IUCN COMMISSION GROUP

IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group

Overview and description

Description:: The high degree of specialization that the cats have acquired during their evolution makes them vulnerable to environmental changes; 45 % of the 38 cat species are threatened. The IUCN SSC Cat ...
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The high degree of specialization that the cats have acquired during their evolution makes them vulnerable to environmental changes; 45 % of the 38 cat species are threatened. The IUCN SSC Cat Specialist Group (CSG) promotes the long - term conservation of the wild living cat species and their habitats by means of continuous monitoring and assessment, information - sharing, identification of conservation priorities and facilitation/delivery of these priority actions through collaborative conservation work.

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Group leadership

Dr Christine BREITENMOSER-WÜRSTEN

Co-Chair

Dr Urs BREITENMOSER

Co-Chair

I am a carnivore ecologist and former senior scientist at the University of Bern and the former director of the Foundation KORA – Carnivore Ecology and Wildlife Management. I have been…

Ms Tabea LANZ

Red List Authority Coordinator

More about the Specialist Group

The Cat Specialist Group is active in many of its own initiatives, focusing on the development of tools for the assessment of the species’ status, on the compilation and distribution of intelligence and on supporting the work of its members. A central concern is to promote the dialogue among scientists and practitioners throughout the world. The group believes that cooperation and sharing of knowledge are critical for the conservation of the wild cats.

The ...

Mission

The Cat Specialist Group is responsible for the global monitoring and conservation of all 40 wild living cat species.

Specialist Group work

Cat conservation faces a number of specific challenges as a consequence of biological features of the felids and their particular relations with humans.