Mohamed bin Zayed Species project number 222529688

Conservation Actions for the Andean Tiger Cat (Leopardus tigrinus pardinoides) in a biodiversity hotspot, in the Eastern Colombian Andes

The Andean tiger cat (Leopardus tigrinus pardinoides) is considered both globally and nationally in theVulnerable category in the Red Lists of IUCN and Colombia. Is currently a subspecies (soon to become a species on itsown) that ranges between 1,500 and 4,500 m altitude. Unfortunately, in this altitudinal range lies the majority of Colombian human population.This felid is restricted to the clouded forests and the adjacent paramo. These, in turn, are two highly threatened ecosystems inColombia, where only 23% of the natural cover remains (disturbed ornot), making it a critical area for conservation due to the high biological diversity and the high degree of endemism present. For the Andean tiger cat, other than habitatloss/fragmentation, the presence of feral dogs in the forests is one ofits main threat given potential transmission of deadly diseases, suchas distemper and parvovirus. With this project we seek to mitigate the risk of disease transmission from domestic carnivore to Andean tiger cat and other carnivores through vaccination campaigns for dogs and cats in Chingaza NNP and surroundings, one of the key andstrategic worldwide conservation areas for the species and to assess the diseases, present in the domesticcarnivore population. We carry out environmental education actions with children, through the use of games, toys, and educational materialaimed at developing a conservation oriented mind of the Andean tigercat and its habitat (for the future) and we  are monitoring population trends of Leopardus tigrinus pardinoides in its key conservation area in the eastern cordillera, Chingaza Natural National Park, Colombia.