Parks and reserves are protected areas of land set aside to conserve wildlife and natural habitats. These areas often serve as safe havens for wild cats, giving them the space they need to hunt, roam, and raise their young . In these locations the threat of habit loss, poaching, or human conflict is much less. Some parks are national or state-run, while others are private or community-managed. Each plays a role in preserving biodiversity and supporting the survival of vulnerable species.
Within these protected spaces, park staff and conservationists:
- monitor wildlife
- prevent illegal hunting
- maintain ecosystems
Many reserves also offer research opportunities, working with scientists to track wild cat populations and learn more about their behavior. In addition, many parks support eco-tourism, which helps fund conservation efforts and raises awareness by allowing visitors to experience wild cats in their natural environment.
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Our Parks and Reserves list contains links to places where you will find wild cats. If you’d like to know more about the different wild cat species, check out our List of Big Cats and Small Wild Cats List.
List Guide
NORTH AMERICA: Includes Canada, the United States, Mexico, along with Antigua, Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago
CENTRAL AMERICA: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.
SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela, and three territories – the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, and French Guiana.
AFRICA: There are 54 countries in Africa. You can find wild cats in North Africa, West Africa, Central Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa.
EUROPE: There are 51 countries and 5 territories in Europe. The largest countries in Europe are Ukraine, France, Spain, Sweden, Germany, Finland, Norway, Poland, Italy and the United Kingdom.
MIDDLE EAST: 22 countries that are part of the Arab league and often considered part of the Middle East – Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
ASIA: You will find 37 countries in Asia, excluding Southeast Asia. There are five countries in Central Asia, five countries in East Asia, 18 countries in West Asia, and 9 Countries in South Asia. The largest countries in Asia are Russia, China, India and Kazakhstan.
SOUTHEAST ASIA: The 11 countries in Southeast Asia are Brunei, Myanmar (Burma), Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste (East Timor), and Vietnam.
OCEANIA: There are 14 countries in Oceania – Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Fiji, the Solomon Islands, Federated States Of Micronesia, Vanuatu, Samoa, Kiribati, Tonga, the Marshall Islands, Palau, Tuvalu, and Nauru. There are no wild cat species in Oceania, but you will find organizations involved in wild cat conservation.