geographic has also launced a special campaign to help bring awareness to the plight of Earth’s big cats and to help find ways to prevent many big cats from going extinct. These amazing creatures are dying at an alarming rate. Here are a few examples.
– Lions—perhaps as low as 20,000 across Africa.
– Snow leopards—between 4,500 and 7,500 remain in the wild.
– Tigers—the largest of all big cats—only an estimated 3,200 remaining.
– Cheetahs—as few as 12,000 remain in the wild.
Some people might argue that these are healthy amounts of big cats. That is not true. These cats are killed at a rapid rate by poachers and many die off due to the fact their environment is being destroyed to make way for buildings and towns. These cats can be extinct in a matter of YEARS, even with current numbers in the thousands.
Would you want to visit a zoo with your children or grandchildren and NOT see Lions or Tigers? Imagine the only way you can tell your children and grandchildren about these magnificent beasts is through photos? That is a really sad and scary thought.
National Geographic’s Little Kitties for Big Cats campaign is a great way for kids can help save big cats all across the planet by posting photos of their own kitties at home.
The campaign is a chance to celebrate cats of all sizes, while helping to prevent the extinction of lions, tigers, cheetahs, leopards and other big cats around the world. Teach your kids about the importance of saving big cats with big cat facts from National Geographic. You can also look at the Little Kitty of the Week or the Top Little Kitties galleries. If you are a cat lover (apparently we are with five cats…LOL) you’ll love all the photos uploaded by people like you and me of our own beloved feline family members.
By helping your child add his or her kitty’s photo to the Honor Wall, you can support your cat’s wild cousins:
1) Visit Little Kitties for Big Cats
2) Make a contribution of just $5 or more to help save big cats
3) Select your favorite photo of your cat and add him or her to our honor wall
While celebrating our special cats is all in fun, National Geographic is undertaking this campaign to help prevent the extinction of majestic wild cats around the globe.
The National Geographic Society’s Big Cats Initiative is funding special grants to help save big cats, especially Africa’s lions. The grants are aimed at stopping the conflict with humans, poaching and habitat loss that are eradicating these magnificent cats.
For more information please visit http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/big-cats/little-kitties/.
FYI… all the cats pictured here are our cats. From top to bottom: Bella, Velcro, Anakin, Padmé, and Kitty.
Kimberly
*I was not compensated in any way for this post. I posted this information because I am a huge animal lover and I feel that this is a great cause. Any opinions expressed are my own.
Kelly says
What gorgoeus cats you have with such unique names. I have a huge love for cats just like yourself. Thanks for the great post!
Hey Jen says
I am a huge animal lover. But big cats hold a special place in my heart.
I volunteer when I can at a local sanctuary for big exotic cats. Some came from homes where the owners were people who thought they should be able to have a big cat and didn’t fully realize what all went into caring for the animals. Some were badly mistreated. Other cats like the tiger cubs were there as rescues, the owner was going to put them down because they didn’t come out white. You see, in order to get the white tiger, you have to inbreed. All those lovely white tigers you see in the zoos are almost always due to inbreeding. True white tigers are very rare.
I’m stepping off my soapbox here now because otherwise I will go on and on about this issue.
Anyway, you have beautiful cats and I love the names! 🙂
Hedy says
Bella is too cute! I am presently cat less, so I love the picture.
won says
Velcro is especially beautiful!
And kudos to you for spreading the word. I’m sure it’s appreciated.
Eileen says
Of course my fave is lil’ Bella, and I love the coloring in Kitty. I did go back and read your whole interview and will now look for this film on dvd. That must have been exciting for you to interview the director…especially when you are so into cats. I’d love to see a real snow leopard! So sad when our worlds amimals are diminishing like this….
Melissa says
Your kitties are all so cute:) I can’t believe how few big cats there are, I had no idea that they were endangered. How sad:( This is a great cause!
keyomi says
i think you are doing a fantastic job with your lil ones 🙂 i am actually a dog lover more than a cat lover. but we humans need to have more empathy for animals in general! 🙂
Julie says
Your kitties are so cute, Kimberly. Thanks for such an awesome post about such a sad situation. I’m definitely going to visit and check it out.