#bigcats — Public Fediverse posts

#ancientdna #arctic #paleogenomics #americancheetah #currentbiology #science

michael @[email protected] · 2026-09-05 · 09:23 UTC

4-Sep-2026
Not a cheetah: #AncientDNA reveals the surprising #Arctic life of extinct North American cat
New #paleogenomics research by UC Santa Cruz reveals how the so-called #AmericanCheetah adapted to harsh Arctic conditions by preying on fish

research in #CurrentBiology

#ancientdna #arctic #paleogenomics #americancheetah #currentbiology #science

michael @[email protected] · 2026-09-05 · 09:23 UTC

4-Sep-2026
Not a cheetah: #AncientDNA reveals the surprising #Arctic life of extinct North American cat
New #paleogenomics research by UC Santa Cruz reveals how the so-called #AmericanCheetah adapted to harsh Arctic conditions by preying on fish

research in #CurrentBiology

#ancientdna #arctic #paleogenomics #americancheetah #currentbiology #science

michael @[email protected] · 2026-09-05 · 09:23 UTC

4-Sep-2026
Not a cheetah: #AncientDNA reveals the surprising #Arctic life of extinct North American cat
New #paleogenomics research by UC Santa Cruz reveals how the so-called #AmericanCheetah adapted to harsh Arctic conditions by preying on fish

research in #CurrentBiology

#bigcats #felines #carnivores #ecology #science #currentbiology

michael @[email protected] · 2026-09-05 · 09:23 UTC

4-Sep-2026
Not a cheetah: #AncientDNA reveals the surprising #Arctic life of extinct North American cat
New #paleogenomics research by UC Santa Cruz reveals how the so-called #AmericanCheetah adapted to harsh Arctic conditions by preying on fish

research in #CurrentBiology

👉 https://www.sciencenews.org/article/lion-documentary-series-review-natgeo

#ancientdna #arctic #paleogenomics #americancheetah #currentbiology #science

United States News Beep @[email protected] · 2026-09-04 · 18:00 UTC

The ‘American Cheetah’ Wasn’t a Cheetah. New DNA Evidence Shows Just How Wrong Scientists Had It

Miracinonyx trumani, an extinct big cat commonly known as the American cheetah, lived in North America during the…
#NewsBeep #News #US #USA #UnitedStates #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #Science #Animals #bigcats #Genetics #paleontology
https://www.newsbeep.com/us/836439/

#newsbeep #news #us #usa #unitedstates #unitedstatesofamerica

United States News Beep @[email protected] · 2026-09-04 · 18:00 UTC

The ‘American Cheetah’ Wasn’t a Cheetah. New DNA Evidence Shows Just How Wrong Scientists Had It

Miracinonyx trumani, an extinct big cat commonly known as the American cheetah, lived in North America during the…
#NewsBeep #News #US #USA #UnitedStates #UnitedStatesOfAmerica #Science #Animals #bigcats #Genetics #paleontology
https://www.newsbeep.com/us/836439/

#paleontology #genetics #bigcats #animals #science #unitedstatesofamerica

Lilla Varhelyi @[email protected] · 2026-09-03 · 13:32 UTC

Hab mein Löwenportrait farblich überarbeitet.🦁
Tusche auf Bütten, 18x26
Referenz: Anneliese Santihanser
Die Zeichnung ist verfügbar
Lion -Inkpainting for sale
➡️https://www.ebay.de/itm/198606169729
#lion #löwe #wildlifepainting #africananimals #wildlifeart #bigcats #wildlifeartist #kleineKunstklasse #originalart #artforsale #predatoren #raubkatzen #originalartforsalebyartist #animalpainting #inkpaintings #tuschemalerei #tiermalerei #artonmastodon

#lion #lowe #wildlifepainting #africananimals #wildlifeart #bigcats

Lilla Varhelyi @[email protected] · 2026-09-03 · 13:32 UTC

Hab mein Löwenportrait farblich überarbeitet.🦁
Tusche auf Bütten, 18x26
Referenz: Anneliese Santihanser
Die Zeichnung ist verfügbar
Lion -Inkpainting for sale
➡️https://www.ebay.de/itm/198606169729
#lion #löwe #wildlifepainting #africananimals #wildlifeart #bigcats #wildlifeartist #kleineKunstklasse #originalart #artforsale #predatoren #raubkatzen #originalartforsalebyartist #animalpainting #inkpaintings #tuschemalerei #tiermalerei #artonmastodon

#lion #lowe #wildlifepainting #africananimals #wildlifeart #bigcats

Lilla Varhelyi @[email protected] · 2026-09-03 · 13:32 UTC

Hab mein Löwenportrait farblich überarbeitet.🦁
Tusche auf Bütten, 18x26
Referenz: Anneliese Santihanser
Die Zeichnung ist verfügbar
Lion -Inkpainting for sale
➡️https://www.ebay.de/itm/198606169729
#lion #löwe #wildlifepainting #africananimals #wildlifeart #bigcats #wildlifeartist #kleineKunstklasse #originalart #artforsale #predatoren #raubkatzen #originalartforsalebyartist #animalpainting #inkpaintings #tuschemalerei #tiermalerei #artonmastodon

#lion #lowe #wildlifepainting #africananimals #wildlifeart #bigcats

TKSST • seethis.tv 🌈🪐✨ @[email protected] · 2026-08-20 · 17:30 UTC

💁🏻‍♀️ TIL: 🦁👑 A new four-part #NationalGeographic series follows cub Kio and his pride in #Kenya for four years as he grows toward adulthood.

Filmmakers logged over 1,400 hours using specialized #camera rigs without manipulating footage. The #story hinges on his mother Summer and his brotherhood, showing real lion cooperation that contrasts with solitary paths to power.

#lions #cubs #natgeo #animals #wildlife #documentary #savanna #masaimara #jonfavreau #bbc #hanszimmer #cats #bigcats #nature

#nationalgeographic #kenya #camera #story #lions #cubs

nytpu the wyvern @[email protected] · 2026-06-29 · 20:37 UTC

Bobcat, caracals, and playful tiger

#Bobcat #Bobcats #Caracal #Caracals #Tiger #Tigers #BigCat #BigCats #Cat #Cats #Photography #Photo

#bobcat #bobcats #caracal #caracals #tiger #tigers

India Safaris @indiasafaristrends.wordpress.com@indiasafaristrends.wordpress.com · 2026-06-04 · 07:31 UTC

How to Explore India for Birds & Wildlife? The Ultimate 2026-27 Guide for Travelers

India, with its vast landscapes, diverse ecosystems, and rich biodiversity, is a paradise for wildlife enthusiasts and birdwatchers alike. From the dense forests of Central India to the wetlands of the North East, India offers unrivaled opportunities for observing iconic wildlife species and rare birds in their natural habitat. Whether you are seeking a luxury wildlife holiday in India or a focused birdwatching tour, this guide will help you plan your ultimate wildlife adventure. Question: […]

https://indiasafaristrends.wordpress.com/2026/06/04/how-to-explore-india-for-birds-wildlife-the-ultimate-2026-27-guide-for-travelers/

#adventure #agra #amenities #arunachalpradesh #assam #bandhavgarh

India Safaris @indiasafaristrends.wordpress.com@indiasafaristrends.wordpress.com · 2026-05-18 · 08:00 UTC

Is It Ethical to Go on a Safari in India? A Responsible Traveler’s Guide to Wildlife Tourism in 2026

India is one of the world’s most iconic wildlife destinations, home to Bengal tigers, Asian elephants, leopards, rhinos, and over 1,300 bird species. Naturally, a safari in India is high on many travelers’ bucket lists. But as awareness around sustainable travel grows, a critical question arises: Is it ethical to go on a safari in India? Yes, if done responsibly.This guide breaks down the ethics of India safari tours, what to look for, what to avoid, and how to ensure your trip supports […]

https://indiasafaristrends.wordpress.com/2026/05/18/is-it-ethical-to-go-on-a-safari-in-india-a-responsible-travelers-guide-to-wildlife-tourism-in-2026/

#adventure #adventuretravel #animalsforsightings #asia #asianelephants #bengaltigers

delve ✨ @[email protected] · 2026-03-01 · 22:57 UTC

A case for the Jaguar as a native animal of the United States

https://old.reddit.com/r/Jaguarland/comments/oaglrg/a_case_for_the_jaguar_as_a_native_animal_of_the/

#Wildlife #Rewilding #Conservation #Megafauna #Jaguar #Panthera #BigCats

#wildlife #rewilding #conservation #megafauna #jaguar #panthera

Palm Oil Detectives @[email protected] · 2026-01-03 · 14:59 UTC

Jaguars and Pumas Eat More Monkeys in Damaged Forests

Study finds that in fragmented forests of #Mexico, #bigcats like #jaguars and pumas find it difficult to find traditional prey animals like #ungulates. Instead they focus on harder to catch prey like tree-dwelling #monkeys, forced out of the trees by #palmoil, #soy and #meat #deforestation. This spells bad news for many #primate species of Central and South America and highlights why urgent forest protection is needed. Help species survive and be #Vegan #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife to protect forests and forest animals.

In #Mexico, big #cats like #jaguars 🐆 and #pumas can’t find ungulate prey due to #palmoil #mining #meat #deforestation. They’ve switched to a diet of #monkeys, putting them in peril. Help them, be #vegan #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-92D

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#Primates like #howler 🐒and spider #monkeys in #Mexico 🇲🇽 are declining due to overhunting by big cats: #pumas and #jaguars. They’re forced by #deforestation 🌳 into smaller areas. Help them survive! #Boycottpalmoil 🌴⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-92D

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Written by Aralisa Shedden, Postdoctoral Researcher in Conservation, Bournemouth University. Originally published as ‘Big cats eat more monkeys in a damaged tropical forest – and this could threaten their survival’. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Monkeys aren’t normally that popular with Jaguars and Puma but wide-spread logging robs primates of hiding places, drastically reducing their numbers.

Monkeys are not usually a popular menu item for big cats. Primates are, after all, hard to catch: living in the canopies of large trees and rarely coming down to the ground. Jaguar and puma have varied diets and will normally hunt the species that are most common where they live, such as deer, peccary (a type of wild pig) and armadillo.

https://youtu.be/jg-7kOpHtys

But jaguar and puma living in southern Mexican forests with a high human footprint (where wood and other resources are regularly harvested and there are large clearings for farms or expanding settlements) seem to be changing their feeding preferences to include more monkeys, according to new research.

Other studies have already found that when there is less of their usual prey around, big cats turn to alternatives. The changes in jaguar and puma diets that my colleagues and I recorded may indicate that the populations of these normal prey are shrinking, or that something in the environment has changed to make catching and eating primates easier.

A jaguar in the jungle of southern Mexico. Mardoz/Shutterstock

This change in the diet of large cats could make the disappearance of primate populations in tropical forests like this one in southern Mexico more likely. This would, in turn, make the disappearance of large cats themselves more likely due to a lack of food, threatening the stability of an entire ecosystem.

https://youtu.be/m5VDG5lAEtM

On the trail of big cats

When forests are cut down or altered by loggers and hunters, primates are particularly affected, as many species depend on tall trees for food, shelter and to chart paths through the forest. Globally, more than 60% of primate species are threatened with extinction.

https://youtu.be/X-brmypUfJY

These changes to forests have also put large predators at risk. Understanding what is happening in these areas can inform more effective conservation measures, which may prevent species from disappearing.

The Uxpanapa valley in southeastern Mexico is one of the last relicts of tall evergreen forest in the country, and is classified as one of the most biodiverse areas in both Mexico and the world. It is home to jaguar, puma and many other species, including two endangered primates: howler and spider monkeys.

Howler monkeys are native to South and Central American forests. David Havel/Shutterstock

I led a research team that studied the distribution of primates in the Uxpanapa Valley for the first time. We recorded the number of primates and where they were found, as well as the type of forest they preferred.

Another team looked for large cats with the help of a dog which could detect their faeces, otherwise known as scat. Scat was collected to obtain DNA and determine the species that left it, whether it had any parasites, and what its diet was like. The team found out what prey these large cats were eating by using microscopes to study the hairs left in each scat. Special identification guides can link each kind of animal to its hair – each has a particular colour, pattern and shape.

Large carnivores maintain biodiversity and the functioning of an ecosystem by controlling populations of certain species – for example, herbivores that might otherwise harm trees or prevent forests regrowing. The presence of such predators can indicate an ecosystem’s health. Knowing what top predators are eating can tell us even more about how an ecosystem is functioning.

Jaguar Panthera onca by Ecuadorian artist Juanchi Pérez portrait

What we found

When we combined the data and information we collected, we began to understand that something out of the ordinary was happening.

Primates were the most frequent prey found in jaguar and puma scats, making up nearly 35% of the remains. Primate remains were also more likely to be found in scats collected from areas with less forest. Spider monkey remains, for example, were more likely to be found in scats collected in areas with more villages, and in forest that was regrowing after being disturbed.

A possible explanation is that where there are more villages, it is likely that there is more hunting and tree-cutting taking place. Where there is more hunting, the prey that jaguar and puma usually prefer might not be as plentiful. And regrowing forests do not offer primates the same protection as tall, untouched forests. These two factors may explain why large cats are eating spider monkeys more often here.

Jaguar and puma will usually eat the prey that is more abundant. If their preferred prey is scarce, they will hunt the species they encounter most. Similar to what we observed with spider monkeys, in areas where there was less tall forest, howler monkey remains were more likely than non-primate prey to be found in the scats, possibly as big cats found it easier to reach primates.

Logging robs monkeys of hiding places from predators. Eduardo Cota/Shutterstock

Less tree cover and overhunting of other prey (combined with general habitat loss) could explain the high rates of primate predation we discovered. Nevertheless, we need to continue monitoring these sites to fully understand these changes in large cat diets.

Our results highlight the importance of maintaining tall forest cover to ensure primates and other forest-dependent species can survive. They also raise the urgent need for conservation, before the negative effects of human activities on both primate and large cat populations become irreversible, and the ecosystems they live in are lost.

Written by Aralisa Shedden, Postdoctoral Researcher in Conservation, Bournemouth University. Originally published as ‘Big cats eat more monkeys in a damaged tropical forest – and this could threaten their survival’. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

ENDS

Jaguar Panthera onca

Jaguars, currently deemed Near Threatened, face a substantial habitat reduction of up to 25% in just over two decades. This decline stems from rampant deforestation for palm oil, soy, and meat, as well…

Brown Howler Monkey Alouatta guariba

You will hear a Brown Howler #Monkey before you sere one. Heard from several kilometres away these monkeys have a haunting howl that penetrates and rustles the forest canopy. They live in groups…

Colombian Red Howler Monkey Alouatta seniculus

Red howlers are the largest of the howler monkey species. They have dense and vividly coloured fur that ranges from brown to dark red, with gold or bright orange undersides – the colour…

Brown Spider Monkey Ateles hybridus

The enigmatic blue-billed curassow (Crax alberti – local name “Paujil”), endemic to the tropical humid forests of northern Colombia, is the cracid species most threatened with extinction in the wild from #deforestation

Yucatán Black Howler Monkey Alouatta pigra

Their range is being rapidly destroyed for palm oil and sugar cane deforestation and mining. They are also facing human persecution and hunting pressures. Yucatán Black Howler Monkeys have been classified as endangered…

Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

Global South America S.E. Asia India Africa West Papua & PNG

Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque

Saola Pseudoryx nghetinhensis

Tucuxi Sotalia fluviatilis

Frill-Necked Lizard Chlamydosaurus kingii

Grey Crowned Crane Balearica regulorum

Ecuadorean Viscacha Lagidium ahuacaense