Güiña, photo by eMinte (https://www.flickr.com/photos/eminte/34518065170)

Smallest wild cat in the Americas 1.5 - 2.5 kg.

The Guiña

Leopardus guigna

The guiña (Leopardus guigna), the smallest wild cat in the Americas (1.5 – 2.5 kg), also has the smallest distribution, being found primarily in central and southern Chile (30°- 48°S) and marginally in adjoining areas of southwestern Argentina (39°- 46°S west of 70°W) from sea level to 2,500 meters. It is closely associated with native forests, and can move across human-dominated fragmented landscapes through vegetation corridors.

Guignas are classified as vulnerable by the IUCN Red List and their main threats are habitat loss, retaliatory killing, impacts of domestic dogs and cats, and diseases transmitted by them.

LCLeast Concern
NTNear Threatened
VUVulnerable
ENEndangered
CRCritically Endangered
EWExtinct in the Wild
EXExtinct

Who we are

We are an inclusive group that welcomes more members and participating organizations.

The Guiña Working Group (GWG) is a team of researchers, conservationists and advocates who share their passion for this species and are working together to achieve the long-term survival of guignas and their natural habitats throughout their range. We work as a team, with strong synergies, joint efforts and collaborations for more effective conservation results across guigna range.

Our goal

Our goal is to conduct meaningful conservation-oriented research to identify and quantify ecological needs and threats to guignas. With this knowledge we want to inform sound, evidence-based priority strategies for conservation and achieve effective threat reduction actions. We aim to conduct long-term monitoring of populations to evaluate our impacts and partner with local communities to engage them in all our conservation efforts.

Our mission

The Guiña Working Group supports the conservation of guigna populations and their natural habitats within their geographic range in Chile and Argentina, by collaborating with local partners to identify and mitigate threats, engaging with local communities, inspiring and increasing awareness in the general public and gain social support, to create the best possible scenario for the long-term survival of guignas in the wild.

Our team

Nicolás Gálvez[+]
Check Nico's work:
- Research Gate Nicolás Gálvez
- Google Scholar Nicolás Gálvez
Constanza Napolitano[+]
Check Constanza's work:
Martín Monteverde[+]
Check Martín's work:
- Research Gate Martín Monteverde
- Dirección de Ecosistemas Terrestres
Jim Sanderson[+]
Ilaria Agostini[+]
Gabriela Gómez[+]
Diego Ramírez[+]
Check Diego's work:
- Research Gate
Hernán Pastore[+]
Esperanza Beltrami[+]
Check Esperanza's work:
- Research Gate
José Caro[+]
Check José's work:
- Proyecto Monitoreo CONAF
Christian Osorio[+]
Check Christian's work:
Patricio Muñoz Peña[+]
Melanie Kaiser[+]
Diego Muñoz Concha[+]

Partner Organizations

Current projects

- Camera trap picture of a guiña in Chiloe island, Chile, by Constanza Napolitano
Community-based monitoring with camera traps: Value, management and local conservation in the swamp forests near Pucopio river and Trinidad lake, in Los Lagos region, Chile

Coordinator: Constanza Napolitano

Duration: 2021-2023

Seeking matching funds for this project.
- Guiña in Nahuel Huapi National Park
Ecology aspects of the guigna (Leopardus guigna) in Northwestern Patagonia (Argentina)

Coordinator: Martín Monteverde

Duration: Starting 2021/22.

Seeking funds for this project.
- Veterinary campaign for rural dogs and cats in local community, by Constanza Napolitano
Implementing the newly developed Conservation Action Plan for the threatened Guigna (Leopardus guigna) in Chile

Coordinator: Constanza Napolitano

Duration: 2019-ongoing.

Seeking funds for continuation project.
- Land use intensification
Land use intensification: differential impacts of forest cover loss, fragmentation and land-ownership subdivision on mammalian meso-carnivores in agricultural landscapes

Coordinator: Nicolás Gálvez

Duration:

Seeking funds for continuation project which monitors guiña populations.
- Fragmented landscape in Chile, by Constanza Napolitano
Monitoring guigna populations in El Boldo Protected Area, in Central Chile: Presence, connectivity and conservation in a human-dominated landscape

Coordinator: Constanza Napolitano

Duration: Starting 2021.

Seeking funds for this project.
- Board Role Game: Travesia Silvestre
New edition of board role-playing game that teaches guiña ecology and threats called Travesía Silvestre (Wild adventure)

Coordinator: Nicolás Gálvez

Duration: Ongoing

Seeking funds
- Guiña
Perceptions and willingness to conserve fragments by land-owners in agricultural landscapes for long-term persistence of Güiña populations

Coordinator: Nicolás Gálvez

Duration:

Seeking funds for this project.
- Support for schools who want to carry out Güiña monitoring
Support for schools who want to carry out Güiña monitoring throughout the species range
Project video

Coordinator: Nicolás Gálvez

Duration: Ongoing

Seeking funds
- Guiña in Lago Puelo, by Nico Ferrari
Towards a conservation and management plan: Guignas in Argentina

Coordinator: Martín Monteverde

Duration: Starting 2021/22.

Seeking funds for this project.

Resources

Educational & outreach material

These educational resources are to support initiatives throughout guiña range so that they may undertake educational activities and community monitoring of the species with camera traps.