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The polecat is one of the most unknown species of the Iberian fauna. In Spain, as in most of Western Europe, the decline of its populations has been detected, especially acute in the Levant. According to Trenca, in 2006, despite the scarcity of quantitative data, it was already considered a species close to being declared Vulnerable (Red Book).

In Catalonia, a study and monitoring programme has provided the basic knowledge necessary to initiate a programme of actions aimed at recovering their populations, which are very close to extinction in this autonomous community.

This project aims to constitute a reference for the management of the polecat in the Mediterranean area and shed light on this mammal that has the potential to become an umbrella species for species and habitats threatened by agricultural intensification and biological invasions.

The general objective of the project is to guarantee the survival and promote the expansion of the European polecat in Catalonia. In addition, it seeks to optimise the habitat by acting on the factors that most determine the survival of the species, as well as to increase awareness of the need for polecat cataloguing and investment in more resources and attention to measures to promote its recovery in Catalonia and at the state level.

• Carrying out actions to maintain and improve habitat for polecat on agricultural farms with custody or collaboration agreements.
• Implementation of traps for the capture of specimens of American mink in critical areas because it is an invasive species that harms native species such as polecat.
• Reinforcement and reintroduction of the wild rabbit, as a key prey for the European polecat, at strategic points in the province of Girona.

The actions, carried out mainly in the Empordà (Girona), in parts of the province of Lleida, and areas bordering Huesca have consisted of:

• Capture of specimens of American mink, an invasive species that has displaced polecat in wetlands and river courses.
• The creation of nuclei for the expansion of wild rabbits, key prey for polecats, through the construction of majanos and repopulations.
• The signing of collaboration agreements with owners and managers of estates to facilitate the aforementioned faunal actions and promote the conservation of a naturalised agricultural landscape, rich in elements such as groves and vegetated ditches.
• In addition, special importance has been given to the tasks of dissemination and communication, since despite being a carnivorous mammal, it is the case that most of the citizens are not only unaware of the situation but even of the existence of the polecat. This task has been based on the use of social networks, but also on the production of a documentary about the species, available on the YouTube platform.