In this episode of the Think Wildlife Podcast, Anish Banerjee, founder of the Think Wildlife Foundation, is joined by Stuart Chapman, a leading conservationist and the head of WWF’s Tigers Alive Initiative. With over two decades of experience in wildlife conservation across Asia and beyond, Stuart brings a rare combination of field expertise and global perspective on biodiversity conservation and the future of wild cats. The conversation traces Stuart’s lifelong fascination with wild cats and his ongoing quest to observe all 40 species of wild cats in their natural habitats. Through personal field stories, including a remarkable encounter with the elusive Asian golden cat in India’s Eagle Nest Wildlife Sanctuary, the episode highlights both the emotional intensity and scientific value of long-term wildlife observation. Particular attention is given to species such as the clouded leopard, whose extreme rarity underscores the challenges of studying and conserving lesser-known wild cat species.
Beyond individual experiences, the discussion examines the broader pressures facing wildcat conservation, including habitat fragmentation, persecution, and declining prey bases. Stuart reflects on how these pressures affect not only iconic species such as tigers, but also smaller and often overlooked carnivores, revealing how biodiversity loss cascades through entire ecosystems. The episode emphasizes why wild tiger conservation remains central to wider wildlife conservation goals, as apex predators play a critical role in maintaining ecological balance and healthy trophic structures. Tune in this interesting episode covering wild cat conservation around the world.
The Search for Wild Cats
Anish: Today, we have Stuart Chapman, who is the lead for the Tiger Alive initiative of WWF. He has over 20 years of conservation experience and is currently on an ambitious pursuit to see all 40 species of wild cats. Welcome, Stuart to our podcast. It is a pleasure to have you.
Stuart: Thank you.
Anish: You are on a mission to see all 41 species of cats around the world. What sparked your interest in wild cats and encouraged you on this journey?
Stuart: It’s difficult to know exactly when it started, but certainly when I was a child. I had posters on my wall from the age of five or six all the way up to about fifteen or sixteen. Two posters stayed with me throughout my childhood—one was a pair of cheetahs and the other was a tiger swimming. Maybe that’s why, as a teenager, I didn’t have a girlfriend—I had animal pictures on my wall. But yes, it’s always been a childhood fascination, and I think that’s where it all started.
Anish: What has been your most memorable sighting so far?
Stuart: As I creep up the list—I’ve now seen 26 wild cat species out of 40, with the 41st being domestic cats, which I guess doesn’t count—it’s getting harder and harder. It’s quite easy to get the first 10, maybe even 15, but after that it becomes really difficult. You have to put in a lot of time and effort.
Because I’ve lived in Asia for about 20 years, seeing a cat here means more to me than seeing a rare wild cat in Europe or Africa. I’ve spent so much of my conservation career in Asia that I have a deeper appreciation of what it takes to see these animals and what they represent.
One species that had been near the top of my bucket list for at least 10 years was the Asian golden cat. I did some research and found that Eagle Nest Wildlife Sanctuary in India was a place where they were seen relatively frequently—maybe once a month, according to birders. So I hired a guide, got permission, and went there in March. It’s a spectacular place, with one dead-end road running through it, which is perfect for cat spotting.
One evening, we were driving when the spotter said, “Oh look, eyeshine on the side of the road.” It was deep in a bamboo clump. We could see some reddish fur, but it could have been a barking deer or a muntjac. The key was seeing the face—if it was red and feline, then it had to be a golden cat.
I was so excited that I didn’t focus properly. I moved around trying to get a photo and missed the moment when it moved. The guide said he saw its face and confirmed it was a cat, but I hadn’t seen enough to convince myself. When it crawled away, I was devastated. I thought I’d blown my only chance and would have to wait another ten years.
Then, something unbelievable happened. About 30 minutes later, as we were zigzagging down the mountain, we turned a corner and the same cat stepped onto the road just two metres in front of the car. It stood there—this magnificent, bright red, golden animal—just staring at me. I couldn’t believe it. I got terrible photos because I was so excited, but I was absolutely elated.
What made it special was that second chance. With rare animals, you usually only get one shot. I was incredibly lucky.
Anish: Which species are you currently looking for?
Stuart: There are two in Asia that I haven’t seen yet. The first is the mainland clouded leopard. The clouded leopard was split into two species about 12 years ago. I’ve seen the Sunda clouded leopard in Sumatra and Borneo, but not the mainland species, which ranges from Malaysia through Nepal, Bhutan, and India.
I’ve done four or five dedicated trips in the Himalayas over the last two years, spending several weeks in total, and I still haven’t seen it. I’m trying again in November, near Darjeeling in Assam, which is meant to be a good place.
The second species is the Eurasian lynx. I went to Ladakh earlier this year partly for the chance of seeing one, but we didn’t. It’s probably better to go in winter. I’ve done a winter trip and seen snow leopards in Hemis, but not a lynx. Still, the clouded leopard is definitely the hardest cat to see in Asia and remains at the top of my list.
Anish: What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in this quest?
Stuart: Time and money. As it gets harder, I need to spend more time, and of course, I work. It’s also an expensive hobby. I try to reduce costs by travelling locally. I’m based in Kathmandu, so I’ve been to Langtang National Park four times looking for certain species, and I cross into northern India as well.
But some of the cats I still need require much longer-distance travel, which is expensive. I have to plan carefully so I don’t blow all my savings.
Once you fix a target in life—like climbing Everest—everything you do starts to lead in that direction. Since I identified my quest to see all the wild cats of the world, everything I do revolves around it: the websites I visit, the gear I buy, the trips I plan. It’s my focus. I’m probably very boring at parties because that’s all I want to talk about. But if I meet someone who’s interested, they won’t escape—I’ll talk all night.
Anish: What have you learned from this journey?
Stuart: I’ve learned how rare these cats are and how persecuted they are. What’s fascinating is that persecution takes different forms everywhere. In South Africa, farmers want to kill caracals. In Scotland, where my ancestors are from, the wildcat population is almost extinct. It was persecuted for eating game birds.
It’s not about size. Once the largest predators are gone, the next species becomes the problem. We just move down the food chain. Everywhere I go, I hear stories of cats being killed for one reason or another.
This persecution keeps these incredible animals at very low numbers and makes them even harder to find. That’s why I always encourage people to support the wildlife economy—use guides, stay in local hotels, talk about why you’re there. It can be a small but meaningful reason not to kill an animal.
Conserving Wild Cats
Anish: Why are wild cats so important in conservation?
Stuart: For me, if large carnivores are present in a landscape—whether it’s wolves and snow leopards in the highlands or tigers and dholes in the lowlands—it tells me the ecosystem is functioning. These animals need sufficient prey and they exert top-down control through trophic cascades.
Once you remove a carnivore, the system breaks. You get too many pigs, rabbits, or other species because something is missing. A functioning ecosystem not only looks and sounds different—it feels different. I celebrate being in those places because they’re becoming increasingly rare.
Anish: Smaller cat species often get ignored compared to tigers and lions. What can be done to help them?
Stuart: I support both flagship species conservation and broader approaches. Flagships like tigers and snow leopards are powerful tools to engage the public. Protecting them has cascading benefits—removing snares, stopping deforestation—which helps smaller cats like jungle cats and rusty-spotted cats too.
Focusing on smaller cats depends a lot on where you are. In Europe, for example, the lynx might be the top feline predator, making it easier to centre conservation around it. In places like India or Nepal, there are many competing flagship species, which makes it harder.
Personally, I love all mammals. I’ll spend hours looking for bats, squirrels, or cats. I’m probably not the best person to ask because I love them all equally.
Anish: You lead WWF’s Tiger Alliance Initiative. Could you tell us about this programme?
Stuart: The programme started about 14 years ago when tiger populations were at an all-time low—around 3,000 animals in 2009. Governments, conservationists, donors, and world leaders came together and agreed to double tiger numbers to around 6,000 by 2022 under the TX2 goal.
WWF’s role has been to support countries with tigers through fundraising, technical support, and communications—celebrating successes and highlighting challenges. Today, tiger numbers are estimated at around 4,500, with significant increases in countries like Nepal and Russia. We’re expecting more results from India soon, and overall, we’re getting close to that 6,000 target.
This shows that when political will, public interest, donor support, and NGOs align, it’s possible to reverse declines. It’s a model that’s now being applied to other species like snow leopards.
Anish: The second International Tiger Forum was recently held. What were the outcomes?
Stuart: Unfortunately, global events—especially the invasion of Ukraine—meant the forum wasn’t held at the scale we’d hoped for. Tigers didn’t get the spotlight they deserved, but there’s still time within the Year of the Tiger for another major event.
What’s important now is agreeing on the next 12-year plan. TX2 was the rallying call for the last decade, and we need a new one to inspire governments, conservationists, and donors going forward.
Anish: Finally, how can the public help wildcat conservation?
Stuart: Become a fanatic. Go and look for wild cats or wildlife where you live. Start your own list. The more people talk about and value these animals, the more local communities recognise that they’re worth more alive than dead.
If you can’t travel, join a conservation NGO—local or international—and support their work. You can be an armchair supporter and still make a difference. If cats aren’t your thing, maybe birds or primates are. Find your entry point into nature and be obsessed with it.
For all my frustration when I don’t see the cat I’m looking for, I’m still out in nature, celebrating everything else I encounter. And if I don’t see it, I go back and try again. So make conservation your hobby—and support those working on the ground.
Anish: Thank you so much for that. That was a very inspiring answer and thank you for your time.
Stuart: Thank you.