Human Bias and Animal Myth in Conservation

When I was studying biology human-animal relationships (…no giggling at the back!) was something I really wished I’d had an opportunity to learn more about. A recent paper, ‘Understanding nuanced preferences for carnivore conservation: to know them is not always to love them’ by Macdonald et al. reminded me of quite why I found our

Animals as Symbols: A Lion Attacking a Stag

Animals and Us The personification of animals in modern wildlife documentaries is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand it makes their lives relatable to us, helps us empathise with the ups-and-downs of a wild living, helps us appreciate the wonderful, safe bubble we have built around ourselves and makes an otherwise

Cats in Culture

A look at the cultural importance of cats to humans down through the millennia, examining what, exactly, the portrayal of cats says about us rather than vice versa. Released for International Cat Day 2021.

Wicked Problems: Trophy Hunting

A look at the complex issue of trophy hunting and conservation – a very wicked problem with no easy solution.

Caturday Special: The Leopard, Panthera pardus

With this study of the leopard we have written about every extant pantherine. There are no more big cat species of that genus left to cover. The leopard is a beautiful, generalist, opportunist species adapted for a wide variety of habitats, explaining it’s wide distribution. It is a cat also associated with the Greek God Dionysus, the God of wine.

Top Ten Cats #6 – Lion, Panthera leo

What top ten list of cats is complete without the so-called ‘King of the Jungle’ that is, actually, more a Prince of the Plains. I’ll level with you. I like lions. I love lions like I love any other kind of cat. But they make this list for one reason and one reason alone. Sociability.