Snow leopards favor Calvin Klein scent

Shimbu, the grand dame of snow leopards at Melbourne Zoo enjoying peppermint scent. Photo by Mark Smith

Zoos have used scents for animal enrichment for many years but recently it’s been found that one particular scent, Calvin Klein’s Obsession for Men seems to be a big hit.

The technique of using scents to attract and interest cats in captivity was perfected by Pat Thomas, General Curator of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo. Pat trialled many perfumes on trees, rocks and grasses in the zoo’s tiger, snow leopard, and cheetah exhibits. He found the expensive Calvin Klein was really attractive to the cats which rubbed, sniffed, pawed and enjoyed the experience enormously.

WCS research with jaguars in Guatemal using Calvin Klein's Obsession for Men scent. Photo WCS

“Calvin Klein Obsession for Men clearly passes the sniff test among the WCS Bronx Zoo’s big cat population,” said Thomas. “More importantly, this work is a great example of how The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Living Institutions and Global Conservation Programs work together to save wildlife and wild places.”

The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is doing more work with the perfume and has released a series of images from the jungles of Guatemala showing pumas and jaguars sniffing the scent.

WCS field conservationists have adopted the technique and have quickly learned that Obsession for Men is overwhelmingly the best way to attract jaguars in the wild to camera traps.

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“The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild places worldwide. We do so through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world’s largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx Zoo. Together these activities change attitudes toward nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in harmony. WCS is committed to this mission because it is essential to the integrity of life on Earth. Visit: www.wcs.org, or www.wcs.org/donation to make a donation.”