Of the numerous enviromental problems at the end of this century, the acceleration of the extinction of species, in most cases because of human activities, is undoubtly the most important. It means an irreversible loss of biogical information of incalculable consequences. To successfully confront this problem requires the utilization of strategies based on the compilation and scientific management of all available biological information.

In Western Europe, the Iberian Peninsula is an area of special interest because it is the richest in endemic species. The objective of the Iberian Fauna Project is to carry out all types of scientific studies that will allow the acquisition of basic zoological information about animal biodiversity in the Iberian-balearic region. These studies are mainly oriented to increasing the systematic study of animals by analyzing the distribution of the species in order to estimate the areas that need greater protection.

With the Iberian Fauna web project the National Museum of Natural Sciences is seeking to develop an information center of the zoological biodiversity in our country that will facilitate taxonomical work , and will help disseminate the current knowledge of the Iberian animal world to the general public at large.