Editing Big cat (section)

==Interaction with humans==
===Conservation===
{{Hatnote|For the population of the big cats, see [[List of carnivorans by population]]}}
An [[animal sanctuary]] provides a refuge for animals to live out their natural lives in a protected environment. Usually, these animal sanctuaries are the organizations which provide a home to big cats whose private owners are no longer able or willing to care for their big cats. However, the use of the word ''sanctuary'' in an organization's name is by itself no guarantee that it is a true animal sanctuary in the sense of a refuge. To be accepted by the [[United States Fish and Wildlife Service]] (FWS) as a bona fide animal sanctuary and to be eligible for an exemption from the prohibition of interstate movement of big cats under the Captive Wildlife Safety Act (CWSA), organizations must meet the following criteria:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Captive Wildlife Safety Act - What Big Cat Owners Need to Know |url=http://www.fws.gov/le/pdf/CaptiveWildlifeSafetyActFactsheet.pdf |publisher=U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement}}</ref>
*Must be a non-profit entity that is tax-exempt under section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code
*Cannot engage in commercial trade in big cat species, including their offspring, parts, and products made from them
*Cannot breed big cats
*Cannot allow direct contact between big cats and the public at their facilities
*Must keep records of transactions involving covered cats
*Must allow the service to inspect their facilities, records, and animals at reasonable hours
Internationally, a variety of regulations are placed on big cat possession.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Zhang |first=Laney; Palmer |date=2013 |title=Regulations Concerning the Private Possession of Big Cats: Comparative Analysis {{!}} Law Library of Congress |url=https://www.loc.gov/law/help/bigcats/comparative.php |access-date=2021-04-20 |website=www.loc.gov}}</ref> In [[Austria]], big cats may only be owned in a qualified zoo which is overseen by a zoologist or veterinarian.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Palmer |first=Edith |date=2013 |title=Regulations Concerning the Private Possession of Big Cats: Austria{{!}} Law Library of Congress |url=https://www.loc.gov/law/help/bigcats/austria.php |access-date=2021-04-20 |website=www.loc.gov}}</ref> Requirements must also be met for enclosures, feeding, and training practices. Both Russia and South Africa regulate private ownership of big cats native to each country. Some countries, including [[Denmark]], Thailand and India, prohibit all private ownership of big cats.<ref name=":0" />

===Threats===
The members of the ''Panthera'' genus are classified as some level of threatened by the [[IUCN Red List]]: the lion,<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Bauer, H. |author2=Packer, C. |author3=Funston, P.F. |author4=Henschel, P. |author5=Nowell, K. |year=2016 |errata=2017 |title=''Panthera leo'' |page=e.T15951A115130419 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T15951A107265605.en}}</ref> leopard<ref name="iucn-p.pardus">{{cite iucn |author=Stein, A.B. |author2=Athreya, V. |author3=Gerngross, P. |author4=Balme, G. |author5=Henschel, P. |author6=Karanth, U. |author7=Miquelle, D. |author8=Rostro-Garcia, S. |author9=Kamler, J.F. |author10=Laguardia, A. |author11=Khorozyan, I. |author12=Ghoddousi, A. |year=2020 |amends=2019 |title=''Panthera pardus'' |volume=2020 |page=e.T15954A163991139 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T15954A163991139.en |access-date=20 April 2021}}</ref> and snow leopard<ref>{{cite iucn |author=McCarthy, T. |author2=Mallon, D. |author3=Jackson, R. |author4=Zahler, P. |author5=McCarthy, K. |date=2017 |title=''Panthera uncia'' |page=e.T22732A50664030 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T22732A50664030.en }}</ref> are categorized as [[Vulnerable species|Vulnerable]]; the tiger is listed as [[Endangered]];<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Goodrich, J. |author2=Lynam, A. |author3=Miquelle, D. |author4=Wibisono, H. |author5=Kawanishi, K. |author6=Pattanavibool, A. |author7=Htun, S. |author8=Tempa, T. |author9=Karki, J. |author10=Jhala, Y. |author11=Karanth, U. |date=2015 |title=''Panthera tigris'' |page=e.T15955A50659951 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T15955A50659951.en}}</ref> and the jaguar is listed as [[Near Threatened species|Near Threatened]].<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Quigley, H. |author2=Foster, R. |author3=Petracca, L. |author4=Payan, E. |author5=Salom, R. |author6=Harmsen, B. |year=2017 |errata=2018 |title=''Panthera onca'' |page=e.T15953A123791436 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T15953A50658693.en}}</ref> Cheetahs are also classified as Vulnerable,<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Durant, S. |author2=Mitchell, N. |author3=Ipavec, A. |author4=Groom, R. |date=2015 |title=''Acinonyx jubatus'' |page=e.T219A50649567 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T219A50649567.en}}</ref> and the cougar is of [[Least-concern species|Least Concern]].<ref>{{cite iucn |author=Nielsen, C. |author2=Thompson, D. |author3=Kelly, M. |author4=Lopez-Gonzalez, C.A. |year=2015 |errata=2016 |title=''Puma concolor'' |volume=2015 |page=e.T18868A97216466 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T18868A50663436.en |access-date=20 April 2021}}</ref> All species currently have populations that are decreasing. The principal threats to big cats vary by geographic location but primarily consist of [[habitat destruction]] and [[poaching]]. In Africa, many big cats are hunted by [[Pastoralism|pastoralists]] or government "problem animal control" officers. Certain protected areas exist that shelter large and exceptionally visible populations of [[African leopard]]s, lions and cheetahs, such as Botswana's [[Chobe National Park|Chobe]], Kenya's [[Masai Mara]], and Tanzania's [[Serengeti National Park|Serengeti]]; outside these conservation areas, hunting poses the dominant threat to large carnivores.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hunter |first=Luke |date=June 2004 |title=Carnivores in Crisis: The Big Cats |url=http://www.panthera.org/documents/HunterAfGeo2004CarnivoresInCrisisPart1.pdf |journal=Africa Geographic |pages=28–41 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100415100850/http://www.panthera.org/documents/HunterAfGeo2004CarnivoresInCrisisPart1.pdf |archive-date=April 15, 2010}}</ref>

In the United States, 19 states have banned ownership of big cats and other dangerous exotic animals as [[pets]], and the Captive Wildlife Safety Act bans the interstate sale and transportation of these animals.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pacelle |first=Wayne |title=Captive Wildlife Safety Act: A Good Start in Banning Exotics as Pets |url=http://www.hsus.org/legislation_laws/wayne_pacelle_the_animal_advocate/captive_wildlife_safety_act_a_good_start_in_banning_exotics_as_pets.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070419002256/http://www.hsus.org/legislation_laws/wayne_pacelle_the_animal_advocate/captive_wildlife_safety_act_a_good_start_in_banning_exotics_as_pets.html |archive-date=19 April 2007 |access-date=2007-04-01 |publisher=The Humane Society of the United States}}</ref> The initial Captive Wildlife Safety Act (CWSA) was signed into law on December 19, 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Captive Wildlife Safety Act: What Big Cat Owners Need to Know |url=https://www.fws.gov/le/pdffiles/CWSA_Factsheet.pdf |website=U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |access-date=2024-04-17 |archive-date=2008-09-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080922155620/https://www.fws.gov/le/pdffiles/CWSA_Factsheet.pdf |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref> To address problems associated with the increasing trade in certain big cat species, the CWSA regulations were strengthened by a law passed on September 17, 2007.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=August 16, 2007 |title=Regulations To Implement the Captive Wildlife Safety Act |url=https://www.fws.gov/le/pdffiles/CWSA_Final_Rule.pdf |journal=Federal Register |publisher=U.S. Congress |volume=72 |issue=158 |access-date=April 17, 2024 |archive-date=September 22, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080922155238/https://www.fws.gov/le/pdffiles/CWSA_Final_Rule.pdf |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref> The big cat species addressed in these regulations are the lion, tiger, leopard, snow leopard, clouded leopard, cheetah, jaguar, cougar, and any hybrid of these species (liger, tigon, etc.). Private ownership is not prohibited, but the law makes it illegal to transport, sell, or purchase such animals in interstate or foreign commerce. Although these regulations seem to provide a strong legal framework for controlling the commerce involving big cats, international organizations such as the [[World Wildlife Fund]] (WWF) have encouraged the U.S. to further strengthen these laws. The WWF is concerned that weaknesses in the existing U.S. regulations could be unintentionally helping to fuel the black market for tiger parts.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Braun |first=David |date=October 21, 2010 |title=America's 5,000 Backyard Tigers a Ticking Time Bomb, WWF Says |url=http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2010/10/21/americas_5000_backyard_tigers/ |department=News Watch |magazine=National Geographic |access-date=November 20, 2023 |archive-date=May 15, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110515004759/http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2010/10/21/americas_5000_backyard_tigers/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>