Big/Small cats in the UK

H

Hozzell

Member
Hi there
Thank you for accepting me to this forum. For many years I have been 'collecting' big and small cat species and sub species in UK zoos. I have managed to get quite a few but would really like some help on the last few. I realize that many are not available to view in captivity, let alone in the UK but any help would be massively appreciated. I am based in Suffolk but will travel so any suggestions, even if the species has already been suggested will be gratefully received.
Here is the list I am looking for :-)

Andean mountain cat
Kodkod
Margay
Pampas cat
African golden cat
Bornean Golden cat
Marbled cat
Cheetah - Northern (Whipsnade)
- Iranian
- King
Black footed cat
Chinese mountain cat
Wildcat - middle eastern
- asian wildcat
Jungle cat - all subs
Sand cat all subs
Flat headed cat
Iberian lynx
Leopard - Arabian
- Javan
- Indian
- Indochinese
Lion - Barbary
- cape
- Masai
- Northeast congo
- Southwest African (katanga)
- Transvaal
- West african
- Addis ababa
Tiger - South China
- Indochinese

Many many thanks.

Hazel x
 
Hozzell said:
Andean mountain cat
Kodkod
Margay
Pampas cat
African golden cat
Bornean Golden cat
Marbled cat
Cheetah - Northern (Whipsnade)
- Iranian
- King
Black footed cat
Chinese mountain cat
Wildcat - middle eastern
- asian wildcat
Jungle cat - all subs
Sand cat all subs
Flat headed cat
Iberian lynx
Leopard - Arabian
- Javan
- Indian
- Indochinese
Lion - Barbary
- cape
- Masai
- Northeast congo
- Southwest African (katanga)
- Transvaal
- West african
- Addis ababa
Tiger - South China
- Indochinese

Many many thanks.

Hazel x
Click to expand...

Welcome to zoochat! I'm also a cat fan. Here's what I know:

Andean cat - none in captivity. One was kept in captivity for five months in Bolivia and released six days ago.

Kodkod - Currently only present in one collection, a private breeding centre in Chile.

Margay - relatively plentiful. In the UK, you can find them in Port Lympne, Edinburgh, Welsh Mountain Zoo, Shaldon and Amazona Zoo.

Pampas cat - many in captivity in South American zoos.

African golden cat - a single male in a rescue centre in Gabon, although there may be some in private hands across Africa.

Bornean bay cat - none in captivity.

Marbled cat - several in private collections in the UAE, Russia, Malaysia and possibly in an Indonesian zoo or two.

I've realised that this is turning into a reasonably negative post. Perhaps it's best to point you towards the zootierliste website, which lists holdings in European zoos: ZootierlisteHomepage
(just click through the menus on the top and on the left side of the page).
 
Don't think Amazona have Margay, not onshow anyway! You'll struggle to see them at Edinburgh too by all accounts!
 
Here is a list of cat species in UK zoos, according to Zootierliste:
Tiger: Ashford, Broxbourne, Colwyn Bay, Friskney, Hamerton, Heythrop, Longleat, Port Lympne, Sandown, Shepreth, West Midland, Wingham, Woodside, Wraxall
Indochinese, South China: None
Malayan: Hamerton
Siberian: Ashford, Banham, Belfast, Blackpool, Blair Drummond, Colchester, Dartmoor, Exmoor, Heythrop, Highland, Howletts, Knowsley, Linton, Longleat, Marwell, Port Lympne, Sandown, Whipsnade, Woburn, Yorkshire
Sumatran: Ashford, Chessington, Chester, Colwyn Bay, Drayton Manor, Dudley, Edinburgh, Howletts, London, Malton, Paignton, South Lakes, Thrigby Hall, West Midland

Lion: Ashford, Blackpool, Blair Drummond, Borth, Colchester, Combe Martin, Dartmoor, Folly Farm, Heythrop, Kessingland, Knowsley, Linton, Longleat, Malton, Newquay, Sandown, South Lakes, West Midland, Whipsnade, Wingham, Woburn, Wraxall, Yorkshire
Asiatic: Bristol, Chessington, Chester, Cotswold, Dudley, Edinburgh, London, Paignton
Barbary: Belfast, Howletts, Port Lympne, South Lakes
Southeast African: Ashford, Broxbourne, Sandown, West Midland
Addis Ababa, Cape, Masai, Northeast Congo, Southwest African, Transvaal, West African: None

Jaguar: Ashford, Broxbourne, Chester, Cromer, Dartmoor, Sandown, South Lakes, Thrigby Hall, Wingham

Leopard: Borth, Drayton Park, Exmoor, Rutland
Amur: Ashford, Broxbourne, Colchester, Highland. Marwell, Rutland, Thrigby Hall, Twycross, Yorkshire
Arabian, Indian, Indochinese and Javan: None
Central African: Heythrop
North Chinese: Ashford, Howletts
North Persian: Rutland
Sri Lankan: Banham, South Lakes

Snow leopard: Ashford, Banham, Broxbourne, Colwyn Bay, Combe Martin, Dudley, Highland, Howletts, Linton, Marwell, Milnthorpe, Port Lympne, South Lakes, Thrigby Hall, Twycross
Clouded leopard: Indochinese: Ashford, Cotswold, Howletts, Port Lympne, Thrigby Hall
UK/England:
Sunda clouded leopard, Marbled cat, Bay Cat: None

Asian golden cat: South-east Asian: Belfast
Tibetan: Exmoor, Thrigby Hall
Bornean Golden cat: None

Caracal: Exmoor, Galloway, Hoo Farm, Wingham
African golden cat: None
Serval: Ashford, Drusillas, Galloway, Hamerton, Hoo Farm, Howletts, Kessingland, Lake District, London, Marwell, Reasheath, Tropiquaria
Pantanal cat, Colocolo: None
Geoffroy’s cat: Banham. Colchester, Dudley, Sandown, Shorelands
Kodkod, Southern tigrina, Andean mountain cat, Pampas cat: None
Ocelot: Banham, Birmingham, Borth, Broxbourne, Chessington, Cromer, Folly Farm, Howletts, Marwell, Newchurch, Port Lympne
Oncilla: Hamerton

Margay: Yucatan: Colwyn Bay, Cromer, Edinburgh, Port Lympne, Shaldon

Canadian lynx: Hamerton

Eurasian lynx: Carpathian: Camperdown, Chessington, Dudley, Exmoor, Newquay, Port Lympne
Central Asian: Woodside
Northern: Ashford, Birmingham, Borth, Camperdown, Cupar, Curraghs, Drayton Manor, Five Sisters, Galloway, Highland, Lake District, Mablethorpe, New Forest, Shepreth, Whipsnade, Wildwood Trust
Siberian: Broxbourne, Curraghs, Dartmoor, Drayton Manor, Galloway

Iberian lynx, Bobcat: None
Puma: Ashford, Broxbourne, Cromer, Dartmoor, Exmoor, Heythrop, Rutland, Wingham
Jaguarundi: Axe Valley, Cromer, Hamerton, Shorelands

Cheetah: South African: Ashford, Banham, Belfast,Colchester, Dartmoor, Exmoor, Hamerton, Kessingland, Longleat, Marwell, Paignton, Port Lympne, West Midland, Wingham
Sudan: Bristol, Chester, Marwell, Whipsnade
Iranian: None
King is a mutation

Leopard cat: Amur: Galloway
Indochinese: Axe Valley, Galloway
Palestine: Exmoor

Flat-headed cat: None

Rusty-spotted cat: Sri Lankan: Ashford, AxeValley, Exmoor, Hamerton, Port Lympne

Fishing cat: Ashford, Drayton Manor, Exmoor, Hoo Farm, Howletts, Lake District, Newquay, Port Lympne
Pallas’s cat: Ashford, Banham, Broxbourne, Cotswold, Highland, Howletts, Port Lympne
Jungle cat: Ashford
Sand cat: Arabian: Bristol, Exmoor
Black footed cat: None

Wildcat: African: Howletts
European: Hoo Farm
Scottish: Auchingarrich, Calderglen, Camperdown, Canterbury, Chester, Chestnut, Cupar, Edinburgh, Galloway, Gentleshaw, Highland, Mablethorpe, Newchapel, New Forest, Port Lympne, Shepreth, Tamar, Thrigby Hall, Tropiquaria, Wingham
Asian, Middle Eastern: None
 
Oh my goodness, thank you so much for your very comprehensive and swift help and response! I do realize that a lot are not in the UK but didn't know where to find such a full list without going through each individual zoo page I happened to find on a map!
I have been to Amazona in Cromer a couple of times - they used to have a Margay and am now kicking myself I didn't wait to get a picture but with small minis in tow, it is often difficult! We went again this summer and there were no Margay there. It looks like, apart from a few, which I hope to complete before the end of next year I have almost done! Will be updating my lists and planning our visits during the cold days of winter to really get this project nailed.
Again - thank you so much for your help!
 
Thanks Hozell

I'm afraid that quite a few species have small cat have become rare or non-existent in zoos. I remember when Chester Zoo had a good collection of South American cats, including the pampas cat. I also saw pampas cats at Kilverstone. I've also seen the bobcat, black-footed cat and African golden cat. I don't remember seeing the flat-headed cat, although I visited Rotterdam in 1982.

I think it's a pity that zoos devote so much space to big cats, when there are many endangered species of small cats, which could be kept in zoos.
 
I remember going to Kilverstone as a child! Don't really remember much apart from the Falabella horses! I was sure a few years ago one of the Kent parks had a black footed cat but looking now couldn't find it, guess it was either old or has been moved. Managed to tick off bobcat at the Cat survival trust several years ago and am now saving hard for a trip to Paris - will keep the girls happy with a trip to Disney but will somehow fit in a couple of days at Parc des Felins!!
 
Hozzell said:
I remember going to Kilverstone as a child! Don't really remember much apart from the Falabella horses! I was sure a few years ago one of the Kent parks had a black footed cat but looking now couldn't find it, guess it was either old or has been moved.
Click to expand...
if you go to the Zootierliste link earlier in the thread, each species has a "current holdings" and "former holdings" (just above the list of zoos for each species).
 
Hozzell said:
I remember going to Kilverstone as a child! Don't really remember much apart from the Falabella horses! I was sure a few years ago one of the Kent parks had a black footed cat but looking now couldn't find it, guess it was either old or has been moved. Managed to tick off bobcat at the Cat survival trust several years ago and am now saving hard for a trip to Paris - will keep the girls happy with a trip to Disney but will somehow fit in a couple of days at Parc des Felins!!
Click to expand...

Yeah, both Rare Species Conservation Centre and Port Lympne kept and bred Black-footed Cat in recent years; however the species rather rapidly died off in European collections over the course of the last decade or so due to a rather unpleasant hereditary kidney disease.

As such, animals were dying faster than they could breed; Port Lympne bred the species as recently as May 2013 but by November 2014 all the individuals at the collection - juveniles included - had succumbed to the disease. These were the last ones in Europe.

Oh, and I am incredibly envious you got to visit Kilverstone :p
 
I would have loved to have been able to get to Kilverstone
I am writing on my blog about closed zoos and wildlife parks and have included a small article about Kilverstone ... it may not be great but I am expanding it
 
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devilfish said:
Marbled cat - several in private collections in the UAE, Russia, Malaysia and possibly in an Indonesian zoo or two.
Click to expand...
Which zoos in Russia and Malaysia keep marbled cats? I could only find a reference stating marbled cats were kept in a private zoo in Moscow after it was smuggled from Jakarta. Otherwise I could not find anything about them kept in Malaysia or Russia - although there may be non ISIS zoos keeping them.
 
animalszoos said:
Which zoos in Russia and Malaysia keep marbled cats? I could only find a reference stating marbled cats were kept in a private zoo in Moscow after it was smuggled from Jakarta. Otherwise I could not find anything about them kept in Malaysia or Russia - although there may be non ISIS zoos keeping them.
Click to expand...
Just to clarify, I didn't say they were kept in Russian or Malaysian zoos, but they are present in private hands.
 
You will LOVE Le Parc Des Felins. I am a cat fanatic and have been there on four different trips and it is undoubtedly my favorite zoo.

Most of your original wish list, however, is very difficult (and impossible in UK or even Europe).

If you want to know more about king cheetah, view this thread: King Cheetah census

If you want to know more about marbled cat, view this thread: Marbled Cats in Zoos
 
Thank you everyone for all your support, it's really appreciated. @Zoofan15 Temminck's golden cats are a fascinating species, I have actually worked with a lovely yet related pair, so no kittens unfortunatley ha.
I have some mammal experience and have worked with South american fur seals, a large number of callitrichidae, range of small felines including, golden cats, ocelots, rusty spotted cats, jagarundi, sand cats, (and quite a few more ha ), as well as a number of lemur species.
Feline species I would be interested in having would be : Clouded leopards(largest cat I would have), Golden cats(either asian or africa species), Bay cats, Flat headed cats, Marbled cats, Sand cats, Ocelots, Margay, Oncilla and Scottish Wild cats. All threathened, poorly represented in captivity and would benefit from a off display breeding set up.
 
cuckooduck said:
Thank you everyone for all your support, it's really appreciated. @Zoofan15 Temminck's golden cats are a fascinating species, I have actually worked with a lovely yet related pair, so no kittens unfortunatley ha.
I have some mammal experience and have worked with South american fur seals, a large number of callitrichidae, range of small felines including, golden cats, ocelots, rusty spotted cats, jagarundi, sand cats, (and quite a few more ha ), as well as a number of lemur species.
Feline species I would be interested in having would be : Clouded leopards(largest cat I would have), Golden cats(either asian or africa species), Bay cats, Flat headed cats, Marbled cats, Sand cats, Ocelots, Margay, Oncilla and Scottish Wild cats. All threathened, poorly represented in captivity and would benefit from a off display breeding set up.
Click to expand...

Sounds like an interesting range!

What zoo did you work with Golden Cats at?

I was surprised to hear recently that there are only two (a pair at Belfast Zoo) in UK zoos and only 50 in cpativity. I really miss having them in Australasia and North America have recently phased them out of their zoos so I'm guessing these 50 are spread across Asia and the rest of Europe. I believe Wuppertal Zoo has bred a number of them in recent years.

I used to see Belfast Zoo's male Golden Cat at Auckland Zoo, where he was born. He was handraised so I'm not sure if this will affect his ability to breed with Belfast Zoo's female. His name is Saigon and he also has a brother Hotan in a zoo in Germany (Wuppertal I think?) and their mother, Hoi An was living in a zoo in France last I heard. She would now be post reproductive if still alive but I hope she was able to breed again after leaving our region.

It'd be awesome if more zoos held this species. I believe they are crespecular and in some cases, nocturnal so they could be an interesting feature in your wildlife park if you decide to do night tours!
 
Zoofan15 said:
I was surprised to hear recently that there are only two (a pair at Belfast Zoo) in UK zoos and only 50 in cpativity
Click to expand...

There's actually four in UK zoos :p and given the context I suspect that cuckooduck worked with the species at Edinburgh.
 
TeaLovingDave said:
There's actually four in UK zoos :p and given the context I suspect that cuckooduck worked with the species at Edinburgh.
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Then the Belfast Zoo page must be mistaken. I will check out the pair at Edinburgh. I'm guessing the 50 in captivity are mostly related, and probably many from Wuppertal.

The Zoo | Temminck’s golden cat

Belfast Zoo is home to the only pair of Temminck’s golden cats in the UK. Their enclosures can be found opposite the gorilla house. The enclosure was specially designed with this secretive cat’s habits in mind. The male ‘Saigon’ can be found in the on show enclosure. He was born in Auckland Zoo in New Zealand. It is best to stop and have a really good look in the enclosure as often he likes to sit under the bushes at the back. Our female ‘Myo-tho’, who was born in Wuppertal Zoo in Germany, has an off-show enclosure with more privacy so hopefully in the future she can rear kittens.
 
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Zoofan15 said:
Then the Belfast Zoo page must be mistaken. I will check out the pair at Edinburgh. I'm guessing the 50 in captivity are mostly related, and probably many from Wuppertal.
Click to expand...

Edinburgh does not hold the species anymore.

It used to hold 2,1 individuals, of which 1,1 were siblings. When the collection went out of the species, the unrelated 1,1 went to Exmoor whilst the spare (and related) 1,0 went to Thrigby Hall. In the intervening time, the unrelated male at Exmoor has passed away, leaving 0,1 at this collection and 1,0 (the sibling) at Thrigby Hall.

As the only time within the last 7 years (the period during which cuckooduck claims to have been working in zoological collections) when there have been related individuals at the same collection was at Edinburgh, this is why I surmised that this is where he worked with the taxon..... although given the siblings were *never* paired up, and there was an unrelated male present too, it would be disingenuous to claim this is why the species never bred there.
 
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