These stunning images show the 20-stone cat striking with lightning speed while the eight-foot reptile basks on a river island. The scene unfolded by the Cuiabá River in the Pantanal Wetlands of western Brazil. Photo: Jaguar attacks a Yacare Caiman. (Photo by Barcroft Media)

The snow leopard (Panthera uncia syn. Uncia uncia) is a large cat native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia. It is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species because as of 2003, the size of the global population was estimated at 4,080-6,590 adults, of which fewer than 2,500 individuals may reproduce in the wild.

In the 1970′s, actress and model Tippi Hedren (mother of actress Melanie Griffith) created the Shambala Preserve after producing the film Roar. The preserve rescued exotic big cats living in captivity that had been abused or were in need of help, one of which the family created a close bond with. Neil the lion lived with the family in their home, and played an active role in the day to day activities of the preserve.

“Most cats run away at the first sign of water but this jaguar shows that some just love to make a splash. The fierce-looking feline was spotted doing an impressive moggy paddle as it swam for meat at Taman Safari in Indonesia. The spectacular shots were captured by professional photographer, Erfin Nugroho, who was visiting the centre for endangered animals with his family”. – Richard Hartley-Parkinson. (Photo by Erfin Nugroho/Caters News)

Anne London found her focus at the age of 19 while working for Tippi Hedren, founder of Shambala , a refuge for big cats, elephants and other species located in California. There, as she walked among the animals, she realized that the commercial art field was not for her, and she dedicated her life to bringing about awareness of the plight of endangered wildlife across the globe, and raising money for conservation efforts.

California-based photographer Seth Casteel made his name taking photographs of dogs underwater, but before that, he was snapping cats on land.

A cat wears a “Tsunagaru Col” gadget next to a smart phone displaying the connected app, at the Anicall Corp booth during the Wearable Device Technology Expo in Tokyo January 14, 2015. The gadget (“Tsunagaru” means connection) for animals tracks information about pets, such as the location and other animals the pet might be interacting with, with the purpose of providing “social networking” for animals. The expo runs until January 16 as a part of Japan's largest electronic exhibition expected to attract around 77,000 visitors, according to organisers. (Photo by Yuya Shino/Reuters)

A cat with a “stegosaurus spine” design cut into its fur is seen next to a dog at a pet shop, in Tainan, Taiwan June 19, 2016. Lee Mei-chen, Taiwanese hairdresser turned pet groomer, shaves paw prints, lion faces and characters from Japanese brand Hello Kitty on to animal backs. The teddy bear design is one of the most complex in the furry repertoire. Photo by Tyrone Siu/Reuters)