Cuvier's gazelle is a native North Africa species, endemic in the Atlas region (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia). Poaching and degradation of their habitats have led to considerably fragmented populations.

Under the project "Improving capacity for species conservation in the Mediterranean region", jointly financed by the MAVA Foundation, the regional government of Junta de Andalucía and the Biodiversity Foundation of the Spanish Ministry of Environment, the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation organized a working meeting to start preparing a regional strategy for the conservation of Cuvier's gazelle (Gazelle cuvieri) in the Maghreb.

In this meeting, which took place in Almería (Spain) from 14 to 15 November 2013, more than 15 experts from various sectors (scientific institutions, governments and civil society) in Morocco and Tunisia, as well as a Scientific and Technical representative of the Bonn Convention, actively participated in the definition of a road map to develop a regional conservation strategy of the Cuvier's gazelle. This encounter was an opportunity to initiate a committed process of sharing knowledge on the current status of this species in North Africa and the development of a joint strategy.

In the coming months, experts will work on a draft strategy, which will count with the support of the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) and will be subject to consultation and validation by key actors from the countries involved. The final version of this regional strategy will be presented before the end of 2014.

For further info: Violeta Barrios

Picture: Cuvier's Gazella (c) Stan Osolinski /gettyimages. www.arkive.org