Today I want to write about one of my favorite five web sites, which also happens to represent a real place, not all that far from Long Beach. North of Lancaster, just over the Kern County line in Rosamond, is the Feline Conservation Center’s Exotic Feline Breeding Compound (fondly known as the “cat house”).
The mission of this unusual institution is to breed and maintain threatened and endangered species of wild cats from all around the world. They’ve got Amur leopards (from Central Asia), Northern Chinese leopards, jaguar, lynx, caracal, serval, bobcat, mountain lion, and smaller exotic species like ocelot, margay, fishing cats, Pallas’s cats and sand cats.
Nearly all of these cats are vanishing in the wild because of loss of habitat. The EFBC breeds them and disperses the offspring to similar institutions around the world to ensure a good genetic mix and continued survival of these rare species. It’s not a rescue operation, though it has been known to accept an individual wild cat that might have nowhere else to go.
Both the web site and the compound itself are wonderful places to visit, and I encourage you to do so. The compound is basically a small zoo filled with nothing but cats, which is a true treat for cat lovers like me (and you know who you are!). Shade trees, paved walkways, and benches contribute to a peaceful atmosphere.
I visited with my husband and some friends last weekend, and on a nice, cool, sunny Saturday most of the animals were visible and active – some were even vocal! A jungle cat named Pandora sat atop her box (no, really, all the cats have boxes in their enclosures) declaiming a veritable speech of meows and growls. JunJie, a Northern Chinese leopard, dashed around his large cage, clearly hoping that on one go-round the wire would give way and he could get his claws into my husband. No dice, however – visitors are completely safe from these beautiful but still feral animals.
The compound’s staffed almost entirely by volunteers, and is in constant need of both monetary and tangible donations. Annual memberships are very inexpensive; information is on the web site. I do think the EFBC’s work is incredibly important, though of course I have a large bias toward felines of any kind! Until we humans devise policies and institutions that can restore and protect enough natural habitat for these (and other) animals, I’ll be supporting EFBC so that we don’t lose some of this planet’s most graceful and beautiful residents.