Species Survival Commission
September/October 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
- Mammals in crisis
- The Review of the 2008 Red List of Threatened Species
- How to live with hippos, elephants and lions
- UN uses IUCN Red List to measure success of Millennium Development Goals
- Forewarned is forearmed
- IUCN’s Marine Turtle Program supports management on many levels
- Saving wetlands to fight climate change
- USGeological Surveyfind 40% of all N American FW fish threatened
- Barcelona sets environment action agenda
- Ashok Khosla elected President of IUCN
- Dr Simon Stuart elected Chair of the SSC
- News from the Rhino Resource Centre
- News from the WildSalmonCenter
- South American Camelids SG Newsletter
- Wildlife Middle East News
- Invertebrate conservationist Michael Samways awarded gold medal
- Halting the Global Decline in Amphibians: Research and Practice. Symposium at ZSL 20-21 November 2008
- Earthwatch Debate: Irreplaceable – the World’s Most Invaluable Species
- Opportunity to work with the BBC Natural History Unit
- Species: Special Quadrennium Edition
- Adrift, Tales of Ocean Fragility
- World Conservation Magazine: Sixty: Is time running out?
- Transition to Sustainability: Towards a Humane and Diverse World
- Atlas des Oiseaux Nicheurs de la Grande Comore
Headline News
Mammals in crisis – results of global assessment revealed
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ announced that the world’s mammals face an extinction crisis, with almost one in four at risk of disappearing forever. The paper summarizing this comprehensive assessment is published today in the esteemed journal Science.Science article abstract Read the press release: EnglishFrenchSpanish
Review of the 2008 Red List of Threatened Species
The review of the 2008 Red List was launched at the World Conservation Congress in Octoberand provides an in-depth analysis of the main findings of The 2008 Red List.
Download the 2008 Red List Review Chapters andFactsheets:
- The IUCN Red List - a key conservation tool
- State of the world's species
- Freshwater biodiversity - a hidden resource under threat
- Status of the world's marine species
- Broadening the coverage of biodiversity assessments
- The Mediterranean: a biodiversity hotspot under threat
- Species susceptibility to climate change impacts
- Biodiversity indicators: what does species information tell us?
- The business case for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
How to live with hippos, elephants and lions
Are lions, elephants, hippos, jaguars and people bound to come into conflict when they meet? How can we prevent or at least reduce the conflict between human beings and wildlife? These were some of the topics up for debate at a special session of the IUCN World Conservation Congress Fullstory
UN uses IUCN Red List to measure success of Millennium Development Goals
For the first time, the United Nations Millennium Development Goals is monitoring the world’s plants and animals using the IUCN Red List Index. Until now, the seventh Millennium Development Goal, to ensure environmental sustainability, has not included any mention of biodiversity or the need to save species as a critical contribution to human development.
But with the launch of the latest Annual Report on progress towards the Millennium Development Goals, in advance of the High-level Event on the Millennium Development Goals at UN Headquarters in New York on 25 September, 2008, the goal now includes the aim to “significantly reduce the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010” as one of its targets. Progress will be monitored by measuring the proportion of species threatened with extinction – calculated by the IUCN Red List Index. More
Forewarned is forearmed
Health experts from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) released a report that lists 12 pathogens that could spread into new regions as a result of climate change, at the IVth IUCN World Conservation Congress today. All have potential impacts to human and wildlife health, as well as global economies.
The new report The Deadly Dozen: Wildlife Diseases in the Age of Climate Change provides examples of diseases that could spread as a result of changes in temperature and rainfall. The best defence, according to the report’s authors, is a good offence in the form of wildlife monitoring to detect how these diseases are moving. Health professionals can then start to prepare. More
IUCN’s Marine Turtle Program supports management on many levels
Government officials, school administrators and community members involved in an IUCN Vietnam initiative to implement the National Marine Turtle Conservation Action Plan to 2010 (MTCAP) said the activities helped provide the management support needed to reach the plan’s goals.
The stakeholders gathered for a September 18, 2008, workshop closing out the second phase of the joint IUCN, WWF and TRAFFIC project, which Danida primarily funded. After supporting the development of the MTCAP in Phase I, the initiative continued grassroots, awareness-raising activities into Phase II, with additional funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). More
Saving wetlands to fight climate change
IUCN, the Ramsar Convention and the Danone Group have teamed up to fight climate change by protecting and restoring wetlands. Wetlands, especially mangrove swamps, capture 20 percent of the Earth’s carbon and produce 24 percent of the world’s food. Not only are they vital to the survival of many populations, they also naturally purify fresh water and are effective barriers against coastal storms. Despite this, nearly half the world’s wetlands have been destroyed over the past century.“This project fits perfectly into IUCN’s mission of promoting biodiversity as a fundamental prerequisite for ecosystems to be able to support the fight against climate change and poverty,” says Julia Marton-Lefèvre, IUCN Director General. Read more
USGeological Surveyfind 40% of all N American FW fish threatened
Fishes that once were abundant in North American streams, rivers and lakes are now disappearing, with nearly 40 percent of all species in jeopardy, according to the recent re-assessment of the conservation status of freshwater fishes published by the US Geological Survey. Details
2008 World Conservation Congress News
Barcelona sets environment action agenda
While the world struggles with the turmoil of a market crisis, IUCN’s IVth World Conservation Congress has defined the way forward in solving the environmental crisis. Participants in the Congress underlined that the cost of biodiversity losses are not only greater than those of the current financial problems, but in many cases, they are irreparable. “We have made substantial decisions here in Barcelona; we’re showing how saving nature must be an integral part of the solution for any world crisis,” says Julia Marton-Lefèvre, Director General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.Full text and closing statement
Ashok Khosla elected President of IUCN
Members of IUCN are celebrating the announcement of their new president, Ashok Khosla from India. He was running against PurificacióCanals and Carlos Manuel Rodríguez in the presidential run-off at the world’s oldest and largest environmental network, held at its World Conservation Congress in Barcelona.Ashok Khosla will take over the position from outgoing President Valli Moosa, who took up the post four years ago at IUCN’s previous World Conservation Congress in Bangkok, Thailand. Full story
Dr Simon Stuart elected Chair of the SSC
Members of IUCN elected Dr Simon Stuart as Chair of the SSC for the next quadrennium. Simon worked in the IUCN Secretariat from 1986 until 2008, including as Head of Species Programme, Acting Director General, and, most recently, Senior Species Scientist. He has anextensive knowledge of the SSC, the Secretariat, and many IUCN Members.
Species Programme and SSC Member News
News from the Rhino Resource Centre
The 13th issue of the quarterly e-newsletter of the Rhino Resource Centre can be downloaded here
News from the WildSalmonCenter
Sockeye has been added to IUCN Red List of Threatened Species – read more in the newsletter of the WildSalmonCenter
South American Camelids SG Newsletter
Congratulations to Specialist Group chair Gabriela Lichenstein on the first edition of this great newsletter – read more
Wildlife Middle East News
News on Arabian Gulf Turtles, Marine Conservation Initiatives by the EWS-WWF,
Combating the deadly effects of oil on marine life – Sea Alarm Foundation, hawksbill turtle rearing, rehabilitation and satellite-tracked release of a green turtle, Ras Sharma protected area and Coral Reef Initiatives in the Middle East – click here
Invertebrate conservationist Michael Samways awarded gold medal
Congratulations to Michael Samways, Chair of the Invertebrate Conservation Sub-committee of the SSC, who has been awarded the Gold Medal of the Academy of Science of South Africa for self-initiated research, training postgraduate students and contributions to society in the field of conservation biology, with special reference to invertebrates.
Announcements
Halting the Global Decline in Amphibians: Research and Practice
On 20 and 21 November 2008, the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) are holding the symposium "Halting the Global Decline in Amphibians: research and practice" which will bring together researchers and conservation practitioners working both in captive collections and in the field to discuss the current threats and present potential solutions to avert the imminent biodiversity crisis facing amphibians. Programme & registration
Earthwatch Debate: Irreplaceable – the World’s Most Invaluable Species
Thursday 20th November, 7.00pm-9.00pm, at the Royal Geographical Society, 1 Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AR.
The ever-popular and thought-provoking Earthwatch Debate this year focuses on the world’s most irreplaceable species – choose between bees, bats, fungi, plankton and primates (but not man!), championed by leaders in their field. Full details
Do you think you have what it takes to make the next BBC Wildlife Planet Earth Programme?
BBC One is looking for nine people to take part in the experience of a lifetime. Encountering extraordinary animals in amazing locations and testing yourself to the limit, this new series will culminate with one exceptional individual securing a year’s placement at the BBC’s award winning, world famous Natural History Unit. If you are over 18 years old email to request an application form. Deadline for applications 26/11/08.
Publications
Species
The latest edition of the SSC newsletter Species features a review of the last 4 years work. Download your own copy at Species 49
Adrift, Tales of Ocean Fragility
Featuring twelve stories of different ocean animals, this book highlightsthe latest issues in marine conservation. The tales in this exquisitely illustrated book are testament not only to the eccentricity of life in our oceans, but also the diversity of challenges and opportunities we face to conserve these marine marvels. ‘Adrift’ is a product of the SSC Marine Conservation Sub-Committee. Copies can be ordered from the Species Programme or through this website: Order Adrift.
World Conservation Magazine: Sixty: Is time running out?
IUCN is 60. To help celebrate this remarkable milestone, this special double issue of World Conservation looks back over 60 years of conservation and ahead to the
next 60 years. Download your copy here English: Français: Espagnol
Transition to sustainability: towards a humane and diverse world
This document outlines IUCN’s Future of Sustainability initiative, the rationale for its implementation and describes how the conservation movement can play new and decisive roles in the transition to sustainability. More
Atlas des oiseaux nicheurs de la Grande Comore
L’objectif de cet Atlas est de documenter la distribution de toute l’avifaune nicheuse de la Grande Comore, de Mohéli et d’Anjouan, pour la période 1981-2006 (59 espèces). Cet ouvrage définit les zones d’endémicité, qui sont importantes pour la conservation des oiseaux aux Comores et se veut donc un outil pour les « décideurs » de la conservation et de la gestion des communautés faunistiques terrestres ; mais il est aussi destiné aux naturalistes et aux chercheurs, ainsi qu’aux enseignants. More info
For more information or if you wish to submit an item please contactClaire Santer – SSC Membership & Administrative Assistant, Species Programme.