A long time ago, Europe was home to many different species of wild cats. Today, there are only three European wild cats that are native to the area, the European wildcat, Eurasian lynx and Iberian lynx.
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Europe is a continent bordered by the Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. The European continent covers almost 4 million miles – 2% of the surface of Earth. Approximately 11% of the world’s population live in Europe.
The geography of Europe is extremely varied, from beaches to mountains and almost everything in between. The climate is fairly temperate with distinct seasonal changes.
Here are all of the countries that are part of Europe:
Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia (FYROM), Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom (UK) and Vatican City.
European Wild Cat Species
European wildcats (Felis silvestris silvestris) have a history dating back hundreds of thousands of years. They are an ancestor of the domestic (household) cat. The cat can be found throughout Europe. It has a conservation status of Least Concern. Scottish wildcats are descendents of European wildcats. They came from a group of European wildcats that became separated by the English Channel more than 9000 years ago.
The Eurasian lynx inhabits North, Central and Eastern Europe. It can also be found in central Asia and Siberia. Because it is found in so many places, its conservation status is Least Concern. The Eurasian lynx is the biggest member of the lynx species.
Iberian lynx inhabits the Iberian Peninsula, a land mass located in the southwest corner of Europe that divides Spain and Portugal. Like the Eurasian lynx, it has existed on this planet since the Pleistocene epoch (Ice Age).
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Europe Wild Cat Conservation
A list of groups and organizations working to preserve and protect wild cats in Europe.
The Born Free Foundation is a dynamic international wildlife charity, devoted to compassionate conservation and animal welfare. Born Free takes action worldwide to protect threatened species and stop individual animal suffering.
A zoo, conservation and education society with wild cat programs located in England.
The organization has three focus areas: the zoo, the Bristol Conservation and Science Foundation, and the National Wildlife Conservation Park (a proposed zoological part located in Cribbs Causeway, Bristol).
Conservation of wild animals in the park, including the Scottish wildcat.
"...The wildcat is one of the Cairngorms National Park's and Scotland's, most iconic and evocative mammals and yet it may be on the brink of extinction...the main threats to the future survival of the species in Scotland were: hybridisation with feral or domestic cats; being inadvertently killed during feral cat control operation; and disease. Consequently, the Cairngorms Wildcat Project was set up to try and tackle these challenges and ran from May 2009 until April 2012..."
International wildlife conservation organization. Care for the Wild International (CWI) works with the Wildlife Friends Foundation of Thailand (WFFT) to care for the rescued tiger, Meow. and the Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre in Cambodia.
The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) is an independent campaigning organisation committed to bringing about change that protects the natural world from environmental crime and abuse. Our vision is a future where humanity respects, protects and ce
Conducts scientific research to enhance the British countryside for public benefit. For over 75 years we have been researching and developing game and wildlife management techniques.
GVI offers over 100 different volunteer abroad projects in 25 countries all over the world. You can volunteer abroad and play a crucial role in a wide range of conservation, education and community projects in Africa, South America, Asia, Europe and Centr
The task of the program KORA is to work out on current issues related to conservation or management of predators, the scientific basis for workable solutions.
The Lion Conservation Fund (LCF) supports projects that esatblish the distribution and abundance of African lions in areas of great global conservation importance.
The Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime UK (PAW UK) aims to reduce wildlife crime through effective and targeted enforcement, better regulation and improved awareness.
Projeto Puma is active since 1988, aiming the study and protection of wildlife, with special interest on the puma, jaguar and other large wild cats. It evolved into an NGO in 1993 so as to broaden its actions.
Our mission is 'to excite and inspire our visitors with the wonder of living animals, and so to promote the conservation of threatened species and habitats.
SOSLynx is an independent campaign organisation set up in 2000 to promote the conservation of the Iberian Lynx, and works at local and international levels.
The Tanzania Carnivore Conservation Project at the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI) is funded by the Zoological Society of London and the British Government to build the capacity of the TAWIRI to monitor and conserve carnivores.
Assits countries with poor financial resources to meet their objectives under the three major biodiversity conventions; Bornean and Clouded Leopard Project
U.K. organizations working to protect big cat species around the world from extinction; home of the "Big Cat Sanctuary."
"...we are an active partner in the European Endangered Species Breeding Programmes (EEP)...The WHF is also raising awareness and funding for big cat projects around the world..."
The main goal of the Society is to contribute to the conservation of little-known endangered species. Thousands of highly endangered species exist, whose names are often not even known by specialists. Many such species have already disappeared during rece
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