The Big Cat Sanctuary “Protection is our Passion”

The Sanctuary is a peaceful and tranquil setting of 32 acres of grassland in the heart of Kent between Headcorn and Smarden.  They provide a future for some of the most beautiful and endangered cats on the planet. Home to around 40, cats spanning 14 different species, 9 of those are classified as at risk by the IUCN red list (The International Union for the Conservation of Nature – who regulate the classification of endangered species).  These include African lions, Sumatran tigers, Jaguars, Amur leopards and Snow leopards, we are located in the heart of the Kent countryside.

The Big Cat Sanctuary is a registered animal charity whose aim is to contribute to global conservation, their four pillars of ethos are welfare, breeding, education and conservation. The aim of the globally co-ordinated breeding programmes is to maintain genetic diversity in captive populations, this means that should it become necessary and viable to supplement the populations in the future – there are healthy individuals who would be suitable for reintroduction.

Anthony is keen to support all the valuable hard work being done within the Big Cat Sanctuary by donating 40-50% of the profit from the sale of his prints and participate in other ways of fundraising where possible.

The key issues for cats around the globe are that they are victims of habitat loss and degradation as well as conflicts with humans and the illegal wildlife trade. The aim is to reduce human/wildlife conflict – by pioneering and utilising various conservation techniques and strategies, ultimately mitigating the conflict enabling the local communities to coexist with the surrounding wildlife.

When guests visit the Sanctuary they learn about their work and what is being done to save what are some of the most iconic yet endangered species on planet. They host a number of events throughout the year to raise funds and awareness of the in-situ conservation projects they support.

With progressively more involvement in both fundraising and supporting conservation initiatives at The Big Cat Sanctuary, they also contribute to in-situ conservation projects around the globe. By securing a future for both big and small cats thet are conserving and restoring the balance of the ecosystem in which predators play such a vital role. In doing this they are saving not just isolated species but our entire natural world.

The Big Cat Sanctuary does not operate as a conventional zoo but by way of personal big cat experiences, although they do operate under a zoo licence and are regulated as members of EAZA and BIAZA. These experiences include tours, ranger days, a selection of different photographic workshops, overnight stays in luxury lodges and adoptions. This is the main source of funding and aids the day to day running costs of the site. The reason for this is simply to ensure their cats reside in tranquil surroundings and remain content – successful breeding and arrival of cubs is a testament to this theory.