How your click helps WCS support big cats To protect endangered jaguars, tigers and snow leopards, the Wildlife Conservation Society uses a variety of approaches ranging from hard science to community involvement. Since these large predators range over so wide an area -- often crossing both national borders and protected-area boundaries -- no one method will ensure their survival. And since natural habitats of big cats is so large, purchasing lands outright would be prohibitively expensive. Therefore, one of the techniques WCS successfully uses is the designation of "conservation units," which rank big-cat habitat for its ability to support sustainable populations. By prioritizing each unit, WCS can determine the most cost-effective means to save big cats. Training and hiring of local people to monitor big-cat populations and educate communities is also a WCS hallmark. By teaching people to understand and appreciate the wildlife in their own backyards, the next generation of conservationists is ensured. After all, without buy-in from those who often share their lands with big cats, conservation efforts will inevitably fail. - WCS Jaguar Conservation Program (Mexico, Central America, South America); total range area: 118,159 sq. mi. - WCS Tiger Program (India, Southeast Asia, Russia); total range area: 463,320 sq. mi. - WCS Asia Program - Snow leopards (Tibet, Mongolia); total range area: 118,000 sq. mi. Every year, WCS must raise funds to pay for the related ranger and forest guard salaries, research costs, and local education efforts. Care2.com is delighted to help WCS this year by hosting the Race for the Big Cats. Each time you click on one of the three big cat buttons, you generatate a donation to WCS paid for by our Race sponsors. When you invite friends and family to join the Race, you get credit for their participation and for that of their friends, friends of their friends, and so on. We will chart the progress of everyone on your team, so you can see how your simple actions add up to help WCS. To compute the impact of each click, we measured the prime habitat range of each big cat and the current WCS budgets for each big cat program. We then included the rate our race sponsors donate to WCS for each click . With four sponsors of the Race, each click helps support 5.2 acres of big cat habitat for one year. This average rate is used for all three big cats. One hundred percent of the money raised through Care2.com's Race for the Big Cats goes to WCS Big Cat programs. To learn more about the land you support with each click, go here! Register for the Race | View your Race Stats   The Race for the Big Cats is a joint effort of Care2.com and the Wildlife Conservation Society. All rights reserved.

Fun Stuff Meet the Tiger Meet the Jaguar Meet the Snow Leopard Big Cats Slideshow Trivia Archive Feline Facts Big Cats Quiz WCS E-Cards Useful Links Send this Big Cat e-card! Donations Go To Wildlife Conservation Society