Affiliated groups
M. Pittet
The IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group has presently around 200 members. Whilst there are many more people working on cats, the administrative capacity of the Cat SG does not allow including all of them into the SG. In recent years, an increasing number of species-specific or regional working groups and networks have been formed, especially for the smaller cat species. The Cat SG is looking to strengthen its collaboration with these working groups through signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with individual groups. The goal of these MoUs with the working groups are to help foster the data exchange within people working on the same species, to tighten the link between the components of the APA Species Conservation Cycle ASSESS – PLAN – ACT, to improve the feedback loop through these components, and to indirectly enlarge the outreach of the network.
The WGs help the Cat SG with its main tasks; to continually monitor the conservation status of the species within the framework of the IUCN Red List and Green Status Assessments and to help build contact with the respective range country conservation authorities, while the Cat SG offers training, access to the Digital Cat Library, and assistance in planning of conservation programmes.
As of November 2023, MoUs have been signed with:
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African Lion Working Group,
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African Golden Cat Conservation Alliance & Working Group,
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Guiña Working Group,
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Manul Working Group, and
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Persian Leopard Working Group.
Although several members of these groups are also members of the Cat SG and hence SSC, these networks on just 4 species and 1 subspecies already unite more than 300 people working on these cats. This is already 1.5 times bigger than the entire Cat Specialist Group spanning all 40 cat species, which shows the potential of these Working Groups and networks.
In the long term, MoUs will be signed with all existing Working Groups. There is still a number of cat species that are not yet included in a Working Group or network. The small cats especially, for which generally no large-scale research or conservation programme exists and which are below the radar of the large international conservation organisations, benefit from a well-organised network of the people working on these species.
African Lion Working Group (ALWG)
The ALWG has the mission to promote comprehensive, scientifically based conservation strategies for all free roaming lion populations in Africa. The ALWG facilitates the exchange of scientific information, enhances communication and networking on lion conservation and related matters, works with different stakeholder groups, supports individuals working on lion conservation and management in Africa, promotes the development and maintenance of comprehensive management strategies and plans for lion conservation in Africa, and seeks assistance from affiliated or other credible organisations as needed.
P. Meier
Image to come
The African Golden Cat Conservation Alliance and Working Group (AGCCA & WG)
www.savingafricangoldencat.com
The AGCCA & WG has the mission to conserve the African golden cat through local livelihood improvement. The AGCCA & WG is a range-wide consortium. It has the goal to expand and oversee the conservation of the African golden cat across the species range. The AGCCA & WG works together with local communities and practices community-based conservation. Its objectives include supporting the conservation of the African golden cat across its range, networking and communication among partners, and enhancing capacity of practitioners. As part of the community livelihood improvement initiatives, a number of innovative projects have been developed that benefit partners and local communities.
The Guiña Working Group (GWG)
The GWG has the mission to conduct effective conservation-oriented research, to identify and quantify ecological needs and threats to guiñas, to effectively reduce threats, and to inform evidence-based strategies for its conservation. The group cooperates closely with local communities to get them involved in conservation work and aims to conduct long-term monitoring of guiña populations to assess the impacts of their work.
B. Segura
B. Cranke
Manul working group (MWG) or Pallas’s Cat Working Group (PCWG)
The MWG has the mission to secure the existence of manuls in the wild and their native habitats. The MWG consists of specialists involved in the study and conservation of wild and captive manuls, exchange information, provide advice, and organise joint projects. The MWG collects information on manuls, supports research and monitoring projects to enhance its conservation, promotes the development of a protected area network, provides information and expertise to decision-makers, GOs and NGOs and conduct environmental education.
Persian Leopard Working Group (PeLeWG)
pelewg.net
The PeLeWG has the mission to ensure the safeguarding of existing Persian leopards and their prey in coexistence with local people in their habitats. The PeLeWG supports the implementation of the range-wide Conservation Strategy of the Persian Leopard as well as the development/update of National Action Plans, facilitates information sharing and communication across range countries, informs authorities on Persian leopard research and conservation, supports the Cat SG on the continuous assessment of the Persian leopard, supports research and conservation projects on Persian leopard, and provides expertise, technical support and training for Persian leopard conservation.
Team Bars Turkmenistan