Best collection of Large Cats both inside/outside the US

Kansas City has plans for better exhibits for both tigers and orangutans in their 2020 master plan. The leopard exhibit is not large, but shaded and with climbing opportunities, so I would consider it just average.

Omaha has plans to demolish the cat complex. Here is their master plan: http://www.ketv.com/download/2010/0604/23793626.pdf

wow, 2020? thats a shame it will take that long to destroy those terrible exhibits for tigers and orangs. I can't believe there is not more outrage over the tiger exhibit. Tell me about the old circular structure that is abandoned near the tiger exhibit. Did that use to be an animal exhibit? It looks like it was recently used as a halloween haunted house.

thanks for link on Omaha, looks awesome for their master plan...I still think they are innovators for zoo exhibits
 
wow, 2020? thats a shame it will take that long to destroy those terrible exhibits for tigers and orangs. I can't believe there is not more outrage over the tiger exhibit. Tell me about the old circular structure that is abandoned near the tiger exhibit. Did that use to be an animal exhibit? It looks like it was recently used as a halloween haunted house.

I believe you are reffering to the abandoned Great Ape House. It was built in the 1960's to house the zoo's collection of orangutans and gorillas. The gorillas were moved out in 1996 (I think), when their exhibit in Africa was completed. Facing loss of AZA accredation in 2004, they needed to move the orangs out too. A temporary cage was built, but they never moved out of it, and that is where they are today.
 
Probably the best cat collection here in Australia is at Melbourne which includes:

Arabian Caracal
Serval
Fishing Cat
African Lion
Sumatran Tiger
Snow Leopard
Puma
Persian Leopard
 
Probably the best cat collection here in Australia is at Melbourne which includes:

Arabian Caracal
Serval
Fishing Cat
African Lion
Sumatran Tiger
Snow Leopard
Puma
Persian Leopard

I've visited 18 different zoos and aquariums all over Australia and while there are many wonderful things to see "down under" the cat collections in the zoos are extremely disappointing. Ahh, the infamous Aussie importation laws...
 
Toronto has:

Cougar
African Lion
Siberian Tiger
Sumatran Tiger
Cheetah
Caracal (may be phased out for porcupines though they were there on my recent visit)
Canadian Lynx
Jaguar
Clouded Leopard
Snow Leopard

At one point they also had Bobcat and Chinese Leopard.
 
Toronto has:

Cougar
African Lion
Siberian Tiger
Sumatran Tiger
Cheetah
Caracal (may be phased out for porcupines though they were there on my recent visit)
Canadian Lynx
Jaguar
Clouded Leopard
Snow Leopard

At one point they also had Bobcat and Chinese Leopard.


When did they have the Chinese leopard? Where was the exhibit and what happened to it?
 
San Diego Zoo & Safari Park

San Diego Zoo has:

Elephant Odyssey:
African Lions (male M'Bari, female Itosha, no longer a breeding pair, one surviving offspring - male is intact, female is spayed)
Jaguar (female Indiri, male Guapo, a newly-introduced pair with hopes for breeding)

Tiger River:
Malayan Tigers (male/father Paka, female/mother Mek, older female Denai, and 2 male cubs at present, 5 offspring total in 3 litters, not yet on exhibit. Mek was wild born & was rescued after being accused of eating a villager)
Fishing Cats

In what was called Dog & Cat Canyon:
Chinese Leopards
Mountain Lions (aka Puma, Cougar)
Black Jaguar (Orson, a beautiful male that will turn 19 this October)
Snow Leopards
Siberian Lynx
A smaller cat next to the Fossa that I have yet to see & whose species I forget at the moment (not a Caracal or Margay, I think, but in that line).

Urban Jungle (animal ambassadors in Backstage Pass)
Cheetahs (paired with dog buddies)
Clouded Leopards
Servals

In what was called Bear Canyon:
Transvaal Lion (older female)

Animal Ambassadors that are exhibited & walked on leashes at unannounced times in the Children's Zoo. They also visit schools, hospitals, & corporate events:
Serval (Shani, 9 year old female)
Ocelot (Diego, 6 year old male)

San Diego Zoo Safari Park:
Cheetahs (breeding group off-exhibit)
Cheetahs (animal ambassador group, mostly paired with dogs -- training talk scheduled daily -- also used in shows. Planned reopening of "Cheetah Run" event this summer which will now be free)
Sumatran Tigers (six adults, one white, two female cubs Joanne & Majel to mother Delta)
African Lions (one male -- sibling to the Zoo's Itosha; two females -- siblings to Zoo's M'bari; active breeding group)

If I've left any out, please feel free to update. Thanks.
 
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When did they have the Chinese leopard? Where was the exhibit and what happened to it?

The Chinese Leopards were in the area where the Red Pandas are now. I believe they rehomed them when they; one was at Jungle Cat World. I think they had them in the 80's-early 90s.
 
These are the cats that will be exhibited in Night Hunters:

-Pallas' Cat
-Black-footed Cat
-Caracal
-Southern Brazilian Ocelot
-Clouded Leopard
-Arabian Sand Cat
-Fishing Cat

No Bobcats in the Children's Zoo, or Wolf Woods, though.

The Bobcats did return for Night Hunters and are on display in the building. So as a result, the Cincinnati Zoo's cat collection is as follows:

-Night Hunters-
Arabian Sand Cat
Black-footed Cat
Bobcat
Caracal
Clouded Leopard
Fishing Cat
Pallas' Cat
Southern Brazilian Ocelot
Cougar (On the outside of the building)

-Tiger Canyon-
Malayan Tiger
White Tiger
Southern Cheetah

-White Lions of Timbavati-
White Lion

-Cheetah Encounter-
Serval
*Southern Cheetah

-Currently Off-Exhibit-
Snow Leopard

*Repeat

In conclusion, the Cincinnati Zoo has a total of 15 cat species. Not bad considering the amount of species that the zoo has lost in the last 10 years. They used to have Persian Leopards, Asian Golden Cats, Pampas Cats, Jaguarundis, Margays, Geoffroy's Cats, Siberian Lynxes, Canadian Lynxes, Marbled Cats, Rusty-spotted Cats, and more.
 
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In the UK, I would say Howletts and Port Lympne would be by far the best

Port Lympne:

Barbary Lions
Bengal Indian Tigers
Amur Tigers
Cheetah
Snow Leopard
Caracal
Clouded Leopard
Fishing Cat
Indian Desert Cat
Eurasian Lynx
Margay
Ocelot
Pallas Cat
Rusty Spotted Cat
Scottish Wild Cat

Howletts:

Bengal Indian Tiger
Amur Tiger
Sumatran Tiger
Snow Leopard
African Wild Cat
Clouded Leopard
Fishing Cat
Indian Desert Cat
Eurasian Lynx
Ocelot
Pallas Cat
Serval
North Chinese Leopard
 
The Bobcats did return for Night Hunters and are on display in the building. So as a result, the Cincinnati Zoo's cat collection is as follows:

-Night Hunters-
Arabian Sand Cat
Black-footed Cat
Bobcat
Caracal
Clouded Leopard
Fishing Cat
Pallas' Cat
Southern Brazilian Ocelot
Cougar (On the outside of the building)

-Tiger Canyon-
Malayan Tiger
White Tiger
Southern Cheetah

-White Lions of Timbavati-
White Lion

-Cheetah Encounter-
Serval
*Southern Cheetah

-Currently Off-Exhibit-
Snow Leopard

*Repeat

In conclusion, the Cincinnati Zoo has a total of 15 cat species. Not bad considering the amount of species that the zoo has lost in the last 10 years. They used to have Persian Leopards, Asian Golden Cats, Pampas Cats, Jaguarundis, Margays, Geoffroy's Cats, Siberian Lynxes, Canadian Lynxes, Marbled Cats, Rusty-spotted Cats, and more.

what happened to their persian leopards??? jaguarundis?
 
what happened to their persian leopards??? jaguarundis?

Both phase-out species by the AZA Felid TAG, so all AZA zoos including Cincinnati were told to stop breeding and let the existing cats die out, which is exactly what happened.

For leopards, AZA wants amur only. This is a source of frustration for the Exotic Feline Breeding Compound, which maintains amur and north chinese and persian leopards. Although they are ZAA (not AZA), they do work regularly with the Felid TAG and the SSP's. They recently imported a persian leopard to pair with the one they had, but it looks like they are alone in this endeavor.

For jaguarundi, now that they are all gone, the TAG has decided they want them again and they are now listed as a phase-in species. So instead of keeping what they had, they let them all die and now must import new ones. Considering Cincy's record with cats, I would imagine they will get jaguarundis again.
 
It also wouldn't suprise me if Cincinnati got back into Jaguarundis. The zoo's cat keepers seem to have a great interest in both the species and having them return to the zoo.
 
Erie - yes, don't be surprised. They have all of the big five cats

I'm coming to a blank of the 5th big cat species they have; Amur Tigers, Lions, Amur Leopard, Jaguars, and .... Unless you're counting the White Tiger as well.
 
I'm coming to a blank of the 5th big cat species they have; Amur Tigers, Lions, Amur Leopard, Jaguars, and .... Unless you're counting the White Tiger as well.

Not the Panthera debate again :eek: I thought it might be puma, snow leopard, clouded leopard, or cheetah, but ISIS lists them having none of the above. I'm afraid you may be correct.
 
Oh maybe jaguar78 meant cheetahs. The zoo used to have them, but replaced them with African Wild Dogs a few years ago.
 
@Arizona Docent: It still is an Arabian Wild Cat, confirmed June 11 when it was out and active during the Member Early Hour.

Update to my post:
The white tiger at the Park is a Siberian or Siberian/Bengal mix that was confiscated, hand-reared at the Zoo, then moved to the Park. Her name is Blanca.
The Park also has a caracal that they work with a lead & lure as an Animal Encounter. I saw it on the lawn next to the Cheetah enclosure. Amazingly swift & flexible, with great ear tufts.
The Siberian Lynx sisters at the Zoo are named Stoli & Skyy.
The Malayan Tiger cubs at the Zoo have been donor-named Connor & Christopher.
I can supply details re: the Cheetah/dog pairs if anyone is interested, from signage at the Zoo & the latest "Insider's Report" for the Park.
 
The Bobcats did return for Night Hunters and are on display in the building. So as a result, the Cincinnati Zoo's cat collection is as follows:

-Night Hunters-
Arabian Sand Cat
Black-footed Cat
Bobcat
Caracal
Clouded Leopard
Fishing Cat
Pallas' Cat
Southern Brazilian Ocelot
Cougar (On the outside of the building)
Siberian Lynx (On the outside of the building)

-Tiger Canyon-
Malayan Tiger
White Tiger
Southern Cheetah

-White Lions of Timbavati-
White Lion

-Cheetah Encounter-
Serval
*Southern Cheetah
*Fishing Cat

-Currently Off-Exhibit-
Snow Leopard

*Repeat

In conclusion, the Cincinnati Zoo has a total of 15 cat species. Not bad considering the amount of species that the zoo has lost in the last 10 years. They used to have Persian Leopards, Asian Golden Cats, Pampas Cats, Jaguarundis, Margays, Geoffroy's Cats, Siberian Lynxes, Canadian Lynxes, Marbled Cats, Rusty-spotted Cats, and more.

The Siberian Lynxes are back on exhibit, so the Cincinnati Zoo now has a total of 16 (sub)species of cats.
 
Out of the zoos I have visited and seen extensively:
I would have to go with Cleveland and Columbus.
Cleveland-
Snow leopard, cheetah, black-footed cat (Primate, Cat, and Aquatics)
Siberian tiger (Northern Trek)
Persian leopard, lion (African Savanna)
Ocelot, fishing cat (the RainForest)
None: Waterfowl Lake, Australian Adventure
Columbus-
Heart of Africa- cheetah, lion
Asia Quest- clouded leopard, tiger, Pallas' cat?
African Forest- leopard
 
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