Endangered big cats in the work of a talented photographer. Photo

Of the 38 species belonging to the cat family, 7 — large cat.

The number of all types of cats is reduced, these incredible predators, large and small, to slowly disappear. Some of them left on the planet only about 50.

Portraits of endangered big cats from British photographer Paul Coghlin.

1. Snow leopard. Their population in 2003, according to various estimates ranged from 4 to 7 thousand individuals. (Photo By Paul Coghlin):

2. White Bengal tiger. The population of Bengal tiger less than 2 500 individuals, with the prospect of reduction. (Photo By Paul Coghlin):

3. Sumatran tiger. This subspecies was on the brink of extinction and is listed in the category of “taxa in critical condition” red list of threatened species. The tiger habitat on Sumatra is rapidly declining due to extensive expansion of human activities. Currently, their population, according to various estimates, has from 300 to 500 individuals. (Photo By Paul Coghlin):

4. Another portrait of a snow leopard. (Photo By Paul Coghlin):

5. The African lion. Lions are a vulnerable species due to irreversible reduction of their abundance. Over the last two decades the number of lions in Africa has decreased by 30-50 %. (Photo By Paul Coghlin):

6. In the years 2002-2004 the number of lions was estimated at 16-47 thousand individuals, while in 1970 there were 100 000, possibly 400 000 in 1954. (Photo By Paul Coghlin):

7. According to various estimates, by 2050, lions may disappear completely from nature. (Photo By Paul Coghlin):

8. Puma or mountain lion. (Photo By Paul Coghlin):

PS the rarest wild cat — the Amur leopard. Once this subspecies of leopards lived in the vast territory in the Russian far East, Korea and China. Today in the wild lives only about 70-80 individuals, mostly in Russia. Over the past 30 years, the Russian experts managed to increase the population of far Eastern leopard from 30-35 to 50-55 individuals.

50 is fifty. Not million, not thousand.

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