Supporting small carnivore conservation

Red Panda © Tashi R. Ghale

The Small Carnivore Specialist Group was formed in the 1980s and is one of the longest running groups within the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC)

Our group has over 90 members, whose expertise range from wildlife photography and mammal watching, through to small carnivore ecology.

What does the group do?

Over 60% of all small carnivore species are in decline. Major threats include the illegal wildlife trade and habitat loss. 74% of threatened small carnivores are in Asia and Africa.

We support small carnivore conservation by:

  1. Collating and disseminating information and data relevant to small carnivore conservation

  2. Providing technical advice on small carnivore conservation

  3. Linking between field and captive programmes

  4. Supporting early-career conservationists working in species-rich but resource-poor countries, particularly in the tropics

Our Priorities

Our priority species are all threatened with extinction and all require urgent conservation action. Small carnivores form a significant part of the illegal wildlife trade; another priority is the trade and use of small carnivores.

We support the conservation of:

  • red pandas

  • the Malagasy carnivores

  • mongooses

  • skunks and stink badgers

  • weasels, martens and badgers

  • civets and genets

  • linsangs

  • raccoons and coatis

We do not cover any species of cat, dog, or otter: these are covered by different specialist groups within the IUCN Species Survival Commission.

Madagascar’s Carnivores

European Mink

Owston’s Civet

Trade, use and zootonic disease

Please Donate Today

Your donation today can help to secure the future of the Red Panda and other small carnivores

We are committed to supporting conservationists from the global South. This is where the threats to small carnivores are the most severe, and where resources are the most limited. Investing in people will help to reduce the extinction risks that small carnivores face.

Your donation will help to support:

  • Our peer-reviewed journal, which is an important capacity building tool for early-career conservationists

  • The establishment of a travel fund to help support the professional development of early-career conservationists from the global South

100% of your donation will go towards supporting the above: none of your donation will be used to support salaries or overheads.

Our Members

Who is in the specialist group?

We have a diverse membership, recognising the range of people and professions that need to be involved if conservation is to work.

We welcome anyone that has an interest in small carnivore conservation and would like to become involved.

wolverine Gulo gulo least concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species