Here you will find details on a project supporting rare Big Cats of all descriptions.

I have reproduced enough information to make it all fairly self explanatory but have only included pictures of the two Black Panthers, Khan & Mystique.

Club member Malcolm Askew Who was the instigator of our involvement has sadly passed away, January 2007. We will remember Malcolm for his enthusiasm for the Panther Cats as well as the Panther cars.

Santago Rare Leopard Project was started in 1989 by Peter James, and Jackie who met & fell in love with the cats and Peter in 1998.

Peter has a track record for animal husbandry as he has bred, shown and judged German Shepherd dogs. He has also kept many species of domestic animals and worked with big cats before starting Santago. The project is situated on approx. 3 acres in their home in Welwyn, Herts.

The main objective of Santago is to breed some of the worlds most endangered leopards, which include the Clouded and the Snow leopards. Also on the list for the breeding program are the sub-species of the leopard such as the Persian leopard. This species is now a serious cause for concern and Santago wish to help save this leopard from total extinction. They also have a pair of black panthers and a female African leopard that was hand reared and is very tame and has a close relationship with Peter.

Another aim of the Santago Rare Leopard Project is to bring to the attention of the public, the plight of these endangered cats from poaching for the fur and bone trade and also habitat destruction. Santago support various projects for captive breeding and will assist in re-introduction programmes where possible.

Santago’s collection of cats is 1 breeding pair of Clouded leopards that have just had their 3rd litter (do not no how many cubs yet). Last years young male cub is now paired up with an unrelated female, and his sister is awaiting a young mate, plus 1 male just back from being on loan to London Zoo. 1 pair of black panthers, a pair of snow leopards that have bred in the past and are now breeding again, (3 babies born on 19^th May 2002), 1 pair of Persian Leopards and their baby Sade, who they abandoned after one day, so she is being hand reared by Jackie & Peter. 1 African leopard rescued from a zoo that closed down, and 1 puma who came to Santago after being rescued by the RSPCA.

Their biggest success so far has been the breeding of the Clouded leopards in May 2000. This cat has been bred in Ireland by both Dublin Zoo in the 70’s and Belfast Zoo in the 90’s. In mainland UK only Howletts had bred the clouded leopard, now they have managed to join this elite club, and last year they bred them again and were the only ones in Europe to do so.

The Snow leopards bred for the first time in 1997, and again in 2002.

Most of the leopards here are StudBook registered in order that good genetic breeding is assured. Their hope for the future is that animals bred there will eventually be returned to the wild.

As the project is currently self funded by Peter and Jackie, it is running on a very modest budget and is constantly looking for further funds in order to expand the facility and for it to run more efficiently it is hoped that through corporate sponsorship and an animal adoption scheme, extra revenue could be injected into the project to improve the facilities such as the barn where the  preparation of the animal food is undertaken.

SANTAGO RARE LEOPARD PROJECT

14 WILLOW WALK, WELWYN, HERTS, AL6 9SQ.

The project was started in 1989 with the aim of breeding some of the rare leopards, particularly the Clouded and Snow Leopards.

Our goal is to see future progeny bred here to be part of any major project to release them back into the wild.

Our Leopards live in large spacious enclosures with trees, ponds and undergrowth. Bark chippings and grass form the base of all the enclosures.

At the moment we have one male and two female Clouded Leopards and two cubs born here on 10^th May 2001, one pair of Snow Leopards, one female African Leopard, one pair of Black Leopards, one pair of Persian Leopards and one female Puma.

Here at Santago we are currently completely self-funded, running sponsorship schemes as well as the membership scheme. Benefits to members are two newsletters a year and entry to our open days for £5.00.

Following on from a very nice Club visit to the Project, kindly organised by Malcolm Askew on the 24th august 2003 I reproduce some pictures taken 'live' on the day..