T: 01492 532938
E: info@welshmountainzoo.org
Old Highway, Colwyn Bay, Conwy,
North Wales, LL28 5UY
Cool Cats!
- 10th Mai 2024
- Kaitlyn Jenkins
The Welsh Mountain Zoo – National Zoo of Wales, recently held a special event to raise awareness of the Margay Project.
The Education department were joined by members of CREA (Conservation through Research, Education, Action), a non-profit organisation designed to enhance conservation through research, education and actions. The Margay Project works to gather as much information, insight and background into the habits and behaviour of one of the World’s least known small cats.
The Education Day focused on raising awareness of the project and the species, as well as highlighting their most recent in-situ findings. Fundraising on the day included a raffle where a Snow Leopard Encounter for 2 was the grand prize! Fundraising such as this enables the continued support of CREA’s conservation efforts.
A pop-up conservation station also included silhouettes of the felines that they may find in their camera traps, a technology demonstration with their night vision binoculars, and a practical climbing demonstration showcasing the methods utilised by these trained professionals to set up nocturnal lookout posts.
Alex Davies, Education Manager of the Welsh Mountain Zoo: “Margay are a very elusive, nocturnal cat found from Mexico into Brazil. Sadly their populations are declining in the wild due to deforestation and the illegal trade for pets and skins, making it is critical that we support research in the field.
“It’s great to partner with The Margay Project and to host an awareness day where we can highlight the challenges faced by the species and provide a greater understanding for the wonderful Margay. The pop up station attracted a lot of interest with visitors and encouraged support for this vital in-situ conservation project.
Margays are semi arboreal, living both on the ground and in the trees. Research has shown that at least part of their diet is made up of prey that are strictly tree dwelling, highlighting that their use of the arboreal habitat is not merely for a safe sleeping spot but that they actively hunt there.
Margay Photo credits: Matt Rimmer
