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The BWG has identified the following six general goals, which are subject to modifications as the core group evolves (an in depth description of each goal follows this outline): (1) Coordination of all individuals and organizations interested in joining the BWG and concerned with bordercat recovery. Planning future BWG meetings and future collaborative efforts. Identification of each individual’s/organization’s commitment to bordercats. Maintenance of an updated directory of people working with bordercats and ongoing projects. (2) Development of a research plan for bordercat recovery and conservation which will include: the extent of current or potential distribution of cat species in each region; identification of core populations for each species; identification of the northernmost populations and dispersing individuals; estimates of abundance for each species throughout their ranges; and species’ use of resources, movements, and identification of possible corridors. (3) Identification of initial habitats that need to be protected and managed for bordercats. Determination of habitats that the BWG should focus on for acquisition, conservation easements, habitat restoration, and research. (4) Assessment of legal implications of bordercat recovery. Review of laws protecting bordercat species within the USA and Mexico, including international treaties and trade agreements, in order to facilitate enforcement of these laws. (5) Development of a pro-active constituency for bordercats. Development of an environmental education program for bordercats. Identification of how best to educate the public about the importance of bordercats. Coordination of BWG activities with official recovery teams. (6) Outreach. Identification of ways in which BWG can most effectively communicate its purpose and objectives at local and regional levels. The conservation of bordercats stimulates many scientific and legal questions that will be an inextricable part of recovery for each of the species. Through our work, we have had to address difficult questions, such as what constitutes a "recovered" population of bordercats in the United States? What historically limited their range to the north? Why did ocelots, jaguarundis, and jaguars stop when bobcat and mountain lions continued? What is "critical habitat" for species’ whose whereabouts were poorly understood in the border regions, prior to their decline. If former habitats have become unsuitable for these cats, what model do we use for habitat restoration? In absence of substantial data on prey requirements, habitat preferences, and how these organisms were distributed across the northern limits of their geographical landscapes, the BWG will seek innovative solutions based on a synthesis of biological, legal, and social forces, designed to promote long-term persistence for these neotropical species. |
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