Conservation An
animal sanctuary provides a refuge for animals to live out their natural lives in a protected environment. Usually, these animal sanctuaries are the organizations which provide a home to big cats whose private owners are no longer able or willing to care for their big cats. However, the use of the word
sanctuary in an organization's name is by itself no guarantee that it is a true animal sanctuary in the sense of a refuge. To be accepted by the
United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) as a bona fide animal sanctuary and to be eligible for an exemption from the prohibition of interstate movement of big cats under the Captive Wildlife Safety Act (CWSA), organizations must meet the following criteria: • Must be a non-profit entity that is tax-exempt under section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code • Cannot engage in commercial trade in big cat species, including their offspring, parts, and products made from them • Cannot breed big cats • Cannot allow direct contact between big cats and the public at their facilities • Must keep records of transactions involving covered cats • Must allow the service to inspect their facilities, records, and animals at reasonable hours Internationally, a variety of regulations are placed on big cat possession. In
Austria, big cats may only be owned in a qualified zoo which is overseen by a
zoologist or veterinarian. Requirements must also be met for enclosures, feeding, and training practices. Both Russia and South Africa regulate private ownership of big cats native to each country. Some countries, including
Denmark, Thailand and India, prohibit all private ownership of big cats. leopard and snow leopard are categorized as
Vulnerable; the tiger is listed as
Endangered; and the jaguar is listed as
Near Threatened. Cheetahs are also classified as Vulnerable, and the cougar is of
Least Concern. All species currently have populations that are decreasing. The principal threats to big cats vary by geographic location but primarily consist of
habitat destruction and
poaching. In Africa, many big cats are hunted by
pastoralists or government "problem animal control" officers. Certain protected areas exist that shelter large and exceptionally visible populations of
African leopards, lions and cheetahs, such as Botswana's
Chobe, Kenya's
Masai Mara, and Tanzania's
Serengeti; outside these conservation areas, hunting poses the dominant threat to large carnivores. In the United States, 19 states have banned ownership of big cats and other dangerous exotic animals as
pets, and the Captive Wildlife Safety Act bans the interstate sale and transportation of these animals. The initial Captive Wildlife Safety Act (CWSA) was signed into law on December 19, 2003. To address problems associated with the increasing trade in certain big cat species, the CWSA regulations were strengthened by a law passed on September 17, 2007. The big cat species addressed in these regulations are the lion, tiger, leopard, snow leopard,
clouded leopard, cheetah, jaguar, cougar, and any hybrid of these species (liger, tigon, etc.). Private ownership is not prohibited, but the law makes it illegal to transport, sell, or purchase such animals in interstate or foreign commerce. Although these regulations seem to provide a strong legal framework for controlling the commerce involving big cats, international organizations such as the
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) have encouraged the U.S. to further strengthen these laws. The WWF is concerned that weaknesses in the existing U.S. regulations could be unintentionally helping to fuel the black market for tiger parts. ==See also==