The Wildlife and Nature Protection Society’s next monthly lecture titled ‘Global Small Wild Cat Conservation’ will be held on February 15 at 6 pm at the Lotus Room, BMICH.
Global authority on wild cats, Dr Jim Sanderson will discuss current conservation efforts addressing threats to several species, from South America to China and Sri Lanka. There are 40 species of wild cats around the world, 33 of which can be considered small cats.
Dr Jim Sanderson says, “I begin with the overall strategy that is followed globally. What’s the threat, what’s the intervention, what variables do we monitor, and then evaluate to make interventions more effective. There are similarities and differences in species conservation efforts, and much depends on the country where we work. No single solution fits all. Our programs are long-term and constant vigilance is required. I will talk about current conservation efforts to mitigate threats to small wild cats around the world. Threat mitigation includes repairing hen houses, erecting warning signs along roads, and working with local officials to prevent habitat destruction. Our strategy (Threats, Interventions, Monitoring, Evaluation (TIME)) is to begin by ranking threats, then creating and implementing mitigation strategies.”
Dr Sanderson received a Ph.D from the University of New Mexico in 1976. He is the Program Manager for Wild Cat Conservation at Global Wildlife Conservation. He is the founder and director of the Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation, a member of the IUCN Cat Specialist Group, a review board member of the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund, and a Fellow of Wildlife Conservation Network.