A Darwin Initiative project based at WildCRU aims to achieve biodiversity conservation by promoting collaboration across national boundaries, using the Andean cat as a flagship species. It seeks to improve the efficiency of existing protected areas in securing long-term conservation of the Puna vertebrate biodiversity, and to encourage more tolerance for wildlife outside them. The focus of the work will be to gather high quality data on vertebrate distribution, identify areas of key conservation value, train stakeholders, strengthen conservation networks, deliver community education to reduce pressure upon the Puna's fauna, and establish a mechanism for monitoring cat presence and prey availability. 

Project description (Spanish)

1st Newsletter (Spanish)

The Cat Specialist Group and the Conservation Breeding Centre in El Acebuche, Doņana National Park, Spain

After decades of pessimism in regard to the future of the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus), the Conservation Breeding Centre in El Acebuche, Doņana National Park, Spain, informed on a first success: Saliega gave birth to three progenies whose sex is yet unknown. This is a historical event as these Iberian lynx are the first ever born in captivity.
After 64 days of gestation, Saliega, a 3 years old female originating from the Sierra de Andújar Natural Park gave birth on March 28 at 19.30. The father of the offspring, Garfio is 4 years old and also steming from the Sierra Morena. So far, Saliega shows an excellent maternal behaviour, carefully looking after the babies since the first moment.
This reproduction gives new hope for the survival of the Iberian lynx, from which not more than 200 individuals remain in the wild and which is therefore considered by the IUCN as the most endangered cat species worldwide. The Conservation Breeding Programme, lead by Dr Astrid Vargas is one of the measures – together with activities aiming to help the remaining two populations in the wild – adopted by the Spanish Ministry of Environment and the Regional Government of Andalusia to safe this superb cat species.

For further information (in Spanish) and pictures please look at the official information page.