The farming of tigers is a practice that is perhaps more cruel than anything else that involves big cats. And the overall business involves not just tigers. Lions, crocodiles, bears and other carnivores are also bred in captivity - in other words ‘farmed’ for use of their body parts for a variety of purposes. Tiger skins serve as rugs, parts of clothes; their bones and teeth are powdered and used in traditional oriental medicines; their brain, heart, meat, claws, whiskers - in short every part of their body is used to serve an array of ridiculous purposes. And it’s one of the biggest threats to tigers worldwide.

A shady and lucrative business, tiger farming enjoys the support of corrupt officials and poaching enterprises in China and parts of Southeast Asia. In places like Burma and Thailand tiger parts are openly available for sale in cities. In zoos and captive centers across China thousands of tigers are kept in miserable conditions in small cages and slaughtered daily to feed the huge market that revolves around exotic animal parts.

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Here are some important facts about the lynx.

1. Lynx is a feline genus that includes four felines: Canadian Lynx, Eurasian Lynx, Iberian Lynx and Bobcat.

2. Lynx are cats of northern hemisphere and have thus evolved into having longhair cats, as an adaptation for the cold winters.

3. The Desert Lynx or Caracal is not scientifically included in the Lynx genus, and resides in Arabia.

4. The word Lynx is derived from the Greek word meaning ‘to shine’ and is a reference to the cat’s bright eyes.

5. Lynx cats are made distinct by their unique physical appearance - including short tails, prominent neck ruffs and long tufted ears.

6. Lynx usually reside in forested, mountainous territories and are thus stalk and ambush predators like most felines.

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Here are some important facts regarding the incredible Bobcats:

1. Bobcats are part of the Lynx genus of felines and are the smallest of the four Lynx cats.

2. Modern Bobcats have apparently evolved around twenty thousand years ago from the Eurasian Lynx.

3. Bobcats are highly adaptable and are seen in a wide variety of habitats all across the United States.

4. Their population is limited northwards where they are replaced by their larger cousin, the Canadian Lynx.

5. Medium sized predators, Bobcats are twice as big as domestic felines and may reach a length of around four feet, including their short tail.

6. The short ‘bobbed’ tail is what gives these cats their name, and is seen in all the Lynx cats.

7. Bobcats are made distinct by their prominent ear tufts, hair ruff on face and the characteristic black-tipped tail that is white on the underside.

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Desert Lions are amongst the most unique large predators on earth, that reside in the deserts of Africa. They have adapted to their life in deserts with unique behavioral modifications. They reside largely in the deserts present in the country of Namibia, in the south of Africa.

Despite living in an adverse environment, these lions are quite healthy and fit, in fact perhaps even more so than the lions that live in plains. It appears that the harsh terrain and scarcity of prey has played a part in molding these great cats into their chiseled physical form. Since they reside in an open unrestricted wilderness the lions stray over large distances and are often seen living in isolated small groups, in contrast to other lions who generally live in a closely bound pride. Also, it appears that the desert lions are probably more patient and skilled in their hunting techniques than other members of their species residing elsewhere.

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An insulated dog house keeps your pet warm and nice during the cold winter months. You wouldn’t want your dog to be shivering in the cold during the long winter months.

Most insulated doghouses are made from top quality wood. The most common material used is cedar wood since it can retain heat better and more resistance to word decay. There are several such insulated cedar wood dog houses for sale on the market these days and they aren’t very expensive either.

Another advantage of getting an insulated cedar dog house is that the roof can be easily removed. That way, it is a lot easier to clean the doghouse. You don’t have to crouch or flip the dog house in order to clean it.

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Cheetahs are amongst the most incredible animals on earth. Built for great speed, Cheetahs are specialists when it comes to hunting fast, agile prey animals in broad daylight. Capable of reaching from zero to hundred kilometers an hour within a matter of seconds, these cats have evolved into developing a sleek and slender physique that aids them in their highly specialized lifestyle. Whilst a long and thin body enables Cheetahs to be fast and athletic, this also means that they are lighter and weaker when it comes to conflicts with other large predators of Africa, including lions, hyenas and leopards. The bigger animals waste no opportunity to steal a Cheetah’s kill or kill its cubs.

Cheetahs face other threats too. The most significant ones in the last few decades have been conflicts with human and loss of habitat. As human population and development increases in Africa, Cheetahs are finding it increasingly difficult to survive and take down their normal prey animals. As a result, they often go after herds of cattle owned by farmers. This brings them into conflict with people who at times shoot the big cats in retaliation.

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Lions are amongst the most capable predators of large herbivores. Macropredation in lions is an important issue with ecological bearings. Lions prey upon several big animals.

The first example that comes to mind is that of buffalo. The Cape Buffalo is considered by many to be amongst the most dangerous animals in the African bush and yet lions in many parts of Africa routinely prey upon these one-tonne animals. The modus operandi is to encircle the formidable herd and try and isolate vulnerable individuals. Next the big cats proceed to force their prey into an organized trap laid out for them. Each individual lioness plays a specific role in the hunt, often consistent throughout the animal’s lifetime. Still it’s never easy to bring down the buffalo and despite the help of male lions, it’s still quite a risky undertaking for the predator. The islands of Okavango, Botswana bear witness to the perish of many a lions at the hoofs and horns of the formidable buffalo.

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An aquarium can be a great addition to your interior decorations. If you are looking to add a certain level of style and beauty to your home or office, having an aquarium can do just that. While deciding to choose an aquarium for your house you may have wondered which one to choose from. There are endless possibilities when setting up an aquarium in your own home. If you are installing aquarium for the first time, you need to know many tit bits of keeping fish healthy and in a comfortable environment.

For people who are new to domesticating fish, starting with a small tank with less number of fishes is a good idea. This will give them time to understand the needs and will train them in many aspects that need to be taken care of before installing a fish aquarium or constructing a fish pond. For starters, the tank will need a pond pump, lighting, hood to prevent the fish from jumping out, a filter to keep the water clean, water testing kit for PH water levels etc. And when switching to a larger aquarium or a fish pond you will require many aquarium accessories like aquarium pumps, pond filters and pump, pond liners, water fountains, garden fountains and many other pond and aquarium supplies.

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Dog ticks are very common in dogs that are always in the woods or are always out on a hike. Ticks can affect other household pets so try to keep them apart whenever one of them is suffering from this condition.

While there are dog tick creams and lotions that do work in killing ticks, they rarely can physically eliminate them. Dead ticks end up still attached to your dog’s hair, making them feel itchy and uncomfortable.

Removing dog ticks with tweezers is bad practice. There are different types of ticks and there are some species that can attach themselves to humans. Using tweezers alone don’t really protect you from these parasites. Also, tweezers may burst the tick’s body, thereby poisoning your pet even more. Certain dog ticks can cause blood poisoning and you definitely wouldn’t want this to happen to your pet.

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If your dog is diagnosed with arthritis, it is very important that you do what it takes to allow it live longer and quite comfortably despite its medical condition. There are effective ways to treat dog arthritis these days.

However, you shouldn’t just limit yourself to the medicines and the cures given by the vet. You should also do your share in alleviating the pain that your pet goes through in your own little way.

Caring for dogs with arthritis is very crucial. Right now, there are many supplements, tools, and devices that can help your dogs manage its condition. The bottom line is to make sure that your pet lives as comfortably as possible. The pain on its joints will always be there, waiting for the right moment to attack. Your main goal is keep the attacks far and in between, or possibly never again.

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