Inspiring news from the Colocolo Conservation Project

Saving Colocolo, Chile's only endemic wild cat, from extinction

Jim Sanderson

Special Issues are aimed at raising the profile of a particular small cat species and calling attention to the extraordinary conservation efforts made by our local working group leaders. The Colocolo (Leopardus colocola) is a beautiful small wild cat endemic to the Mediterranean climate zone of central Chile. Carlos Castro, working group leader of the Colocolo Conservation Project, and his team are making outstanding and exemplary efforts to save Chile's most-threatened wild cat species.

Here's all you need to know about how the Colocolo got to be where it is today. You already know what has happened to Mediterranean climate zones around the world so you appreciate the hurdles Carlos awakes to every day. Carlos tells his story with pictures below.

The banner illustration is from Daniel Giraud Elliot's 1878-1883 book entitled A Monograph of The Felidae, the single most-outstanding book about all species of wild cats ever produced. I have examined several copies personally and re-typed the entire book from cover-to-cover. The single copy of Joseph Wolf's original charcoal illustrations are housed in the Blacker Library, McGill University, Montreal, Canada where I photographed each of 64 illustrations and labeled each according to their appearance in Elliot's magnificent monograph. More about A Monograph of The Felidae in the future

Relying on his notes after returning from Chile to his native Italy. the Italian monk Giovanni Ignazio Molina described two new small cat species he named Guigna (wean-yah) and Colocolo (pictured above) in his book published in 1782. Molina used the Latin name Felis colocola, in error of honoring an indigenous leader Colocolo. In 1810, Molina attempted to correct his error by offering a new Latin binomial Felis colocolo. Unfortunately, the modern rules of nomenclature forbid corrective attempts. Later, the genus name was changed to Leopardus. Thus, we use the common name Colocolo to refer to Molina's Leopardus colocola.

Chile has six species of wild cats—Andean cat, Colocolo, Desert pampas cat, Geoffroy's cat, Guigna, and Puma. Because the Colocolo is Chile's only endemic wild cat, by far the least studied, and, because the habitat is solely in the Mediterranean climate zone that is the most-threatened habitat in Chile, Colocolo is the single-most threatened wild cat in Chile. Moreover, time and climate change do not favor the Colocolo. Heroic efforts are called for and Carlos Castro, together with his Colocolo Conservation Project teammates, have risen to the challenge. The results inspire optimism. We can and we will prevent the extinction of the Colocolo. No small cats left behind!

Small Wild Cat Conservation Foundation

Saving the Colocolo three kittens at a time

Carlos Castro, Chile, The Colocolo Conservation project

Chile is globally known for Patagonia, vast stretches of land where Puma are easily observed and photographed, and where successful programs have helped many species return to their former abundance. This has been made possible thanks to the fact that nearly 20% of Chile’s national territory is protected as Wild Areas, whether in the form of reserves or parks (public or private).

Nevertheless, of this 20%, only about 4% is located in central Chile. This means that the country’s main biodiversity hotspot—the Chilean Mediterranean climate zone—is unrepresented in the protected area system. Even worse, these fertile lands and perfect climate are now mostly dedicated to agriculture and human settlements. The Mediterranean climate zone is not just Chile's breadbasket, it is the source of a globally known wine industry. Moreover, its forests are now threatened by fire. Though a species may be naturally rare, rarity in this part of Chile is dwarfed by threats. Because the Colocolo is endemic to Chile and specifically to the most threatened habitat in all Chile, the Colocolo Conservation Project must do everything we can to protect the cats and their habitat from all too numerous threats.

In this very context, among avocado trees on land owned by the agricultural company Grupo Jorge Schmidt, a female Colocolo gave birth to three kittens. Why did she pick that spot? Most likely her choice was due to the lack of available natural habitat. Workers on the farm spotted three kittens hiding among fallen avocado leaves, and upon realizing they were Colocolos, they contacted the Colocolo Conservation Project.

JGS: Unwritten is that everyone in central Chile knows about the Colocolo Conservation Project. Such widespread recognition is earned, not given.

We did not hesitate. Our first step was to give the mother and her kittens the space and privacy they needed. All the farm workers and management became involved. Suddenly, awareness of the plight faced by the entire population of Colocolo manifested itself in a Colocolo and her kittens. The story was just beginning. In collaboration with the farm, we held an educational talk about small wild cats and the conservation challenges they face. We also installed an informative sign explaining what to do if someone encounters a wild cat, how to act if it’s injured, and which nearby rescue centers to contact. In other words, we presented a plan about what to do before the inevitable happens. We planned for a one hour presentation. Four hours later, interest had not subsided. Our team has been joined; our efforts doubled. The experience for our team was humbling.

In addition, we began a monitoring program using trail cameras to detect small wild cats on the property. In the hectares the company has set aside for conservation, we will assist both financially and with shovels a native tree restoration project. And of course, this entire effort will have the ongoing support of the Colocolo Conservation Project and SWCCF because it is precisely in these places—where the forest is disappearing and biodiversity is holding on—where conservation programs are needed most.

JGS: An outstanding example of creating a new partnership with lasting impact, news of which will quickly spread to neighboring farms.

We are deeply grateful to the management of Grupo Jorge Schmidt and the farm workers for their willingness to protect the Colocolo, and to the company’s environmental officer for reaching out to us. We are confident that by working together, we will truly make a long-term, lasting, difference.

JGS: Thanks to your efforts, Carlos, I'm certain the Colocolo Conservation Project has already made a long-term lasting difference.

Colocolo Conservation Project