Protect Partner Profile: Panthera

In March 2018, The Mountain launched its new “Protect” line of T-shirts, hats, mugs and tote bags featuring some of the globe’s most vulnerable, threatened or endangered animal species. There’s a higher purpose behind Protect besides just putting out jaw-dropping images of animals: The Mountain is dedicating a percentage of Protect sales back to seven non-profit conservation organizations working to ensure a future on these magnificent creatures. Today, we take a deeper look at one of those seven organizations we’re partnering with.

WHO: Panthera

WHERE: Headquartered in New York, NY with field operations in 36 countries around the world.

THE SITUATION: Big cats are the stuff of legend and lore – admired and revered around the world - but face growing threats in the wild throughout their range. In the past century, tiger populations have declined by nearly 90 percent and African lion populations have plummeted by more than 40 percent within just the last 20 years. Many of this planet’s most majestic predators are listed as “threatened” or “endangered,” largely caused by human activities.

WHAT THEY DO (NUTSHELL VERSION): Panthera is the only organization in the world that is devoted exclusively to the conservation of the world's 40 wild cat species and their landscapes.

WHAT THEY DO (DETAILS): Founded in 2006, Panthera’s mission is to conserve imperiled big cats (like lions, tigers, cheetahs, pumas, snow leopards, leopards and jaguars) and the ecosystems they need to survive. Panthera works with partners in the United States, South and Central America, Africa and Asia to implement science-based actions that reduce the biggest threats facing wild cats, including poaching, human-wildlife conflict, and habitat loss, and recover their populations.