Species Survival Commission
May 2008
The monthly e-Bulletin supplements SPECIES, SSC’s published newsletter, and aims to keep staff, members and the wider IUCN network up-to-date with news and announcements from the Species Survival Commission. It is complied by the IUCN Species Programme. Previous issues are available to download in the archives.
Contents
HEADLINE NEWS
- IUCN Red List 2008 for birds: Climate change and continental drift
- You can swim but you can’t hide – more oceanic sharks on the IUCN Red List
- Therapy for Medicinal Plants
- Endangered Pygmy hog heads home
- Top award for Patricia Medici, Chair of the IUCN/SSC Tapir Specialist Group
- John Donaldson, Chair of the IUCN SSC Cycad Specialist Group named honoraryProfessor at UCT
- Ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 9), Bonn 19-30 May 2008
- Bangkok market a hub for illegal international trade in freshwater turtles and tortoises
- International authority on invasive species appoints new executive director
- Moby and James Blunt among the artists pledging support for connect2earth.org
- Too little motion on the ocean at CBD, says IUCN
- Registration for the World Conservation Congress is now online
- Agenda and Documentation for the IUCN World Conservation Congress now available
- Rent an exhibition booth to showcase your work at the Congress
- Make a request for a Press Event at the Congress
- Barcelona Carbon Offset Fund
- IUCN seeks candidates for Honorary Membership
- Call for nominations for the John C. Phillips Memorial Medal
- Professor Hezy Shoshanitragically killed in Addis Ababa bomb attack
- Saving Biodiversity feature in La Vie Magazine
- Information from the RhinoResourceCenter
- 19th Working Meeting of the IUCN SSC Crocodile Specialist Group
- 10th International Congress of the Mammological Society
- Zoos and Aquariums Committing to Conservation January 23-26, 2009 Houston, Texas
- 2008 second grant cycle of Chicago Board of Trade Endangered Species Fund
- Cheetah Conservation Fund International Training Courses
- New Species Staff
- Conservation Planning and the IUCN Red List Paper – Hoffman et al, 2008
- IUCN SSC Freshwater Fish Specialist Group Newsletter
- New Publication files on the IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group website
- UNESCO World Heritage Magazine
Headline News
IUCN Red List 2008 for birds: Climate change and continental drift
Climate change has become firmly established as an accelerant to many of the factors which have put one in eight of the world's birds at risk of extinction, today’s publication of the 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Speciesassessment for birds has found.Full story
You can swim but you can’t hide – more oceanic sharks on the IUCN Red List
The first study to determine the global status of 21 species of oceanic pelagic sharks and rays reveals that 11 of them are threatened with extinction, says IUCN on International Biodiversity Day.Full story
Therapy for Medicinal Plants
A “Saving Plants that Save Lives and Livelihoods” initiative is demonstrating how implementation of international standards can ensure the sustainability of medicinal plant supplies. Full story
Endangered Pygmy hog heads home
The world's smallest and rarest species of wild pig was once believed to be extinct - but it may now be saved thanks to conservation efforts.Full story
Top award for Patricia Medici, Chair of the IUCN/SSC Tapir Specialist Group
Dr Patricia Medici, Chair of the IUCN SSC Tapir Specialist Group has been recognized for her work on tapir-led conservation by scooping a prestigious environmental Whitley Awards. The awardsaim to identify the world’s most dynamic conservation leaders and support their achievements. Full story
John Donaldson, Chair of the IUCN SSC Cycad Specialist Group, named honoraryProfessor at UCT
Dr John Donaldson, the Chair of the IUCN SSC Cycad Specialist Group has beennamed as the Harold PearsonProfessor of Botany at theUniversity of Cape Town. Dr Donaldson is also the ChiefDirector of the Applied BiodiversityResearch Divisionand Head of the KirstenboschResearch Centre. Thisis an honorary position namedafter the first Director ofKirstenbosch and previouslyheld by Prof. Harold Compton,Prof. Brian Rycroft and Prof.Brian Huntley (now an emeritusProfessor at UCT).
Ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 9), Bonn 19-30 May 2008
The ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 9) will be held at the Maritim Hotel in Bonn, Germany, from 19 to 30 May 2008. For all IUCN @ CBD COP 9 news, position papers, diaries and interviews, click here
Bangkok market a hub for illegal international trade in freshwater turtles and tortoises
Thailand is a major hub for the international trade in illegal freshwater turtles and tortoises, finds a new reportlaunched today by TRAFFIC, the wildlife monitoring network, a joint programme of WWF and IUCN.Full story
International authority on invasive species appoints new executive director
The Global Invasive Species Programme (GISP) has appointed Dr Sarah Simons as Executive Director. Dr Simons will lead the programme in its new location of Nairobi, Kenya.Full story
Moby and James Blunt among the artists pledging support for connect2earth.org
Renowned performing artists from around the world - including Moby, James Blunt, Estelle, Panic at The Disco and Missy Higgins – have expressed their support for connect2earth.org, the green on-line community where young people can have their say about the environment by uploading videos, pictures and comments. The artists’ videos and statements of support can be viewed here.
Too little motion on the ocean at CBD, says IUCN
The need for action and better management of the world’s oceans has never been more pressing, says IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature).Full story
2008 World Conservation Congress News
Registration for the World Conservation Congress is now online
The online registration system for the World Conservation Congress, taking place in Barcelona, Spain, from 5 to 14 October, is now open. The Congress is the world’s largest and most important conservation event. Be a part of it and register now! You can also book your preferred accommodation and excursion trips online.Full story
Agenda and Documentation for the IUCN World Conservation Congress now available
Information and documents on which Members will vote at the World Conservation Congress in Barcelona (5 to 14 October 2008), including the new IUCN Programme "Shaping a sustainable future", are available online.Full story
Rent an exhibition booth to showcase your work at the Congress
Do you want to showcase the work that your organization is doing at the IUCN World Conservation Congress? We offer 145 3x2m exhibition stands that you can rent from 6 to 11 October.Full story
Make a request for a Press Event at the Congress
All organizations participating in the IUCN World Conservation Congress can make a request for a press conference. For the official booking form (procedure and instructions are on the back of the form) click here to locate the form on the right hand of the page under “Organize a Press Event”.
Barcelona Carbon Offset Fund
In an effort to make the Barcelona Congress a carbon neutral event, IUCN is making a call to all IUCN members and partners to propose one or more projects from which certified carbon offsets can be purchased after the event.Full story
IUCN seeks candidates for Honorary Membership
Nominations are sought from IUCN members and Commission members for Honorary Membership of IUCN, an award created at the foundation of the Union on 5 October 1948 and recorded in IUCN’s first Statutes. Full story
Call for nominations for the John C. Phillips Memorial Medal
IUCN Member Organizations and Commission Members are invited to submit nominations for the John C. Phillips Memorial Medal. The Medal which recognizes outstanding service in international conservation is IUCN’s highest conservation award and commemorates the life and work of Dr John C. Phillips, a pioneer of the conservation movement. Full story
Species Programme and SSC Member News
Professor Hezy Shoshani killed in Addis Ababa bomb attack
On Tuesday evening, May 20, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Hezy Shoshani, member of the IUCN SSC Afrotheria and the IUCN SSC Asian Elephant Specialist Groups, was one of the victims of a bomb attack on a public minibus taxi as he was returning to his home from Addis AbabaUniversity. Arrangements were being made for a funeral service in Israel. Memorial services were held in Addis Ababa, where Hezy had been teaching for 1.5 years and doing elephant research.Friends of Hezy carry memories of his infectious laugh and thirst for knowledge and love of life.
SSC Steering Committee Meeting in Al Ain - Minutes available online
The full minutes and an executive summary of the minutes of the SSC Steering Committee meeting in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates are now available.
Saving Biodiversity feature in La Vie Magazine
La Vie Magazine article on saving biodiversity features Jean-Christophe Vié, Deputy Head of the IUCN Species Programme. Full article
Information from the RhinoResourceCenter
The Rhino Resource Center (RRC) provides a platform for all knowledge about the rhinoceros, in all disciplines, in all periods, in all countries, and in all languages.
Rhino May Day: On 14 May 2008, the annual Rhino May Day will be held in the Huxley Theatre at the Zoo in Regent’s Park from 10.30am. The speakers will talk about all aspects of current rhino conservation in Africa, Asia and outside the range states. All welcome. For bookings and further information, click here.
Encounters with the African Rhinoceros: This new book by Dr Kees Rookmaaker gives information on all rhino sightings in southern Africa between 1800 and 1875. For further information, click here.
NewsletterNO. 11 – MAY 2008
Announcements
19th Working Meeting of the IUCN SSC Crocodile Specialist Group
An invitation is extended to all members of the IUCN SSC Crocodile Specialist Group, crocodilian biologists and all interested individuals,to take part in the 19th Working Meeting of the IUCN-SSC CrocodileSpecialist Group, to be held from 2nd to 7th of June 2008 at FEXPOCRUZin Santa Cruzde la Sierra, Bolivia.For more information, click here.
10th International Congress of the Mammological Society
The 10th International Congress of Mammalogy (IMC-10) will be held in Mendoza, Argentina,9-14 August, 2009. Students and professionals in the field of mammalian biology are encouraged to attend. It will be a forum for the stimulating exchange of ideas and promotion of integrative and collaborative research among the members of the mammalian biology scientific community.For more information, click here
Zoos and Aquariums Committing to Conservation January 23-26, 2009 Houston, Texas
The Houston Zoo will host the next bi-annual Zoos and Aquariums Committing to Conservation (ZACC) Conference in January 2009. If you are interested in submitting a presentation for consideration, please include a brief biological sketch in addition to your abstract and send it to . Abstracts will be received and reviewed from May 15th through June 15, 2008. Notification of acceptance will be made by June 30, 2008. For more information, click here. To register, click here.
2008 second grant cycle of Chicago Board of Trade Endangered Species Fund
The Chicago Zoological Society is soliciting new proposals for the Chicago Board of Trade Endangered Species Fund for the second grant cycle of 2008.Deadline: July 15, 2008. Grants are open to SSC Specialist Group Chairs and Officers, AZA/WAZA Chairs and Officers, and all interested researchers. For more information, click here.
Cheetah Conservation Fund International Training Courses
The Cheetah Conservation Fund will be holding International Training Courses on Cheetah Conservation Biology and Integrated Livestock and Predator Management in Namibia. Read here for more details. For the website, click her
New Species Staff
Helen Boulden is the new Junior Professional Associate, Species Programme. Helen holds a Master's degree inEcologyandtheEnvironment from LancasterUniversity,UK with areas of study and work experience including conservation biology, Species andhabitatmanagement. Helen's time at IUCN will be dedicated to communications support including assisting in the preparation of the 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species update and general support to the Species Programme and SSC network.
Publications
Conservation Planning and the IUCN Red ListPaper - Hoffman et al 2008. Part of a collection of papers to be published in a forthcoming themed issue of Endangered Species Research focusing on the IUCN Red List. It is a companion piece to an earlier paper published in the journal "Trends in Ecology and Evolution".
IUCN SSC Freshwater Fish Specialist Group Newsletter
The first ever IUCN SSC Freshwater Fish Specialist Group Newsletteris available now.
New Publication files on the IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group website
New files are now available on the Cat Library. Also, see theHighlightsection for a feature on the Eurasian lynx - Lynx lynx.
UNESCO World Heritage Magazine isnow available. Order a copy of the April 2008 issue now to read a 12 page spread on World Heritage and the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Single copies can be orderedhere. For subscriptions, .
For more information or if you wish to submit an item please contact Lynette Lew – Marketing and Communications Officer, Species Programme.