Cat News Special Issue No. 2, jointly produced by WWF and the IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group, is dedicated to the memory of

Heinz W. Stalder

1955-2005

Heinz got his doctoral degree from the University of Bern, Switzerland in 1988 for his thesis on red fox ecology in the Alps. On 1 April 1988, Heinz joined WWF Switzerland and became project coordinator. He played an important role in the leopard conservation project in the Caucasus. In spring 2005, when Victor Lukarevsky visited Switzerland, we sat all together and made plans on how to save the mighty cat in the Caucasus. Two month later, Heinz died unexpectedly.

We are badly missing Heinz’ constructive sarcasm in our discussions, but the show must go on. This special issue of Cat News, summarising our present knowledge on the leopard in the Caucasus, is another step on a path that was decisively traced out by Heinz. It will be a narrow and a rough road, like those crossing the mountains in the Caucasus, and we will encounter many obstacles to be removed. Nevertheless, if we know our common goal and work all together to reach it, we will succeed.

Urs and Christine Breitenmoser

                                                                                                                                                                                                 Photos F. Mörschel

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