Posted on June, 05 2007
The Conservation Strategy for the Leopard in the Caucasus provides guidance for the conservation of the leopard at either the ecoregional or metapopulation level.
A Strategic Planning Workshop on Leopard Conservation in the Caucasus that was organized by WWF Caucasus Programme Office jointly with IUCN (International Conservation Union) Cat Specialists Group continued for three days, May 30 – June 1, 2007 in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Approximately 40 participants from relevant governmental organizations, national NGOs and other stakeholders from the scientific community who represent the six countries of the Caucasus region as well as specialists from international conservation organizations took part in the recent workshop.
The leopard is not only charismatic and critically endangered species, it is also became a symbol for need of international cooperation in this conflict ridden region.
The main goal of the workshop seeks to develop a draft regional strategy for leopard conservation in the Caucasus. “There is no chance to save the endangered leopard without regional cooperation between countries, and there can be no efficient cooperation without a clear and agreed action plan”, highlighted Mr. Nugzar Zazanashvili, WWF Caucasus PO Conservation Director.
The Conservation Strategy for the Leopard in the Caucasus provides guidance for the conservation of the leopard at either the ecoregional or metapopulation level. Moreover, it defines general goals, common procedures and international cooperation and activities at the roaming level for the leopard. In order to fully delineate and to effectively implement the objectives and targets of the strategy at the country level, National Action Plans must first be developed. Such approaches and policies are best achieved in a participatory manner – e.g. using a logical framework approach – that fully involves the national authorities in charge, various experts, interested stakeholders, and most importantly locals.
However, for a range of reasons, mostly related to human activities and lost of habitat and prey, only about 40-65Caucasian leopards survive in the forests of the South Caucasus Mountains. The species is struggling against uncontrolled poaching, and the continued destruction of its habitat due to illegal logging and unabated conversion to pasture. The leopard is included in the Red Data Book of Rare and Endangered Species for all countries of the eco-region, and is listed in the Red List of IUCN and UNEP-WCMC Database of Threatened Animals of the World. The leopard was thought to have disappeared from the region in the 1960s, but the current researches prove that 40-65 animals are still freely roaming in the forests of the Caucasus.
For more information:
Mrs. Christine Breitenmoser-Wursten, Co-chair, IUCN Cat Specialists Group, BreiteCh@kora.ch
Ms. Lana Ghvinjilia, Communications Officer, WWF Cau PO lghvinjilia@wwfcaucasus.ge +995 32 330155
