A Third Transboundary Meeting on Small Wild Cat Conservation was successfully hosted at Dudhwa Tiger Reserve from 12–13 March, bringing together government officials and conservation partners from India, Nepal, and Bhutan.
The meeting served as an important platform for regional collaboration, focusing on enhancing coordinated efforts for the conservation of small wild cats across shared landscapes. During the event, an Identification Manual for Small Wild Cats of the Dudhwa Landscape, developed by WWF-India and project partners, was formally presented to participants.
The meeting witnessed participation from key institutions including National Tiger Conservation Authority, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, Department of Forests and Park Services, Wildlife Institute of India, UNDP India, and other regional partners.
A key outcome of the meeting was the collective commitment by the three countries to establish a transboundary network group, which will work towards:
- Undertaking a joint situation analysis assessment of small wild cats across the region
- Prioritizing conservation actions based on shared ecological understanding
- Strengthening information exchange and collaborative monitoring frameworks
This initiative marks a significant step towards landscape-level conservation of small wild cats, reinforcing the importance of cross-border cooperation in safeguarding these elusive and lesser-known species.
