For all the latest Bengal Classifieds News and Big Cat News from around the world

IT was an extra special Christmas at Tiger Island, Dreamworld where tiger cubs Shanti, Ndari and Jaya enjoyed their first look at a Christmas tree.

In the specifically designed habitat of Tiger Island, the tigers and their handlers co-exist peacefully without the constraints of cages creating an exciting and unique experience for guests.

Dreamworld’s tigers are trained (never ‘tamed’) by establishing from birth a strong bond, based on trust, respect and affection, between the handlers and tigers. The tigers live in a stress free environment receiving a highly specialised diet, veterinary care and the necessary stimulation from interaction with their handlers.

We’d like to welcome San Diego Bengal Cats as new advertisers on the website. Located in…San Diego California, they currently have a litter of three brown spotted and four silver spotted bengal kittens available. They are registered with TICA and will be ready to go to forever homes on Jan 29. See breeder listing on the main website for more photos, pedigree info and contact details.

Two rare white lion cubs were born in Belgrade Zoo earlier this month. They are the first to be born there.  White lions are a rare mutation of a species unique to South Africa. They are almost extinct in the wild due to hunting - Fewer than 30 are thought to exist in the wild. They are now bred in zoos around the world.
The cubs’ mother was  a white lioness, Masa, while their father is a regular-color lion.  White lions are not a separate species nor are they albino.

2 rare amur leopards have been shown off by keepers at a wildlife park in Kent.

Brother and sister Amur leopard cubs, Argun and Anuy, are now eight weeks old and playing without “a care in the world”, their keeper said.

They were born in October at the Wildlife Heritage Foundation in Smarden, Kent, which supports rare and endangered big cats.

It is thought no more than 40 Amurs survive in the wild, the charity said. The leopards originate from Russia.

Mark Edgerley, who runs the centre, said the pair were beginning to become more confident and could often be seen playing together in their enclosure while their mother, three-year-old Xizi, looked on.

He said their father, Artur, six, was their biggest danger because of his lack of paternal instinct.

Adding that the cubs were like “little kittens”, he said: “They chase straw and if they see a bit of sunlight falling on the ground they will go after that.

“They look as if they had not got a care in the world.”

He said the cubs were still feeding from their mother but were starting to play with meat and bone and would eventually eat up to 18kg (40lb) of meat each week, including horse, calf and rabbit.

Amur leopards are under threat of extinction because of the burning of forests to make way for agricultural land in the Russian Far East, Mr Edgerley added.

He said there were about 140 Amur leopards living in a European breeding programme, but Argun and Anuy would never be released into the wild.

“Animals that are bred in captivity cannot just be let loose to fend for themselves. It won’t be first-generation zoo animals that are released but second-generation ones,” he said.

It’s stats time again, and looking at the numbers for November 08, we’re delighted to reveal that November brought about the highest number of visitors to the website yet and also the highest number of visits yet !

The figures are:

• Unique Visitors:   10,947 (up 41% on the same month last year)
• Number of visits: 18,531 (up 44% on the same month last year)
• Pages viewed:       83,180 (up 36% on the same month last year)

Despite the economic downturn over the past few months, it appears that the interest in owning a bengal kitten remains as strong as ever.