We’re headed to a place you can visit incredible wild cats and help a good cause too
Imagine a place where you can come face-to-furry face with some of the world’s largest, smallest, and even rarest big cats in the world, right here in the UK?
Well, that’s exactly what the Big Cat Sanctuary, located near Ashford in Kent, offers.
Set in more than 30 acres of countryside, the sanctuary is a registered charity which aims to successfully breed some of the world’s most endangered cats, both large and small, within the European Endangered Species Breeding Programme. Their overall aim is to not only protect the species for generations to come but also with the long-term aim of returning these big cats to the wild where possible. So, visitors to the sanctuary will not only get the opportunity to meet some of their favourite big cats, but you will also be contributing towards this vital conservation.
Just some of the endangered big cats the Big Cat Sanctuary is home to includes African lion Kasanga, stunning snow leopards Yarko and Laila, and critically endangered Sumatran tiger Puna and endangered Amur tiger Amasia.
The sanctuary also protects the smallest members of the cat family, including feisty Rusty Spotted Cat Nuwara, and perpetually grumpy-looking but still stunning Pallas’s Cats Jethro and Qara.
The sanctuary provides an enclosure that suits each cats’ individual needs and strives to provide enrichment to help each cat tap into their feline instincts — watch out for mischievous puma Yahzi playing with her favourite footballs!
There are lots of different types of experiences and open days where you can get to see these magnificent cats up close. From photography workshops to overnight stays, check out the website for the packages on offer.
You can also adopt most of the big cats which will help fund the cat’s day to day care, feeding and enrichments, including veterinary care when required. As an adopter you will receive a certificate, exciting information pack about your cat and its species, bookmark, stickers, and posters. You will also be able to visit him on one of the Supporters Afternoons run throughout the year, where you will be able to tour the site at your leisure, enjoy talks from the keepers followed by light refreshments.
To find out more about the Big Cat Sanctuary, visit https://thebigcatsanctuary.org/ or call 01233 439150.
Photos: Alma Leaper/Big Cat Sanctuary