PANDASIA-Project

While the Sri Lankan Leopard rightly commands global attention, three of the country’s three wild cat species quietly live on the margins of public awareness — and increasingly, on the margins of survival.

Recognising this critical conservation gap, the Wildlife & Nature Protection Society (WNPS), in partnership with Small Cat Advocacy and Research (SCAR) and with the support of Classic Wild, has launched a landmark, national-scale conservation initiative: The Small Wild Cats Project.

The project places a long-overdue spotlight on Sri Lanka’s three lesser-known wild cats: Fishing Cat (Handun Diviya / Minpiti Punei), Jungle Cat (Wal Balala / Kattil Punei), Rusty-spotted Cat (Kola Diviya / Thurumpan Punei

Read the full feature here https://island.lk/wnps-and-scar-launch-national-initiative-to-safeguard-sri-lankas-overlooked/

Small Cat Advocacy and Research

Kenya’s Wildlife Census 2025: Signs of Hope for Our Wildlife 🐘🦏🦁

The latest census shows encouraging progress for several species WWF-Kenya works to protect:

🐘 African Elephant: Up from 36,280 (2021) to 41,952 (2025) due to strong anti-poaching and habitat protection.
🦏 Black Rhino: Increased from 1,812 to 2,102, a steady 4% annual growth for this critically endangered species.
🦁 African Lion: Stable at 2,512, with a slight decline highlighting the need for continued community coexistence.

Some species still need urgent attention:
Hirola and Sable Antelope remain under threat.
Marine turtle sightings along the coast offer hope for ocean health.

Why it matters: These gains reflect years of science-led conservation and strong community partnerships, but habitat loss and climate change mean the work must continue.

With gratitude to our donors and partners: Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife - Kenya, Kenya Wildlife Service, WWF UK, WWF Deutschland, WWF Verdensnaturfonden (WWF-Sweden), WWF Verdens naturfond, WWF Verdensnaturfonden, World Wildlife, and WWF for making this impact possible.

Hope is growing and so is our responsibility.