The plight and future existence of exotic cats has become a tragic situation. Because of the destruction of their natural habitat and other factors caused by humans, most of them are on the endangered species list. Increasing world population is creating a need for more housing. Land and rainforests are being converted into housing developments, ranches, farms and pastures for agriculture. The new human inhabitants often shoot or poison wild cats to protect their livestock and families, when a barking dog would serve the same purpose. Even more land is being gobbled up by industrial growth. There is very little wildness left in the world today, leaving wild cats without a home, source of food or a place to breed. 

Hunting by poachers makes their numbers dwindle even more. Even in certain states out west, people hunt cougars with packs of dogs, shooting them in the name of a senseless sport. In some countries the bones are used for medicinal purposes and a single pelt is worth almost one year's salary. Many countries that have established wildlife conservation and protection laws are too poor to enforce them. One of the most tragic causes is the fur industry. Hundreds of thousands of wild cats die yearly to adorn human shoulders with fur. Animals are caught with steel jawed traps, and electrocuted to death for the sake of vanity.

        

Female Lynx and Her Cubs

According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the wild cats on the endangered   species list include the Lion, Tiger, Leopard, Clouded Leopard, Snow Leopard,  Cheetah, Jaguar, Bobcat, Lynx, Ocelot, Cougar, Marbled Cat, Spanish Lynx, Asian Golden Cat, Flat- Headed Cat,  Margay, Oncilla, Andean Mountain Cat, Sand Cat and Black-Footed Cat. The Black Panther belongs to the Leopard family which is on the endangered species list. That's 20 species out of the total of 36 that are alive today. There are many others on the "Threatened" and "Vulnerable" species lists. Unless individuals become more conscientious and  society and governments practice stringent conservation methods, all wild cats will cease to exist.The loss of any form of life on earth is an indication of the change in our eco-system. This creates a bleak outlook for the survival of all forms of life, including human life.  

Wild Cats 36 Species African Golden Cat  Andean Mountain Cat  Asian Golden Cat Black-footed Cat Bobcat Bornean Bay Cat Canadian Lynx  Caracal Cheetah Chinese Mountain Cat Clouded Leopard Cougar(Puma or Mountain Lion) Eurasian Lynx Fishing Cat Flat-headed Cat Geoffroys Cat Iberian Lynx Jaguar Jaguarundi Jungle Cat  Kodkod  Leopard Leopard Cat  Lion  Marbled Cat Margay Ocelot Oncilla Pampas Cat Pallas Cat  Rusty-spotted Cat Sand Cat Serval Snow Leopard Tiger Wildcat