Best "Cat" collection.

You need to add scottish wildcat to the Port Lympne list (I just got back from England and found them thanks to someone else here on ZooChat, because they are in a very obscure corner in a deadend path and are not marked on the map).

If you really love cats, you absolutely MUST take the eurostar to France and visit Le Parc Des Felins. I am about to post several snapshots from there that I took with my pocket digital camera. (My "good" SLR closeup shots are on slide film, so it will be a week or so before I get them developed, sorted and scanned). But this is BY FAR the best cat collection ever assembled on earth, and all in huge natural enclosures. I did find Port Lympne in UK impressive, though, especially since they have several small cat areas, not just one. (In fact there was one listed on the map I didn't even get to - the park is so big).
 
Twycross Zoo

(current cats)
Asiatic Lion
Amur Leopard
Scottish Wild Cat

Soon to arrive will be the Snow Leopards.

(past cats)
Sumatran Tiger
Bengal Tiger
Cheetah
African Leopard
Bobcat
Puma
Sand Cat

I think thats it.
 
Bele said:
I remember the pampas cat at Chester , I believe it was one of three males imported by Kilverstone . The collection of S. American cats - and other S. American mammal groups - held by Kilverstone was most impressive .

From memory Kilverstone cats were -

Jaguar
Puma
Ocelot
Margay
Oncilla
Geoffroy's cat
Pampas cat
Jaguarundi

Another UK collection with an impressive cat collection ( mostly smaller species , largest being snow and clouded leopard , puma ) is the RSCC in Kent .
Click to expand...

That is an impressive collection of south american felines , especially the pampas cats which are not often seen in captivity even here in central and south america
 
Arizona Docent said:
You need to add scottish wildcat to the Port Lympne list (I just got back from England and found them thanks to someone else here on ZooChat, because they are in a very obscure corner in a deadend path and are not marked on the map).

If you really love cats, you absolutely MUST take the eurostar to France and visit Le Parc Des Felins. I am about to post several snapshots from there that I took with my pocket digital camera. (My "good" SLR closeup shots are on slide film, so it will be a week or so before I get them developed, sorted and scanned). But this is BY FAR the best cat collection ever assembled on earth, and all in huge natural enclosures. I did find Port Lympne in UK impressive, though, especially since they have several small cat areas, not just one. (In fact there was one listed on the map I didn't even get to - the park is so big).
Click to expand...


hey arizona docent , let me congratulate you for making the effort of visiting the uk and let me say well done for visiting the Aspinall parks , has your opinion somewhat changed towards them now? if so i knew that the parks would work their magic on you

its good to hear this news from you friend
 
Riziki said:
Howletts Wild Animal Park -
Amur Tiger
Sumatran Tiger
Indian Tiger - Aspinall Tigers
Northern Lynx
Clouded Leopard
North Chinese Leopard
Snow Leopard
Fishing Cat
Pallas Cat
Indian Desert Cat
Serval
Ocelot
Jungle Cat
African Wild Cat

Port Lympne Wild Animal Park
Amur Tiger
Indian Tiger
"Barbary Lion"
Snow Leopard
Clouded Leopard
Rusty-Spotted Cat
African Cheetah
Fishing Cat
Indian Desert Cat
Pallas Cat
Caracal
Margay
Ocelot
Siberian Lynx

Both of these parks house the cats and have more than one enclosure for each for example the tiger enclosure's at Howletts number around 6/7 or so and there are 3 Pallas Cat enclosures at Howletts. They have been hugely succesful at breeding all these cats.

Then onto smaller parks

Dartmoor Zoological Park
Amur Tigers - including 3 hybrids in 2 enclosures
Jaguar
African Lion
Cheetah
Lynx

Paradise Wildlife Park
African Lion - including whites
Hybrid Tiger - including whites
Cheetah
Margay
Ocelot
Jaguar
Snow Leopard
Pallas Cat

Linton Zoo
African Lion - 2 groups
Amur Tiger - including hybrids
African Leopard - including black leopard
Snow Leopard

Banham Zoo
Sri-Lankan Leopard
Serval
Cheetah
Amur Tiger
Ocelot
Snow Leopard

There are some of the best cat collections open to the public - in my eyes. Sorry if ive missed some obvious ones out!
Generally its the smaller parks that house the more cats as the bigger ones tend to have big enclosures eg Spirit of the Jaguar at Chester intended for one species other than the smaller parks that have smaller, less expensive but acceptable enclosure's therefore having more room for more species.
If it was down to me its one of the Aspinall Parks.
Click to expand...

Hey riziki i agree with you about the Aspinall parks holding an exceptional collection of felines , however i hope the Aspinall parks might in the future consider keeping some more new world species of felines from my part of the world , it would be wonderful if they kept jaguars as i dont believe they have ever kept that particular species no? at least they didnt keep them when i was visiting the parks , and i think they would make a wonderful addition as the Aspinall parks keep almost all of the big cat species, of course i admit that the Aspinall parks have more then enough on their hands with breeding their tigers and lions , and i recognise that a jaguar in their collection would be of little importance to their endeavors for conservation
 
redpanda said:
Dartmoor actually have four hybrid amurs (the fourth is Tasmin, she's next to the wolves) as well as a female cheetah.
Click to expand...

None of the Tigers at Dartmoor are hybrid, although i think some in-breeding occurd.

At one time Dartmoor had quite an impressive cat collection:
African Lion
Siberian Tiger
Bengal Tiger
Jaguar
Puma
Siberian Lynx
Caracal Lynx
Serval
Ocelot
and earlier on also had:
European Lynx
Scottish Wild cat
Jungle Cat
 
I'm sure the male (Vlad?) was a hybrid, he's too dark for an Amur and I'm sure that's why he was castrated.
 
Ash said:
I'm sure the male (Vlad?) was a hybrid, he's too dark for an Amur and I'm sure that's why he was castrated.
Click to expand...

The male Vlad was castrated to stop him breeding with his sisters-Vlad, blotch, and Stripe are brothers and sisters. No tigers were ever cross bred at dartmoor-the only Bengal Tiger they had (Khan) died years before these cubs were born, and he was always kept alone.
 
I always thought that part of the controversy with the previous owner was that he was breeding and hybridising tigers with no SSP/family tree management? I could be wrong though, I just think Vlad looks like a hybrid ;)
 
Erm I've only been to a few smaller places with big cats. I don't think it's as extensive as some of the place mentioned in this thread, but it's well worth a look, especially for photographers.

Wildlife Heritage Foundation in Kent. I don't think it's open to the public, but you can get in there for photo specific shoots or special visits.
Whf — Whf protection is our passion

And of course, Santago. Photographer's haven, but it's shut I believe. I miss the snow leopard there :(

Alvin
 
Website says they now have clouded leopards, that's cool :cool:
 
Ash said:
I always thought that part of the controversy with the previous owner was that he was breeding and hybridising tigers with no SSP/family tree management? I could be wrong though, I just think Vlad looks like a hybrid ;)
Click to expand...

I thought the same - I'm sure I've heard of them crossing at least some tigers. Still, we live and learn.
 
Thanks for that Jackszoo
Dartmoor was (a long time back) - A truly great park but as it wore on the park just went in decay such a shame i would of love to of seen it as it was ment to of been.
The cat collection has always been a high-light of the Park.
 
Riziki said:
Howletts Wild Animal Park -
Amur Tiger
Sumatran Tiger
Indian Tiger - Aspinall Tigers
Northern Lynx
Clouded Leopard
North Chinese Leopard
Snow Leopard
Fishing Cat
Pallas Cat
Indian Desert Cat
Serval
Ocelot
Jungle Cat
African Wild Cat

Port Lympne Wild Animal Park
Amur Tiger
Indian Tiger
"Barbary Lion"
Snow Leopard
Clouded Leopard
Rusty-Spotted Cat
African Cheetah
Fishing Cat
Indian Desert Cat
Pallas Cat
Caracal
Margay
Ocelot
Siberian Lynx
Click to expand...

Several people have commented on the excellent collection of cats at Aspinall’s zoos.

Two rarely seen species, previously in Aspinall’s collection, that have not been mentioned on this thread:-

• Marbled cat at Howletts
• African golden cat at Port Lympne
 
redpanda said:
I thought the same - I'm sure I've heard of them crossing at least some tigers. Still, we live and learn.
Click to expand...

I can assure all members that no cross-breeding ever occurd at Dartmoor.
Tammy and Tazmin the 2 sisters that came from blackpool were actually of pure decent, although maybe an over represented line.

It was the original Siberian pair Lincoln and Sylvestor that were related, (parents of Spar)

A search was made to find a pure male, but i think they just gave up and decided to mix Spar with the 2 females!
 
Tim May said:
Two rarely seen species, previously in Aspinall’s collection, that have not been mentioned on this thread:-

• Marbled cat at Howletts
• African golden cat at Port Lympne
Click to expand...


Boy would I love to get shots of those two cats. Thailand may have the former on display, but no one has the second any more as far as I know.
 
Hmm.. was checking the critter list on the port lympne website, there doesn't seem to be mention of the African golden cat? Is it just the website being outdated? I'm hoping to visit that zoo over two days as there are so many critters to shoot....

Alvin
 
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gallenwolf said:
Hmm.. was checking the critter list on the port lympne website, there doesn't seem to be mention of the African golden cat? Is it just the website being outdated? I'm hoping to visit that zoo over two days as there are so many critters to shoot....
Alvin
Click to expand...

As my original post said, the African golden cat and marbled cat were previously in Aspinall's collection.
 
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