Great day out in Welwyn - The Cat Survival Trust

31st March 2007

It was a great and privileged day out to be able to visit The Cat Survival Trust in Welwyn, Hertfordshire. As part of an organised photographic safari, I joined seven other avid photographers as we spent the day watching, learning and capturing various species of these great creatures in assimilated natural habitats. This location was based on a twelve acre site, and it was interesting to learn about the charity and what good they have done to preserve and nurture these cats across the world.

FIrst and foremost, the Cat Survival Trust is a charity which has been running for over thirty years. They have purchased a 10,000 acre reserve in Argentina which conserves the entire habitat where cats live. What is very notable is that nobody working for the trust is paid. There is a farm shop out the front and they sponsor most of the food for the cats - anything else is generated from member subscriptions and donations. In addition, they also act as a "rescue" organisation for unwanted cats from zoos. I felt privileged to view these amazing animals as this site is not available for the general public - only for trust memebers and educational groups, which I happened to be a part of. For further information about the Cat Survival Trust, please click here to visit their website.

So now, onto the day out. For end of March, we were very lucky to have a day filled with sunshine - it was perfect as the cats were basking in the sun - well, some of them anyway. There was an array of jaguars, caracals, snow leopards, lynxes, American bobcats and one amazing ocelot.

Whilst you can't play down the individuality and beauty of any of the species, my favourite subjects were the snow leopards. We saw the cubs and the adults (in separate habitats), and both had such individuality and unique beauty. I found myself snapping away over 1400 photos for the entire day (from 10am until 6pm). These creatures have enormous paws and very bushy tails. Smaller than the true leopards, they have a characteristically much longer tail and their heads are more rounded. What I found most interesting was that their pupils are also round - akin to domestic cats.

The other beauty (who is shown at the top of this page) was Jess, the playful jaguar. As playful as she was, she still managed to look ferocious and there were times I could swear she was ready to make a dash for me. Her coat was incredibly shiny. The caracals were the exception to the standard mood of the cats - they were restless - stalking back and forth within their habitats, so it was difficult to capture any portrait shots of these intricate beasts (although I managed to get one nice one due to subtle camouflaging). Similar to lynxes, they are smaller (about the size of a labrador). Their name is derived from a Turkish word "garahgulak" which means "black ear" - and this has been bestowed upon them due to their distinctive ears. Very unique creatures.

All in all, I would recommend becoming a member of this trust. If you are concerned about the protection of wild animals, I can thoroughly recommend this site as they are very well cared for and the plan of the trustees is totally geared at protecting these cats. Being a charity comes with its downfalls as well - always trying to come up with money to ensure the highest standards are met can sometimes prove a challenge. A donation or membership, whatever the amount, will always help.

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