2024 Mid Term Report: Saving South America's Smallest Wild Cats: Re:wild’s Mission to Protect Tiger Cats

When we think of wild cats, our minds often jump to the grandeur of tigers, lions, or jaguars. But in the dense forests, sprawling savannas, and remote grasslands of South America, much smaller yet equally magnificent wild felines are fighting for survival. The tiger cats—Leopardus tigrinus, L. guttulus, and L. pardinoides—are among the most elusive and endangered wild cats on the continent. Fortunately, Re:wild’s Tiger Cats Conservation Initiative (TCCI) is leading a continent-wide effort to secure their future.

Their mission is ambitious: to mitigate threats, monitor populations, and create safe havens for these small but mighty felines. Through partnerships, education, habitat conservation, disease prevention, and even rewilding efforts, they are building a future where tiger cats and other small wild felids can thrive.

A Continental Approach to Conservation

Re:wild and its partners recognize that saving tiger cats requires a large-scale, interconnected strategy. Across South America, they are tackling threats that range from disease transmission by domestic animals, habitat loss, and roadkill to illegal wildlife trade and human-wildlife conflict. By working with local communities, researchers, and policymakers, they are setting the stage for long-term conservation success.

Key Conservation Actions and Achievements

The Re:wild Tiger Cats Conservation Initiative is not just about research—it’s about action. Their efforts focus on two key pillars: "Action" (reducing threats through conservation work) and "Vigilance" (monitoring populations and their habitats). Below are some of the remarkable strides they’ve made so far.

🐾 Vaccination and Disease Prevention

One of the biggest threats to tiger cats is disease transmission from domestic animals. Distemper, parvovirus, and other communicable diseases are decimating wild populations, making disease mitigation a top priority.

✅ 1,541 vaccine doses applied
✅ 876 animals vaccinated (dogs and cats in communities near tiger cat habitats)
✅ 60 animals neutered to reduce free-roaming populations

A major milestone was TCCI’s 4th Intercontinental Vaccination Campaign, where conservation groups across the Americas collaborated to raise awareness and combat the silent threat of disease.

🌍 Environmental Education: Inspiring Future Conservationists

Saving wild cats isn’t just about protecting them today—it’s about ensuring future generations understand their value. That’s why Re:wild places a strong emphasis on education.

✅ 3,444 children and teenagers reached
✅ 76 schools engaged
✅ 4,611 educational materials produced (games, booklets, stickers, and pamphlets)

From hands-on workshops to murals in local schools, these programs are instilling a deep respect for wildlife in the hearts of young people.

📸 Population Monitoring: Eyes in the Wild

Tracking elusive wild cats is no easy feat, but through camera trapping and habitat surveys, researchers are collecting crucial data to better understand population trends.

✅ 10 small wild cat species monitored (including ocelots, margays, jaguarundis, and pampas cats)
✅ 108 relative abundance estimates recorded
✅ Monitoring efforts expanding in key conservation areas

This vigilance ensures that conservation efforts remain data-driven, allowing teams to adjust strategies as needed.

🛑 Reducing Roadkill & Human-Wildlife Conflict

As human development expands, tiger cats face increasing dangers from roads and human settlements. To address this, Re:wild is:

🚧 Installing road signs to prevent wildlife collisions
🏡 Building secure henhouses to reduce conflict with farmers
💰 Providing compensation for livestock losses to prevent retaliatory killings

Though progress is being made, more work is needed to ensure that tiger cats can move safely through their habitats without deadly encounters with humans or vehicles.

🦁 Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Release

Not all wild cats can avoid human interference. Some are caught in the illegal pet trade, injured, or orphaned due to habitat destruction. Re:wild’s rehabilitation efforts help these animals return to the wild whenever possible.

🔹 Successful release of an Atlantic Forest tiger cat at São Francisco Reserve
🔹 Rehabilitation of 8 savanna tiger cats and 2 jaguarundis for future release
🔹 Rescue and monitoring of a margay during catastrophic floods in Brazil

Each of these efforts represents a second chance for a wild cat to reclaim its rightful place in nature.

Challenges Ahead

Despite these successes, funding remains a major hurdle. With over 50 participating projects, resources are stretched thin. Additionally, large numbers of free-roaming domestic dogs and cats continue to threaten wildlife through disease transmission and predation.

A lack of veterinary personnel has also delayed essential neutering programs, but efforts are underway to resolve these issues in the coming months.

How You Can Help

The work of Re:wild and its partners is making a tangible difference, but they need your help to continue protecting South America’s smallest wild cats.

🌱 Donate: Your contribution helps fund vaccinations, education programs, and habitat protection.
📢 Raise Awareness: Share their work on social media to spread the word about the plight of small wild cats.
💚 Support Ethical Ecotourism: Choose travel experiences that protect rather than exploit wildlife.
🐾 Advocate for Wildlife Protection: Push for stronger policies that safeguard habitats and reduce human-wildlife conflict.

Together, we can ensure that tiger cats and other small wild felids not only survive—but thrive for generations to come.

Read more here: https://www.tigercatsconservation.com/_files/ugd/b2c61f_1773518898034d5a88077d0d08494a00.pdf

2022-2023 Report: Saving the World's Small Wild Cats: The Tiger Cats Conservation Initiative (TCCI)

When we think of wild cats, our minds often jump to the majestic roar of the tiger or the imposing silhouette of the lion. But what about the smaller, lesser-known wild cats? These elusive, spotted felines are just as vital to their ecosystems, yet they remain in the shadows, facing mounting threats. The Tiger Cats Conservation Initiative (TCCI) is on a mission to change that.

The recently published TCCI Annual Report 2022-2023 provides a deep dive into their groundbreaking work to protect tiger-cats and other small wild felids across the Americas. Despite facing financial struggles in 2023, this grassroots movement has expanded conservation efforts, engaged communities, and even helped redefine the known species of tiger-cats.

This report isn't just a summary of past achievements—it’s a call to action. Every effort made by TCCI needs support to continue, and you can be part of the solution.

Who is TCCI?

The Tiger Cats Conservation Initiative (TCCI) is a collective of conservationists, researchers, and local communities working together to protect tiger-cats—a group of small, wild felines spread across North, Central, and South America. But their work doesn’t stop there. TCCI’s conservation strategies also benefit other small wild cats, including:

• Margay

• Ocelot

• Jaguarundi

• Geoffroy’s Cat

• Pampas Cat

• Brazilian Black-Footed Cat

This initiative operates on two core principles: Action & Vigilance—taking direct conservation measures while monitoring key populations to detect and mitigate threats.

Major Threats to Tiger-Cats and Other Small Wild Felids

TCCI has identified five key dangers threatening the survival of small wild cats:

1. Disease Transmission from Domestic Dogs & Cats

Canine distemper virus (CDV) and other diseases spread from domestic pets to wild cats, devastating populations. TCCI has vaccinated over 3,000 domestic animals across the Americas to combat this invisible yet deadly threat.

2. Habitat Destruction & Fragmentation

Deforestation, wildfires, and human encroachment are shrinking tiger-cat habitats. Satellite monitoring and landowner partnerships help TCCI track habitat loss and fight for protections.

3. Road-Kill Incidents

As roads cut through forests, wild cats become victims of vehicle collisions. TCCI has implemented road signs in high-risk areas to warn drivers and protect vulnerable wildlife.

4. Pet Trade & Animal Trafficking

Captured as exotic pets or killed for their fur, small wild cats suffer from illegal trade. TCCI rescues and rehabilitates trafficked individuals, aiming for reintroduction into the wild whenever possible.

5. Retaliatory Killings Due to Livestock Depredation

Farmers often kill small wild cats for preying on chickens. TCCI works to prevent this conflict by building secure henhouses and testing reimbursement programs for confirmed losses.

TCCI's Conservation Wins

Despite limited funding, TCCI achieved incredible milestones in the past year. Here are just a few of their biggest wins:

🛡️ Established Two New Protected Areas in Brazil

TCCI helped create:

• Cavernas de Martins National Monument (3,538 hectares)

• Serradas Araras Wildlife Refuge (12,536 hectares)

These reserves protect tiger-cats and other wildlife in Brazil’s endangered Caatinga scrubland.

🌍 Led Three Intercontinental Vaccination Campaigns

Across North, Central, and South America, TCCI coordinated vaccination drives, tackling the threat of disease spillover from domestic animals.

🔬 Discovered a New Tiger-Cat Species!

TCCI scientists formally identified the Clouded Tiger-Cat as a distinct species, alongside the Savanna Tiger-Cat and Atlantic Forest Tiger-Cat. This redefinition reshaped the known distribution of these elusive felines and emphasized the need for urgent conservation action.

📡 Expanded Population Monitoring

With 60+ camera-trap sites, TCCI tracks population trends and health, providing crucial data for conservation policies.

🏫 Engaged 50+ Community Education Projects

By involving children in conservation through educational games, books, murals, and hands-on monitoring, TCCI is building the next generation of wildlife protectors.

🏥 Rescued, Rehabilitated & Released Wild Cats

TCCI successfully reintroduced 10 small wild cats back into the wild and expanded rehabilitation efforts to include more species.

🐾 Partnered with Landowners to Protect Habitat

TCCI now collaborates with 19 landowners to safeguard essential wild cat habitats and promote coexistence.

How You Can Help

TCCI has proven that a small, dedicated group can make a massive impact. But they can’t do it alone.

Ways to Support:

🔹 Donate – Even small contributions fund vaccination drives, habitat monitoring, and research.
🔹 Raise Awareness – Share this article and follow TCCI on social media (@tigercatsconservation).
🔹 Support Policy Change – Encourage local governments to implement wildlife-friendly policies.
🔹 Adopt Sustainable Practices – Keep pets vaccinated, neutered, and indoors to reduce their impact on wildlife.
🔹 Get Involved – Volunteer with conservation organizations and advocate for small wild cats.

The fight to save small wild cats is ongoing, but with your help, TCCI can continue their mission. Join them in making a difference today!

Big Cat Rescue donated $8,600.00 in 2022

Together, We Can Save Small Wild Cats! 🐾🌎💚

Read the entire report: https://www.tigercatsconservation.com/_files/ugd/b2c61f_71f128a8291e4ecdbf932b4524ed11bd.pdf