Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation

October 10, 2020

12:15 pm PDT

There are over 30 species of small wild cats around the world, many of which are unknown to most people. The Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation (SWCCF) strives to raise awareness and defend these rare cats from a variety of threats, such as shrinking habitat, loss of prey, and conflicts with humans, livestock, and domestic animals. Since they are often difficult to locate, little is known about many small wild cat species, which is why SWCCF’s work is so vital to their survival. SWCCF works with local partners on nearly every continent to study small wild cats, identifying and mitigating threats to save them and their habitat. They also hold conferences with other small cat researchers to broaden scientific understanding of these mysterious felines.

SPEAKERS

Dr. Jim Sanderson

Director

Dr. Jim Sanderson has over 4 decades of experience in the conservation of small cats. He is the founder and director of the Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation (SWCCF). In 2004, Jim was the first person to capture and radio-collar an Andean cat; his images of Andean cats have also been featured in National Geographic. Jim was also the first person to ever photograph the Chinese mountain cat in the wild. Jim has a Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico and is the Program Manager for Wild Cat Conservation at Global Wildlife Conservation. He is also a member of the IUCN Cat Specialist Group and a review board member of the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund.

Badru Mugerwa

Director, Embaka

Badru Mugerwa is the founder of Embaka, a conservation initiative in Uganda that improves local communities while mitigating poaching of the African golden cat. Born in Kampala, Badru spends most of his days studying wildlife near the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. He also serves as president-elect of the Africa section of the Society of Conservation Biology (SCB) and currently chairs the steering committee for the International Congress for Conservation Biology. Badru's work focuses on interactions between people and biodiversity. He holds an MSc. in Zoology and Wildlife Conservation from Western University and an MSc. in Botany and Forest Conservation from Mbarara University of Science and Technology.

Photography credit: Thierry Plaud