Species Newsletter of the Species Survival Commission

IUCN—The World Conservation Union

Number 36, July–December 2001

c/o Canadian Wildlife Service

351 St. Joseph Blvd.
Hull, Quebec K1A 0H3 Canada
Inside:
Canid Biology and Conservation
Conference
Rescue of an extinct palm
Chinese alligator conservation
SSC membership expertise form
 Species 36 Message from the Chair
Contents
3 Message from the SSC Chair From Specialist Groups
17 African Elephant Specialist Group
News and Features 17 African Rhino Specialist Group FOR ALL OF US in the international conservation some suggestions for action. I expect a number
4 A word from Team Species community the horrific events of September 11 of specific actions to be taken over the next
18 Bison Specialist Group—North America
4 Canid Biology and Conservation Conference have cast a shadow over whatever else has been several months.
18 Cactus and Succulent Specialist Group
5 The humphead wrasse, a accomplished in the last several months. And One early example is the focus on better com-
conservation challenge 19 Carnivorous Plants Specialist Group concern about the repercussions is casting a chill munication with SSC members, leading to an
6 Plant news from the southern Africa region 20 Cracid Specialist Group over future plans. Some meetings have been increased emphasis on internal communications.
7 African elephant re-introduction guidelines 21 Insectivore Specialist Group cancelled, others postponed, or venues changed. I encourage those of you who have not visited
21 Medicinal Plant Specialist Group I am certain many field projects have been affect- the SSC web site to do so soon,
7 Go the ant!
22 Otter Specialist Group ed, and workplans severely altered. Within my http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/index.htm.
8 Ideas for making SSC work better own organization, some staff have questioned
9 Rescue of an "extinct" palm in Bangladesh 23 Philippine Plant Specialist Group Our range of partnerships continues to expand.
whether their work is as important as it seemed
23 Pigs, Peccaries and Hippos Specialist Group Over the past year a small team led by Ramon
9 Harlequin ducks on Baffin Island to be just before these events.
Perez-Gil and Amie Brautigam have been work-
10 International Orchid Conservation Congress 24 Pteridophyte Specialist Group For me, there can be no doubt of the importance ing with CEMEX, a large multi-national cement
10 The sustainable use of wild species and 24 Re-introduction Specialist Group of our work. I am convinced the SSC Vision—a company based in Mexico, and the Mexican
food security 25 Southern African Invertebrates world that values and conserves present levels of organization, Agrupacion Sierra Madre, on the
11 IUCN Sustainable Use Policy Dialogues Specialist Group biodiversity—is not just an appropriate vision production of a large for-
26 Sturgeon Specialist Group statement for the SSC Strategic Plan, but a pre- mat, lushly illustrated
11 Chinese take action for alligator conservation
12 Protecting South Africa’s endangered 26 Southern African Plants Specialist Group requisite for the sustainability of human cul-
tures. I am convinced the goal in our Strategic
book titled The Red Book:
The Extinction Crisis Face
I am convinced the goal in our
Riverine Rabbit
12 Madagascar CAMP/PHVA Workshop
27 Tapir Specialist Group Plan—The extinction crisis and massive loss of
biodiversity are universally adopted as a shared
to Face. We expect sales of strategic plan is an essential
Communications the book will provide a
13 Meeting of the IUCN/SSC Polar Bear
Specialist Group 28 New Publications
responsibility, resulting in action to reduce this modest flow of income component of the work that
loss of biodiversity within species, among species
14 Plant Conservation Strategy for Europe 29 Cites: A Conservation Tool – new
edition available
and of ecosystems—is an essential component of
that will be of some assis-
tance to our communica- needs to be done
the work that needs to be done. I am convinced tions and Publications
Programme Updates 29 New on the web the work of the Specialist Groups, and of the efforts. The book itself is targeted to an
15 Staff changes 29 The Red Book thousands of individual experts in the Specialist informed lay audience, and we hope it will have
15 Red List Programme 29 Red List issue of World Conservation Groups, is contributing measurably to meeting an impact on its readers, stressing again the need
that noble goal. for biodiversity conservation and the important
16 Wildlife Trade Programme 29 Meeting announcements
16 Plants Programme The world will not make progress towards a contributions of the SSC. We also expect the
more sustainable future, towards a more equi- collaborative effort with CEMEX will assist in
Technical Information table sharing of benefits that will reduce the making some essential contacts in the business
30 SSC membership expertise – please fill in! causes of despair, without a better understanding world, for both funding and project implementa-
of the biodiversity of the world. tion needs.
31 Red List petition results
Press attention given to the recent publication of The first petitions against specific Red List list-
The Skeptical Environmentalist by Dr. Bjorn ings have now been settled. The ruling of the
Lomborg demonstrates the continuing impor- Standards and Petitions Sub-Committee can be
tance of the quantitative analysis carried out by found under Technical Information in this issue
the SSC network. Looking at the numbers of list- and more complete information can be found on
ed species in the 2000 IUCN Red List of the SSC web site. This process has been difficult,
Threatened Species, or in the 2002 Red List and made more complicated by the continuing
update (January 2002), there can be no doubt evolution of the Red List Programme and Criteria
of an extinction crisis. The evidence is during the course of the appeal. I am confident
incontrovertible. both have now stabilized for the time being, and
On a more positive note, we are also taking the look forward to the production of the next itera-
next steps on the Species Information Service. tion of the Red List in January 2002 as the first
We have made some important progress in the fully Web-based edition.
Species is the newsletter of the Species Survival Commission of IUCN—The World Conservation Union. implementation of this revolutionary piece of The coming months will challenge us. Help us
Commission members, in addition to providing leadership for conservation efforts for specific plant and SSC network infrastructure over the past six meet that challenge by becoming a more active,
animal groups, contribute technical and scientific counsel to biodiversity conservation projects months. We still need to put in place the secure, engaged member of the SSC.
throughout the world. Commission members also serve as resources to governments, international con- predictable funding necessary to fully implement David Brackett
ventions, and conservation organizations. the SIS over the next couple of years, but we
Team Species – Carolina Caceres, Michael Klemens, Anna Knee, Ling Ling Lee should begin seeing the benefits of the SIS in net-
Layout by Travis Gobeil (design@travisgobeil.ca) work co-ordination and data integration soon.
Cover Photo – Brown long-eared bat (Plecotus auritus), F.R. Greenaway Management of the network took another large
step forward with the delivery of the study on
Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect official views of IUCN/SSC. voluntarism within the SSC. The Executive
ISSN 1016-927X Committee is now considering the report and its
Species is printed on recycled paper. recommendations. It has already improved our
© 2001 IUCN–The World Conservation Union understanding of the network, and provided
3

Species 36: July–December 2001

 News and Features
A word from Team Species
MANY THANKS TO ALL THOSE who provided feed-
back on the new-look Species. We have had an
enthusiastic response and will do our best to
accommodate your suggestions for further imp-
rovement. We’d like to take this opportunity to
remind all members of the existence of the SSC
E-Bulletin. This monthly email based newsletter,
started in January this year, aims to supplement
Species by keeping SSC staff, Specialist Group
Chairs and members, and the wider IUCN net-
work informed of the Commission’s broad rang-
ing work. The distribution list is growing rapidly
with requests not just from within the
Commission but from the wider conservation
community. Subjects include notices of key
meetings, important program announcements,
and updates from Specialist Groups.
All issues of the E-Bulletin are available on the
SSC website:
http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/whats-new.htm
If you wish to be added to the mailing list, or
would like to submit an item, please contact
Anna Knee, alk@hq.iucn.org
Team Species
Canid Biology and
Conservation Conference
Over 200 of the world’s leading canid experts
converged on the Zoology Department of Oxford
University, for an international conference on
Canid Biology and Conservation (September
17–21, 2001). The conference was organized by
the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit
(WildCRU) of Oxford University and the
IUCN/SSC Canid Specialist Group, and brought
together Specialist Group members, plus a range
of other canid enthusiasts. The conference also
provided the occasion to celebrate the Group’s
20th anniversary. One of oldest Specialist
Groups, the Canid Group is
happy to have remained
The Ethiopian wolf is the dynamic, pioneering
newsletters, taxon and
world’s rarent canid with only species-specific action
plans, group websites, dis-
500 individuals left cussion email lists, and
now organizing a major
international conference.
While most canid species are relatively common
and widespread, the survival of several species is
under jeopardy as they face habitat loss, illegal
hunting, disease, and persecution by farmers.
Threatened canid species are often found in very
low numbers and occupying limited areas, and
thus pose a stern test for those responsible for
their protection. For example, the Ethiopian wolf
is the world’s rarest canid with only 500 individ-
4 tion workshops. Workshop outcomes included
uals left. A dozen or so populations persist in
Species 36: July–December 2001
isolation in the highlands of Ethiopia and face a the assessment and evaluation of the status of all Like many large reef fishes, the humphead
continuing decline in habitat due to farmland the canid species and resulted in the launch of wrasse does not appear to be particularly com-
expansion. They are also affected by rabies trans- the Canid Red List. mon. Its lifespan of at least a couple of decades,
mitted from domestic dogs. Specialist Group business included the recently and low replacement rates, mean that it is
The African wild dog was once found across sub- expanded membership and the decentralization unlikely to recover readily from anything other
Saharan Africa, but due to continued persecution of the group to include regional Sections, Species than the low levels of local fishing effort to
is now extinct in 16 African countries. Perhaps as Working Groups and Topic Working Groups. A which it was exposed in the past. It is not an
few as 3,000 survive in a handful of pockets in new logo for the Group was chosen through an easy species to catch, but with the advent of
East and Southern Africa. The African wild dog open competition. More importantly, the confer- night spearing (when animals are readily taken
has had a poor public image in the past that led ence helped to define and determine the Group’s from their sleeping holes) and the growing
to large-scale persecution, and also faces threats priorities for the forthcoming Action Plan for demand for exports in the international live reef
from larger predators such as lions and spotted Canid Conservation in the 21st Century. This will fish trade, there is now considerable concern that
hyaenas. Like many dogs, it is susceptible to dis- be an edited, multi-author volume to replace the this widespread, but uncommon, species is being
ease, with the world famous population in original Action Plan Foxes, Wolves, Jackals and threatened. It was included in the 1996 IUCN
Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park lost to rabies Dogs published in 1990, and will form the basis Red List as vulnerable. Concerns for its status
in the 1990s. of Specialist Group operations over the next five have already led to protection in parts of
years, providing an up to date source of vital Australia and the Philippines, and in the
In the Channel
information on canids, and a list of relevant proj- Maldives and Palau. One
Islands off the Cali-
ects and contacts worldwide. diving fraternity is so con-
fornian coast the
declining population Another roduct of the meeting will be a book
cerned about this species
(a favorite with divers) it
Several aspects of the life
of island foxes strug-
gle to cope with a
edited by David Macdonald and Claudio Sillero-
Zubiri on biology and conservation of wild
has set up its own moni- history, fishery and trade in this
relatively new threat,
the colonization by
canids to be published by Oxford University
Press in late 2002. Additional information on the
toring network to report
on known individuals species make conservation
golden eagles attract- conference can be found at:
(large adults are reason-
ably site-faithful) and efforts particularly challenging
ed by a booming pop- www.canids.org/conference/ lobby for protection.
ulation of feral pigs,
which in time are
We would like to thank our sponsors, University
of Oxford, Born Free Foundation, Turner
Several aspects of the life history, fishery and
trade in this species make conservation efforts
switching their atten-
tion to prey upon the
Endangered Species Fund, Wolf Society of Great
Britain, Oklahoma City Zoo, Bronx Zoo, Licaone
particularly challenging, and, being a marine
fish, population estimates for species assess-
lithe foxes. In Europe,
Fund, and British Airways Assisting ments are fraught with difficulties. Despite
the fate of a small
Conservation. considerable concern for its status in some areas,
population of wolves
in Norway is under Claudio Sillero, Deputy Chair & David Macdonald, its large size, wide-ranging behavior and shy
Chair – Canid Specialist Group nature make it very difficult to study in the field,
threat, as the govern-
ment continues to or to survey using underwater visual census
techniques. On the other hand, its low volume in
sanction the culling of
a larger proportion of The humphead wrasse, a most local fisheries means that it is rarely moni-
tored. On the demand side, we know that adults
their population.
These are some exam- conservation challenge are increasingly uncommon and most fish on
sale in Hong Kong, the centre of international
ples of the challenges The humphead, or Napoleon, wrasse, Cheilinus trade, are now juveniles. Little is known of the
faced by the conser- undulatus, is one of the largest of all reef fishes biology of this species and its likely status has
vation biologists att- World Canids and the biggest of the wrasse family, the been assembled from numerous anecdotal
ending the meeting, Labridae. It can reach well over two meters in accounts from fishers, divers, biologists through-
which in addition to reviewing the current
knowledge on fundamental canid biology, gave
length and 200 kilograms in weight – an elephant out the Indo-Pacific in both source and destina-
of coral reefs. This species is considered a gour- tion countries. The picture that is emerging from
foremost importance to seeking consensus on
the conservation priorities for this taxon.
met food fish and is appreciated for the fine taste these sources is a consistent and disturbing one
and texture of its flesh. In many areas of the
Without the implementation of specific
conservation actions, several canid populations
Pacific, it is of considerable local traditional sig-
of declining numbers wherever an export trade
develops. Because so little information is record-
nificance, long used for special ceremonies in ed, there is little realization of the breadth of the
may be imperiled. Fiji, Palau, and elsewhere. More recently, it has problem with this species. Faced with a general
The conference featured seven plenary lectures, become a small, but significant component of lack of understanding of the humphead wrasse
60 oral presentations and over 100 poster the international luxury trade in live reef fish but considerable concern, our Specialist Group is
presentations on all aspects of the study and con- which has expanded rapidly within the last working on a synopsis of data and awareness
servation of all Canidae, including sessions on decade in developed areas of southeast Asia. In campaigns especially in countries which are
behavioral ecology, population genetics, restaurants and seafood markets in Hong Kong, developing, or likely to develop an export trade
population ecology, disease and epidemiology, for example, this species has retailed for as much for live reef fish. A small grant recently awarded
conservation policy and planning and many oth- as US$100/kg and it is also widely on sale in from the Chicago Zoological Society will support
ers. The meeting played host to a swift, kit and Taiwan, Singapore and southern China. It is one an education programme aimed at highlighting
Arctic fox Symposium and a series of conserva- of the most highly valued species in the trade. the status and vulnerability of this species in
5
Species 36: July–December 2001

much of its range and the concerns over the
impacts of international trade. We aim to pro-
mote data collection within local fisheries and
protection from export, while encouraging biolo-
gists to develop research projects to improve the
means of surveying this, and similar, marine
fishes. Studies are also needed on its biology. In
the demand center of Hong Kong, campaigns of
consumer education are being conducted and
our Specialist Group works together with the
government and local non-governmental organi-
zations to raise awareness of the status of this
species among live reef fish traders and to
improve the collection of import data.
Yvonne Sadovy, Chair, Grouper & Wrasse Specialist Group
Red Data List
The new Red Data List shows a three-fold
increase in the number of listed species in
Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland,
Zambia and Zimbabwe. This Red List offers new
information regarding levels of endemism, taxa
that are poorly known (ecologically and taxo-
nomically), and those that are sparsely repre-
sented in the herbarium cupboards. Most
importantly, it also provides a first platform for
monitoring, evaluating and conserving the
region’s most threatened (and most precious)
plant resources. Many hard lessons were learnt
during the formidable challenge of compiling
Red Data Lists for these countries. These lessons
need to be considered in future updates of the
known. Mozambique and Angola, affected by
military wars, are acutely affected by taxonomic
problems. Greater emphasis should be placed on
taxonomic work in these countries.
For the best overview of southern Africa’s threat-
ened plants, visit http//:www.sabonet.org
Janice Golding, Red List Authority,
Southern African Plants
Christopher Willis, Chair, Southern African Plant
Specialist Group
African elephant
re-introduction guidelines
Go the ant!
Ants are undoubtedly among the rulers of the
world. They can turn more soil than earth-
worms, are the main herbivores in tropical South
America, and make up to one third of the animal
biomass in a rain forest. Today ants are probably
the first mega-diverse group of animals for which
a complete public online database of all their
species exists. Antbase.org is providing Internet
access to all known species, with additional
information such as distribution, imagery, and
bibliography. Although we have systematics and
specimen databases at our fingertips and are
connected to as many ongoing initiatives as
possible, social insects are not yet part of main-
stream conservation.
One reason for a slow

Plant news from the
southern Africa region
With more than 32,000 plant species estimated
in an area of 6 million km2, the vast region of
southern Africa in many ways remains shrouded
in complexities. Its 10 countries differ signifi-
cantly not only in terms of their biophysical
aspects and plant assemblages, but also in their
capacity to monitor, evaluate and conserve their
indigenous plant resources. The Southern
African Botanical Diversity Network (SABONET)
is a regional programme with a bold mission
aimed at addressing just some of these botanical
complexities. In addition to producing national
plant checklists, one of
SABONET’s key activities
is the production of Red
Recently published, a Data Lists for all these
10-country Red Data List for countries through a volun-
tary network, in addition
the.southern Africa region to providing training in
the application of Red List
procedures.
Three important events have recently taken place
in southern Africa. Firstly, the publication of a
10-country Red Data List for the region. Although
the publication uses the 1994 Red List Categories
and Criteria, it is notable that it was compiled
over a 30-month period with commendable inter-
national, regional and national collaboration.
The second is the revival of the Southern African
Plant Specialist Group, a formal launch of which
is yet to take place. The third is the publication
of the Action Plan for southern African Botanical
Gardens. The vision of regional botanical garden
staff is that each southern African botanical gar-
den will have an indigenous threatened plants
programme in place by 2004. Technical support
is currently being sought from Botanic Gardens
Conservation International (BGCI), and is
aligned with the International Agenda for
6 Botanic Gardens in Conservation.
Red Data List. Five challenges, borne
from this first regional Red Listing A joint project between the African
integration is certainly the
assumed high costs of Antbase.org is providing
experience, are outlined: Elephant Specialist Group and Re-introduc- including social insects Internet access to all known
Future investments: Capacity tion Specialist Group into inventories and moni-
toring programs. Although ant species
building—this first challenge The translocation of African elephants the cost of surveying ants
addresses the development (Loxodonta africana) is becoming an increasing- is no higher than for most
and mentoring of local ly common wildlife management tool in Africa other taxa, including the large vertebrates and
expertise, particularly those especially where elephants come into conflict plants, the idea of having to identify a few
attached to public and with human populations. However, any such hundred species of ants may deter many conser-
parastatal institutions, moves, whether they are eventually realized or vationists. In fact, a survey of a given tropical
with a view to creating not, are currently planned in a technical vacu- area can yield over 200 species, and in less time
solid foundations for um, with no formal guidelines or formulae for than a vertebrate survey. Thus, one goal is
Red Listing and related 'best practice'. A re-introduction exercise is a to describe and document all the ants, develop-
concepts. complex and expensive undertaking. When ing, for example, interactive tools to help with
Building Bridges: Net- plans are made to move groupings of African identification.
working — the Southern elephants, rather than simply individuals, the
Towards this goal, our initial targets are to firstly
African Plant Specialist level of complexity grows significantly. Seeing
enter existing specimen records, verifying with
Group and others should this as an important emerging issue, requiring
the original collection and pinpointing where
actively engage with the technical assistance to inform practitioners (on
broader conservation either the giving or the receiving end), the
possible the collection locality. Secondly, provide
full access to as many species descriptions as
African Elephant Specialist Group Secretariat
sector to further
strengthen cooperative contacted the Secretariat of the Re-introduction
possible. The Social Insect Specialist Group can
draw upon the Virtual Congo Ant Project, which
networks and
promote and use often-
to Specialist Group for advice. In 1995, the
Guidelines for Re-introductions became official
provides access to a large amount of printed
material and specimen records for tropical
overlooked technical IUCN Policy and in 1998 these guidelines were
Africa. Thirdly, provide case-by-case identifica-
expertise within the Icura dunensis (Fabaceae) printed in five additional languages (French,
tion tools, including the necessary imagery to
region. Spanish, Chinese, Russian and Arabic) and
speed up identifications. This also includes
Unifying yardsticks: Red Data List extensively distributed worldwide. Since that
collaborations with other initiatives, especially
Methodology—cost-effective, rapid means for time, the Re-introduction Specialist Group has
the Japanese Ant Image database and ANeT, the
monitoring the trends in population decline need been advocating the development of species or
South East Asian Ant Network, all geared
to be found, and indicators of the impact of taxon specific re-introduction guidelines.
towards providing "one-click shopping" for ants.
threats on populations need to be developed. Through a successful process of engagement and
the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, In addition, three programs are currently under-
This is especially relevant to species such as way. The Red list project, coordinated by Sofia
medicinal plants and timber species. Training is the two groups, have agreed to work on a joint
initiative to draft formal technical guidelines for Campiolo, aims to reassess the status of Red
also required for the new IUCN Red List Listed ants. The Invasive Species Early Warning
Categories and Criteria. re-introducing African elephants.
System for ants is being developed by Terry
Task-teaming: Botanical information - more Leo Niskanen, Programme Officer, African Elephant
McGlynn and will hopefully be presented at the
effective communication and consolidation of Specialist Group
International Union for the Study of Social
existing botanical information need to take place Pritipal Soorae, Executive Officer, Re-introduction Insects quadrennial reunion in Sapporo, 2002.
in a systematic, coordinated way. This applies to Specialist Group The goal is to provide the links between ongoing
both the national and regional level. projects on invasive ant species which in most
Demystifying impediments: the global taxonomic cases focus on a particular region. An important
issue - the vast majority of the taxa appearing in step will be the ability to predict their global
the new Red Data List are taxonomically poorly potential distribution ranges and set up a 7

Species 36: July–December 2001 Species 36: July–December 2001

 monitoring program on not-yet invaded areas.
Finally, Brian Fisher is coordinating an effort to
"popularize" the use of ground living ants in
monitoring programs. This effort is based on
the standard protocol described in Ants:
Standard Methods for Measuring and
Monitoring Biodiversity. An accompanying web-
site, at antbase.org, provides methodology
information, through which previous samples
can be downloaded.
Generally, all our information is in the public
domain. Our goal is to provide authority files for
social insects, allowing us to not only check a
species’ name, but also link to other data. In the
near future, data will be easily downloaded and
integrated in other applications, such as the
Species Information Service.
One stumbling block needs to be mentioned,
copyright. It seems that copyright issues are
hampering our efforts to come to grips with the
devastating environmental crisis. We now have
the digital tools to be able to sit on a distant
veranda, watching the lightning over the rainfor-
est, and assess, linked by satellite phone, the
relevance of a new discovery or make it known
to the entire world. If we really believe biodiver-
sity matters, we should make the greatest effort
possible to include our data in the public
domain, so that the latest finding can be
accessed by whomever will help make a case to
preserve it. We should avoid a scenario where
incorrect action was taken because the relevant
data was sitting on somebody’s bookshelf or
database. Why not reconsider the value of copy-
rights and intellectual property rights in conser-
vation related fields in the light of what their free
use would add to conservation otherwise?
Donat Agosti, Chair, Social Insects Specialists Group
Ideas for making SSC
work better!
David Brackett meets four SG Chairs
By chance David Brackett, SSC Chair, was able to
meet with four Specialist Group Chairs when
they all attended the 25th International Union of
Game Biologists/ 9th Perdix conference at
Limassol, Cyprus in early September. He was
joined for an informal discussion of Specialist
Group function in relation to the SSC Strategic
Plan by Ilse Storch (Grouse Specialist Group),
John Carroll (Partridge, Quail and Francolin
Specialist Group), Peter Garson (Pheasant
Specialist Group) and Mick Clout (Invasive
Species Specialist Group).
Of the Specialist Group Chairs present, only Mick
Clout had attended the SSC meeting in Amman
8 in October 2000. Opportunity there for detailed
Species 36: July–December 2001
review of Specialist Group function had been
extremely limited, so it was suggested in Cyprus
that a separate meeting of all Chairs might be
extremely useful in providing a forum for dis-
cussing best practice. Ideally this should be held
in Gland so that the Species Programme staff
could be fully involved and meet many Chairs
for the first time. With the final report on the SSC
voluntarism study soon to be available, this
might provide a good framework for discussion
at such a meeting.
The full integration of information on all threat-
ened species with data on protected areas and
priorities set out in Action Plans is recognized as
an urgent task once the Species Information
Service (SIS) is fully
operational. As this is
still going to take
considerable time, it
was also suggested in
Cyprus that some
other way is needed
immediately that
facilitates strategic
collaborations
amongst Specialist
Groups, by sharing
proposals, field per-
sonnel, fund-raising
effort and advocacy Mick Clout, David Brackett, Isle Storch,
for conservation Peter Garson and John Carroll.
action. The best way
to do this appears to make all Specialist Group
Chairs aware of plans via messages to the appro-
priate Programme Officers in Gland (thereby
reaching other potentially interested SG Chairs),
and/or use of the listserv to contact as many
individual SSC members as possible.
The SSC Strategic Plan foresees new emphasis
being placed on regional or national Action
Plans, in addition to the now traditional taxon-
specific ones. There is currently underway an
Action Plan evaluation, looking at their effective-
ness in stimulating action targeted on urgent
species conservation problems. In any case, as
the Specialist Groups for Pheasants, Partridge,
Quail and Francolin and Megapodes discovered
in late 1999 and early 2000, SSC is now experi-
encing great difficulty in funding staff positions
to oversee Action Plan production as well as their
printing and distribution costs.
However, in the case of the three Galliformes
species Action Plans published by IUCN and the
World Pheasant Association in 1995, the feeling
of the Chairs is that these documents had a
major impact through focusing attention on a
priority and time-bound (1995-99) set of activi-
ties, arrived at by a consensus involving the
entire membership of each Specialist Group. Not
surprisingly, perhaps, a high proportion of the
projects outlined in those Action Plans were
initiated before new editions appeared for 2000-
2004. So at least as internal Specialist Group doc-
uments, perhaps not requiring paper publication
at all, the 1995 Galliformes species Action Plans
have certainly proved their worth.
Recommended reading
McGowan, P.J.K et al. (1998a). The making of con-
servation action plans for the Galliformes. Bird
Conservation International 8:173-184.
McGowan, P.J.K.et al. (1998b). Action Plans: do they
help conservation? Bird Conservation International
8:317-323.
Peter Garson, Chair, Pheasant Specialist Group
Rescue of an “extinct”
palm in Bangladesh
The palm group of plants, due to its great aes-
thetic and economic importance, has earned the
attention of the Species Survival Commission.
Those species that need special attention are the
monocarpic palms which, on account of their
remarkable habit, produce flowers and fruits
only once in their life with faint chances of nat-
ural regeneration. Corypha umbraculifera and C.
taliera are two such species of south Asia, the
former being the Talipot palm of south India and
Sri Lanka, and the latter an endemic to Bengal
hitherto believed to be extinct in the wild. Both
the species have massive stems, very large
fan-shaped leaves and produce spectacular tall
inflorescence on top of the crown at the end of
their vegetative development.
In the early 1950s a solitary tree of about 10 feet
(3m) resembling a palmyra palm but still distinct
in its enormous leaves and grayish stem, was
found growing in a scrub jungle of the Dhaka
University campus. The specimen was then
doubtfully identified as a species of Corypha.
Considering it as a rare unknown palm which we
might lose during the fast development project of
the University, the first author, then a lecturer in
botany, asked the University’s engineering
department to protect this palm. Subsequently,
other senior teachers and enthusiasts became
interested, and with the utmost concern to con-
servation, the palm has been sheltered within
the enclosure of the recently built residential
quarters of the Pro Vice-Chancellor.
With the protection of the palm ensured, the
identity of the specimen was narrowed down
to two species, Corypha umbraculifera and
C. taliera. The correct identity in the absence of
fertile material had to wait until it was confirmed
by the third author on his recent visit to Dhaka,
as definitely Corypha taliera Roxb. distinguished
by the deciduous leaf bases on the stem (not per-
sisting as in Corypha umbraculifera). C. taliera
(Bengali : Tali) was discovered in 1919 in Bengal
by William Roxburgh who regarded it as endem-
ic to Bengal. The only record of this palm grow-
ing wild was in Birbhum district of west Bengal
in a village near Shantiniketan where it was in
the early fruiting stage in 1979 but the seeds
could not be saved as the villagers cut down the
tree along with its tall pyramidal inflorescence
fearing it as a ghost
palmyra tree! A cultivated
specimen in Howrah
botanic garden ultimately A solitary tree was found
flowered and its seeds
were saved and raised to growing in a scrub jungle of the
seedlings with some sent
to the Fairchild Tropical
Dhaka University campus
Garden, Florida.
The Dhaka tree is now approximately 25 feet (7.5
m) tall with its new crown of leaves topping the
old ones that are withering and breaking off. It is
estimated that the tree may start producing its
enormous terminal inflorescence in approxi-
mately 10 years, before it gradually dies off after
the production of fruits. The botanical colleagues
and other conservationists living in the
University campus have been alerted to report
immediately the emergence of the inflorescence
stalk at the top of the crown in time to witness
the spectacular event and to take appropriate
steps to see that the collection of fruits is ensured
to conserve this palm through ex situ propagation.
In the absence of any other record, our palm at
Dhaka may be considered the only individual of
the species in the wild which needs to be propa-
gated through living germ plasm banks. It is
hoped that timely cooperation will be forthcom-
ing from conservation agencies when the fruits
of Corypha taliera at Dhaka are ripe and ready to
be harvested.
M. Salar Khan, Md. Abul Hassan and Shyamal
Kumar Basu, Indian Subcontinent Plant Specialist Group
Harlequin ducks on Baffin
Island
Considerable attention has been given recently
to the role that traditional Inuit or community
aboriginal knowledge (also known as Inuit
Qaujimanituqangit) can and should play in the
management of northern wildlife. In particular, it
may be helpful addressing questions about A
rctic species at risk that are observed by Inuit
hunters. Traditional ecological knowledge has
been used to help define and manage local pop-
ulations of some marine species, and a major
study of traditional ecological knowledge was
undertaken to add information to our knowledge
of the status of the endangered bowhead whale
(Balaena mysticetus). 9
Species 36: July–December 2001

In this pilot study, we were interested in using
traditional ecological knowledge to determine
the abundance and distribution of the harlequin
duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) on Baffin Island,
Canada. Although this species had been recorded
breeding on Baffin Island prior to the 1930s, it
had not been reported since then and there was
some question whether harlequins bred here any-
more. In fact, in light of the eastern population
declines and the lack of information from this
area, the most recent and detailed range maps on
this species did not include Baffin Island.
To gather the required information, we inter-
viewed elders and current hunters identified by
the local Hunters’ and Trappers’ Associations in
four communities on southern Baffin Island:
Cape Dorset (or Kinngait), Kimmirut (or Lake
Harbour), Iqaluit (or Frobisher Bay), and
Pangnirtung. An Inuk biologist conducted the
interviews in either English or Inuktitut. Hunters
and elders in all four communities had observed
harlequin ducks, although they were most com-
monly seen near Kimmirut. Those interviewees
that described habitat mentioned that this
species was usually found near fast-flowing
streams (where this species should occur). Also,
all interviewees mentioned that this species was
not that common, and no one had noticed any
changes in numbers of harlequins.
The results of this pilot study indicate that local
Inuit elders and hunters possess considerable
knowledge on species that are not key compo-
nents of their traditional diet or culture. Follow-up
studies on this and other species are underway.
We suggest that traditional knowledge can be a
valuable companion to western scientific
approaches in dealing with issues of distribution
of species at risk, notably in regions such as the
Arctic where normal field survey techniques are
logistically complex and expensive.
This article is a summary of a Canadian Wildlife
Service Technical Report 363, available from the
author. Thanks to the Chicago Zoological Society
and the World Wildlife Fund for financial sup-
port of this project.
Mark Mallory, Duck Specialist Group member
International Orchid
Conservation Congress
The First International Orchid Conservation
Congress held in Perth, Australia, was marked
with the realization that orchids are flagship
species. If we cannot save orchids, what hope is
there for the rest of the Plant Kingdom? More
than 130 scientists and growers from 21 coun-
tries convened from September 24-28 to broaden
the orchid conservation network around the
10 world and to collaborate on major conservation
Species 36: July–December 2001
issues facing orchids. Meetings of the SSC Orchid
Specialist Group and its regional groups took
place, and presentations on conservation assess-
ment, threatening processes, in situ and ex situ
strategies, population and pollination biology,
genetics, and trade were all discussed. The issue
of fire (for example those raging through Borneo
and Sumatra) as a new threat to epiphytic orchid
survival was highlighted. A clear need for taxon-
omy to serve as the backbone for rational con-
servation action came through in nearly all the
talks. A resolution supporting the Global Plant
Conservation Strategy and its targets, to be pre-
sented at the next Subsidiary Body on Scientific,
Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA)
meeting in November, was passed.
For more information on this conference and out-
comes contact SSC Plants Officer Wendy Strahm at
was@hq.iucn.org
The sustainable use of
wild species and food
security
The countries with the richest and most diverse
levels of biodiversity also have the greatest levels
of human poverty and food insecurity. The use of
wild meat is part of this overall dilemma, and
solutions to overexploitation of biodiversity will
require finding ways of addressing human needs
and promoting a more equitable and ethical
sharing of global resources. In recognition of the
need to bring together the conservation and
development communities as partners in prepar-
ing and implementing the actions needed to
address the issue effectively, and in response to
an IUCN World Conservation Congress
Resolution, IUCN, FAO and TRAFFIC organized a
workshop convened from 17-20 September in
Yaoundé, Cameroon. The workshop was attend-
ed by 47 participants representing 18 organiza-
tions covering the conservation, development,
private and government sectors and opened by
Secretary General of the Ministry of Environment
and Forests of Cameroon. Participants agreed
that activities should focus on three areas: a
holistic approach including improved inter-sec-
toral cooperation; improved management of wild
meat resources; and effective incentives for sus-
tainable use of natural resources. Under each of
these themes, specific activities were defined and
where possible, implementation plans were
developed. The meeting communiqué is avail-
able on the IUCN website at:
http://www.iucn.org/info_and_news/press/wild-
meat3.html
Team Species
IUCN Sustainable Use
Policy Dialogues
A Sustainable Use Policy Dialogue was organized
by IUCN's Sustainable Use Team in conjunction
with the IUCN Regional Office for Southern
Africa (ROSA) and the IUCN Botswana Office.
The aim of the Dialogue, "Governance: Equity
and Sustainable Use of Living Natural Resources
in Southern Africa", was not to generate a mono-
lithic vision of sustainable use, but instead to
highlight some factors that are important in the
Southern African region and foster a sharper
sense of regional priorities. The intent is to pro-
vide a useful counter-balance to other efforts to
identify and articulate elements of sustainable
use, for example the workshops being organized
by the Secretariat to the Convention on
Biological Diversity. Several of the organizers
and participants of the Gaborone Dialogue
attended the Convention on Biological Diversity
workshop in Mozambique in September to trans-
mit the results of the IUCN Dialogue.
The Gaborone Dialogue led to an understanding
of key regional perspectives on several key
aspects of governance vis-à-vis sustainability:
International economic processes and their
effects on the nation-state, and mis-matches
between scales of use and scales of decision-
making. The process will assist IUCN and its
constituents to improve their understanding of
the state of play of these discussions in
Southern Africa.
A full report is available from the IUCN SSC
Sustainable Use Specialist Group website
(www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/susg/). Copies can
also be posted, faxed or emailed - please contact
the IUCN Sustainable Use Team
(susg@iucnus.org).
The IUCN/SSC Sustainable Use Specialist Group
(SUSG) comprises 17 decentralized networks of
Regional Sustainable Use Specialist Groups
which analyze and compare local use systems
through case studies, regional reviews, work-
shops, and symposia. The regional groups func-
tion under the auspices of the Species Survival
Commission (SSC).
The Sustainable Use Team acts as the secretariat
for the Sustainable Use Specialist Group and is
based in the IUCN Multilateral Office in
Washington D.C.
David Beamont, Sustainable Use Team
Chinese take action for
alligator conservation
The International Workshop on Captive Breeding
and Commerce Management in Crocodylia held
in Guangzhou, People's Republic of China 30
August–3 September 2001 was the culmination
of more than a year of discussion and prepara-
tion held among the Crocodile Specialist Group,
the State Forestry Administration PRC (SFA) and
IUCN. The workshop was also the third phase of
a series of workshops and field inspections
conducted by the Specialist Group, other partner
organizations and Chinese counterparts. Funding
was provided by the Wildlife Conservation
Society, World Wildlife Fund–China, The Chinese
Alligator Fund of CSG, The Australia–China
Council, and numerous private donors. The
meeting was most effectively organized by per-
sonnel of the Department of Wildlife
Conservation of State Forestry Administration
(SFA) of P.R. China and Forestry Department of
Guangdong Province with support of CITES
Management Authority of P.R. China, China
Wildlife Conservation Association
Guangdong Xiangjiang Safari Park.
and
Alerted by reports from
Chinese colleagues to Dr.
China now considers the
John Thorbjarnarson of
the Wildlife Conservation
alligator a national treasure
Society in late 1999, the
Crocodile Specialist Group
had raised the conservation priority level of the
Chinese alligator at its 15th Working Meeting in
Cuba February 2000 and solicited high level
assistance from IUCN. In April 2000, the Director
General of IUCN sent an official letter expressing
concern about the status of the species to the
SFA. An exchange of letters established positive
cooperation between the State Forestry
Administration and the Specialist Group and, in
October 2000, China presented a resolution for
conservation of the Chinese alligator to the IUCN
World Conservation Congress in Amman. This
resolution called for cooperative efforts between
Chinese authorities and international conserva-
tion interests and led to the planning of a series
of workshops held in China in August 2001.
In the preparatory phase, Specialist Group repre-
sentatives made site visits to several locations
where alligators either occurred or were pro-
posed for re-introduction. Evaluations of these
sites were offered to the Chinese authorities. In
the second phase in Hefei, group representatives
and representatives from Chinese provincial and
national governments discussed a draft conser-
vation plan for the alligator and suggestions
were offered to enhance this plan. In the final
phase the reports were submitted to a wider
audience of Chinese experts and Specialist Group
members for evaluation and support. The
Crocodile Specialist Group also conducted a
11
Species 36: July–December 2001
 regional meeting as part of the workshop where
issues of crocodilian conservation in the Asian
region were discussed.
The participation of the national authority, five
provincial wildlife agencies, the municipality of
Shanghai, the Chinese CITES Management
Authority, The China Wildlife Conservation
Association and Chinese private sector interests
is compelling evidence of the very serious com-
mitment to conservation action in China that has
followed IUCN's intervention. We were informed
that China now considers the alligator a national
wildlife treasure on a par with the panda and
Pere David's deer. The first pilot reintroduction
of captive bred alligators into restored and
protected natural habitat is planned for early
next year.
At the final workshop, 98 participants, including
35 overseas Crocodile Specialist Group members,
discussed the plan and strongly congratulated
the Chinese for their extensive and well-directed
efforts. Significant advances were also made in
establishing the concept that commercial use of
crocodilians in China must be structured in a
way to support conservation both of the endem-
ic alligator and of species occurring outside
China that may be impacted by trade. Official
proceedings of the workshops is in preparation.
The meetings were characterized by friendship,
openness and high level of technical and scien-
tific discussion. It is evident that China has made
a significant commitment to conserve the
Chinese alligator and that the combined efforts
of provincial governments, national government,
international conservation organizations and the
global public have significantly slowed the trend
toward extinction in the wild of this
unique species.
James Perran Ross, Crocodile Specialist Group
Protecting South Africa’s
endangered Riverine rabbit
In December 1998 the
Zoological Society for the
The fragile riverine rabbit Conservation of Species
habitat is rapidly deteriorating and Populations (ZSCSP)
started a project in close
cooperation with the
IUCN/SSC Lagomorph Specialist Group in the
Central Karoo, South Africa. The objective is to
conserve the Critically Endangered riverine rab-
bit (Bunolagus monticularis), which has been
classified as such in the IUCN Red List of
Threatened Species since 1981.
The riverine rabbit occurs only on private farm-
land in riverine vegetation along seasonal river
12
courses. Due to construction of dams which dry
up the rivers, and heavy grazing pressure by
Species 36: July–December 2001
sheep, the fragile riverine habitat is already
fragmented and rapidly deteriorating. Although
valuable research has been carried out, little is
known about the biology and ecology of the
rabbit. It has been crucial to involve the local
people and farmers to obtain data and preserve
the precious remaining habitat.
A Population and Habitat Viability Analysis
workshop was conducted in Cape Town in July
2000 to bring all relevant parties together and
create a stronger team with a collaboration of
conservation management strategies. These
strategies became the backbone of the Riverine
Rabbit Conservation Project, creating agreements
between national statutory authorities, and most
importantly, with private landowners. A riverine
rabbit website was set up
(www.riverinerabbit.co.za) to spark worldwide
interest and access to detailed information. It has
also been an essential part of promoting extra
support from otherwise inaccessible sources.
In August 2001 the World Wide Fund for
Nature—South Africa became officially involved
in the Riverine Rabbit Conservation Project by
financially supporting the national statutory
conservation authorities in undertaking habitat
evaluation surveys and environmental education
work. As well as increasing national and interna-
tional awareness, efforts to conserve the riverine
rabbit are also based on forming conservancies,
whereby groups of private landowners along
river courses agree to prescribed conservation
strategies. Although in an early stage, conser-
vancies are proving a positive first step in
protecting riverine rabbit and its habitat.
Dr. Victoria Ahlmann, Lagomorph Specialist Group,
ahlmann@yebo.co.za
Madagascar CAMP/PHVA
Workshop
Held 20-25 May 2001, Mantasoa,
Madagascar
The Conservation Breeding Specialist Group
(CBSG) has been conducting Conservation
Assessment and Management Plan (CAMP)
workshops for more than a decade and during
that time the process and tools have evolved con-
siderably. One element that has not changed is
our focus on the application of the IUCN Red List
Categories and Criteria, which have themselves
undergone revision and improvement. The latest
iteration of both the CAMP process and the IUCN
Red List categories of threat were tested at
CBSG’s first workshop in Madagascar this
May. And what a test it was! For six days, 115
participants from nine countries and 36 national
and international institutions worked intensively
to evaluate 293 species endemic to Madagascar. CBSG offices (office@cbsg.org). The workshop
At the same time a Population and Habitat was particularly valuable for CBSG because we
Viability Assessment was conducted for the giant were able to implement a procedure to stream-
jumping rat (Hypogeomys antimena). All this line the feeding information from the CAMP
work was conducted at the Hotel Ermitage about process to the IUCN Red Listing effort and sub-
a two-hour drive from the capital city of stantial improvements were made in the capabili-
Antananarivo with lemurs jumping in the open ty of our CAMP program.
windows and skylights providing the only light. Perhaps most importantly, this workshop provid-
Madagascar is a country rich in biodiversity and ed an excellent opportunity for networking
one in which human activities, particularly those among Malagasy scientists. CBSG workshops are
resulting in deforestation, greatly threaten dynamic and participatory giving people a
species survival. The continuing loss of habitat chance to interact and get to know each other
and other natural resources increases the risk to professionally, and often personally. The sharing
the unique species and ecosystems of this island of information and experience among partici-
country. A CAMP workshop was proposed to pants has a long-term impact on those involved
begin development of an action plan to slow the and has enormous potential to result in future
habitat degradation and biodiversity loss in collaboration, therefore furthering conservation
Madagascar. CBSG was invited to conduct this in Madagascar and the world.
international workshop by the Minister of the Onnie Byers, Program Officer, Conservation Breeding
Environment of Madagascar. Specialist Group
We entered this workshop with explicit goals to
assess the level of threat of each of these species
according to the new IUCN Red List criteria
(www.redlist.org) and to comply with the new
Meeting of the IUCN/SSC
Red List requirements, including a significantly
increased level of detailed documentation and a
Polar Bear Specialist Group
distribution map for every assessment. The Harvesting of polar bears remains of great impor-
assessments made by the Malagasy scientists and tance to the culture and economy of aboriginal
their international colleagues at the workshop groups through much of the Arctic. Therefore,
will be submitted for monitoring harvests and population trends
review by the appro- remains a priority.
priate Red List This was one of the decisions to emerge from the
Authority for the Polar Bear Specialist Group’s 13th meeting in
species. If all the Nuuk, Greenland in June. Greenland in particu-
requirements are met, lar announced new progressive and positive
these assessments management changes for polar bears. The Group
will be entered into recognized the importance of co-management
the global Red List agreements, including the active participation of
and be made avail- user groups, that have been established between
able to the world. The
recognition that their
the Inuvialuit of Canada and the Inupiat of
Alaska and between the United States and
knowledge and expe-
rience could have an
Russia. The Group further noted and fully sup-
ported the initiative to establish co-management
Distance Chart
impact on a global
level provided a great
of populations of polar bears shared between
Greenland and Canada.
source of motivation The status of all populations was evaluated with-
for all involved.
Much was learned
in the limits of the data available. The current
minimum estimate of the total number of polar
about the status and
the threats faced by
bears occupying the 20 distinct populations in
the circumpolar Arctic is 22,000. New approach-
the species evaluated. es were demonstrated for modeling polar bear
In addition, partici- populations. Such models offer the ability to
pants made a series of assess the relative risks of a range of manage-
research and manage- ment alternatives. The Group also recognized the
ment recommenda- need for more proactive management to address
tions for each species both limitations regarding polar bear population
evaluated. These can dynamics, and increasing environmental uncer-
be found in the tainty resulting from climate change and pollu-
reports produced at tion in the Arctic.
the workshop and
Ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) available through the 13
Species 36: July–December 2001

The group reviewed overall progress in research
and management of polar bears throughout their
circumpolar range and identified priorities for
future studies. In particular, new information
indicates the greatest future challenges to con-
servation of polar bears may be ecological
change in the Arctic as a result of climate change
and pollution.
For example, in western Hudson Bay, the ice now
breaks up about two weeks earlier than it did 20
years ago so that polar bears have less time to
feed and store fat needed while on shore for four
months before the ice re-freezes. Furthermore,
particularly high levels of persistent organic pol-
lutants have been found in
polar bears from northeast
The Group is planning a Greenland, Svalbard, and
the western Russian
circumpolar study to determine Arctic. A comparative
current contaminant levels study of the relationship
between the levels of these
in.polar bears contaminants and the
immune system of polar
bears in Svalbard and
western Hudson Bay confirmed that high levels
of contaminants reduce the ability to combat dis-
ease. Pollutants also affect hormonal systems
with uncertain consequences. In response, the
Group is now planning a collaborative circumpo-
lar study to determine current contaminant lev-
els in bears, to compare to one it completed 10
years ago. This study will provide definitive
information on trends in pollutants previously
identified in the Arctic, as well as detection and
quantification of new contaminants.
Aboriginal people throughout the Arctic are
uniquely positioned to observe changes in the
environment. Combining traditional knowledge
with western science to aid polar bear conserva-
tion was confirmed as a priority. For example,
ongoing efforts to collect traditional knowledge
of polar bear habitat use in Chukotka, Alaska,
Canada, and Greenland are being encouraged
and the results will be incorporated into future
research and management.
Future challenges for conserving polar bears and
their Arctic habitat are greater now because of
the rapid rate at which environmental change
appears to be occurring. The complexity and
global nature of the issues will require a great
degree of international cooperation and develop-
ment of diverse and new approaches.
Delegates representing each of the five circum-
polar nations signatory to the Agreement for the
Conservation of Polar Bears, attended as well as
invited specialists from the Greenland Home
Rule Government, the Alaska Nanuuq
Commission (Alaska), the Inuvialuit Game
Council and the Nunavut Tuungavik
Incorporated (Canada), and the Inuit
14 Circumpolar Conference. The Specialist Group
Species 36: July–December 2001
meets every three to five years to review and
exchanges information on polar bear research
and management throughout the Arctic.
Scott Schliebe, Co-Chair, Polar Bear Specialist Group
Plant Conservation
Strategy for Europe
Species Survival Commission (SSC) is helping to
develop a strategy to save Europe's diverse but
highly threatened plant life.
Of Europe's 12,500 plant species, some 3,500 are
unique to the region. Little native vegetation
remains, and plant habitats face a barrage of
threats ranging from land drainage and intensive
farming, to industrial pollution, development,
and a burgeoning tourist industry. Invasive
species and excessive use of pesticides and her-
bicides, as well as over-use of plants for food and
medicines have already pushed many species to
extinction and many more towards the same fate.
SSC members shared their expertise at the third
Planta Europa conference that took place in the
Czech Republic and resulted in the first draft of
the Plant Conservation Strategy for Europe.
Planta Europa is a developing network of organ-
izations working to conserve European wild
plants and their habitats. Among the SSC team
were Chairs of the European Plant; Bryophytes;
Lichens; and Fungi Specialist Groups, members
of the SSC Plant Conservation Committee, as
well as staff.
“A comprehensive strategy is urgently needed to
alert decision-makers to the extreme and exten-
sive threats facing Europe's plants,” said SSC
Plants Officer, Dr Wendy Strahm. “The Czech
Republic is striking in that its landscape is far
less intensively used than many other European
countries. It was refreshing to see huge swathes
of wild flower meadows, and many fields red
with poppies. The country has also made great
strides in reducing pollution which will greatly
favor its wild flora,” she said.
For more information see
www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/pressreleases/
plantstrategy.html
Team Species
Programme Updates
Staff changes
Dr. Jean-Christophe Vié, the new Deputy
Coordinator of the IUCN Species Programme
started work in Gland, Switzerland, in October.
Jean-Christophe is French, a qualified veterinari-
an, and has a PhD in evolutionary biology and
ecology. He has worked for IUCN as the
Programme Coordinator of the Guinea-Bissau
office, and his broad-ranging expertise includes
coastal planning, protected area management,
and translocation of species. Jean-Christophe
will be responsible for general operations and
management of the Species Programme and net-
work support.
Two new CABS (Center for Applied Biodiversity
Science at Conservation International)/SSC
Biodiversity Assessment Officers have been
appointed. Janice Long and Neil Cox will join
Simon Stuart at the CABS office in Washington
DC. Janice Long has already been working on
special assignment with the Global Amphibian
Assessment. Neil Cox, formerly with the World
Conservation Monitoring Centre, was closely
involved with the preparation of the 1996 IUCN
Red List of Threatened Species. These appoint-
ments are a significant boost for the Red List
Programme, and the Global Amphibian
Assessment in the shorter term. SSC is grateful to
CI/CABS for its generous support of these
positions.
Ana Virginia Mata, has been selected for the SSC
George Rabb Internship position. She joins the
Red List Programme and will be based at IUCN's
Mesoamerica Regional Office in Costa Rica. Ana
is a graduate of the Wildlife Management Pro-
gramme of the Universidad Nacional of Costa Rica.
Dr Vidhisha Samarasekara (a University of
London graduate) has been appointed as Senior
Programme Officer for the South and South East
Asian IUCN Regional Biodiversity Programme.
She is based at the IUCN office in Sri Lanka
and will be coordinating Red List activities
across the region.
Luke Watson joined the Species Programme in
Gland in early November as publications intern.
Luke will be responsible for guiding species
Action Plans through to publication, and helping
with SSC communications.
Red List Programme
In order to achieve the ambitious targets set by
the Red List Committee, a funding campaign is
urgently required. The strategy to develop this
campaign was taken a step further at a follow-up
meeting of the partners to the Red List held in
Washington, DC in August 2001.
Red List training workshops took place in
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in May 2001 and at the
Royal Botanic Gardens Kew in August 2001. A
Central Asian Red List workshop was held near
Tashkent, Uzbekistan in September 2001, involv-
ing almost 50 participants from five Central
Asian countries
Through the INTAS project
on the Correlates of In order to achieve the
Extinction Risk in central
Asian Biodiversity we were ambitious targets set by the
able to recruit Elena
Bykova from the Institute Red List Committee, a funding
of Zoology, Uzbekistan as
the Red List intern for five
campaign is urgently required
months (February-August
2001). Most of her time was spent translating all
the Red List training materials into Russian and
preparing for the workshop.
The Red List website, www.redlist.org, under-
went a major upgrade during June 2001. The
web search function was moved to a more stable
platform, combining Oracle with Linux on an
Apache Server housed at Natural Resources
Canada. Since the upgrade, the system has been
much more stable (no downtimes reported so
far) and is considerably faster than before. Using
this opportunity a number of other changes were
also made.
The deadline of 31 August 2001 for submissions
for the 2002 Red List has passed. More than 30
contributions have been received, mostly from
established Red List Authorities. The largest sin-
gle contribution was from the Conservation
Breeding Specialist Group, but will need to be
checked with the other Specialist Groups con-
cerned. The other single major contribution was
from the Cacti and Succulent Plants Group, who
have submitted almost 400 assessments of
Cactaceae species from Mexico and Brazil. The
process to cross-check and enter all this infor-
mation is proceeding.
A European Red List Workshop is due to be held
in Helsinki, Finland (1-3 October) funded by the
Ministry of the Environment, Finland and organ-
ised by the Finnish IUCN Committee.
15
Species 36: July–December 2001

Wildlife Trade Programme
Wildlife Trade Programme Staff attended the
TRAFFIC Network Staff meeting and provided
information on the SSC Strategic Plan,
Commission and Programme activities. Links
between specific TRAFFIC offices and a number
of Specialist Groups were made to strengthen
collaboration on various issues. For instance, the
Wildlife Trade Programme is collaborating with
TRAFFIC and the Sturgeon Specialist Group to
undertake a CITES significant trade review of a
four more species of Accipenseriformes, to be
completed by the end of the year.
The following projects are being undertaken in
collaboration with TRAFFIC: Preliminary input
on the incorporation of trade and use data into
the Species Information Service; promotion of
greater use by Parties to the Convention of CITES
trade data; a CITES significant trade review of
four species of south-east Asian freshwater tur-
tles and a tortoise species from Madagascar.
Collaboration on a country based significant
trade review is under discussion.
Plants Programme
Following the establish-
Work is ongoing to develop. ment of a new Legume
Specialist Group,
plant networks in Madagascar, Galapagos Plant Specialist
Group and the revival of
the Pacific Islands, South East. the African Tree Specialist
Group, work is ongoing to
Asia, and other regions. develop plant networks in
Madagascar, the Pacific
Islands (more likely Hawaii to start), South East
Asia, Caribbean Islands, North Africa and Brazil.
Effort has been made to contribute to the devel-
opment of a Global Plant Conservation Strategy
in the context of the Convention on Biological
Diversity. Two informal consultations on this pol-
icy, the first in March in Montreal followed by a
second drafting meeting of the Strategy from
May 17-18 in London have taken place to pre-
pare a document for the Subsidiary Body of
Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice
meeting (SBSTTA) in November. The Plant
Conservation Committee met in November to
provide guidance to the Programme and
follow-up on the Plant Conservation Committee
Plant Strategy.
16
Species 36: July–December 2001
Specialist Group Updates
African Elephant Specialist
Group
The African Elephant Database
The new African Elephant Database (AED) man-
ager has started tackling a large stack of survey
reports from around Africa that have been com-
piled since the 1998 update. A number of out-
standing issues and ideas still need to be
resolved before the next hard-copy update. These
include improving the reliability, quality and
sourcing of range data; the integration of some of
our data on human–elephant conflict with data
on elephant status and distribution; and the use
of other important data layers to further conser-
vation of the species.
Central African Programme Office
A Programme Officer has been recruited to facil-
itate the work of the Group in Central Africa and
will be based in the IUCN Regional Office for
Central Africa in Yaounde. The position is partic-
ularly timely now, with the African Elephant
Specialist Group actively involved in developing
a sub-regional Strategy for the Conservation of
Elephants in Central Africa.
Pachyderm
The African Elephant Specialist Group has been
awarded an additional year of support to cover
editorial costs through the generous contribution
of the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s African
Elephant Conservation Fund. We are hoping to
reconstitute the editorial board, and appoint a
non-group member to be the Chair of this board,
to form strategic objectives for the journal and to
tighten up on quality control in all aspects of its
production. It is hoped that in so doing, we can
continue the production of this very popular
publication while not overly taxing the volunteer
network behind its production.
The website (http://indaba.iucn.org/external/
themes/ssc/sgs/afesg/) has been given a ‘new
look’. New features include a "Frequently Asked
Questions About Elephants" section and links to
a number of new documents on elephant con-
servation. We hope these changes will make the
site appealing to a wider audience.
Leo Niskanen, Programme Officer,
lniskanen@wwfeafrica.org
African Rhino Specialist
Group
African Rhino Specialist Group members contin-
ue to assist range States in developing and revis-
ing national rhino conservation strategies. A
number of members participated in a workshop
held by the Namibian Ministry of Environment
and Tourism to review and revise the Namibian
black rhino conservation strategy; some mem-
bers have also commented on drafts of a revised
Botswana rhino strategy; and others continue to
remain actively involved in official rhino conser-
vation committees in all the major range States.
A past high level joint mission to Cameroon by
the African Rhino Specialist Group, IUCN, IUCN
France and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
discussed the development and implementation
of an emergency conservation plan. Following
this, surveys have been underway to confirm if
sufficient animals remain to form a founder
group that can be consolidated in a sanctuary.
The performance of a number of "key" and
"important" rated black rhino populations in
recent years has declined as rhino densities have
been allowed to increase in some parks following
conservative removals.
This has significantly
reduced some black rhino Response to the monitoring
metapopulation growth
rates. Given the impor- training course continues
tance of maintaining rapid
growth, the Specialist
to be positive
Group obtained funding
from the Southern African Development
Community (SADC) Rhino Programme, and
organized a technical Rhino Management Group
Workshop to review and recommend biological
management strategies to maintain rapid
metapopulation growth rates. Delegates from the
four major range states that together conserve
97% of Africa’s black rhino attended this
successful July workshop. If the workshop
recommendations (in particular the revised har-
vesting strategy) are implemented, it is expected
that metapopulation growth rates should
increase in future.
The training course in monitoring techniques
based on the identification of individual rhinos
has been revised. The module on condition
assessment has been completely re-written, and
new posters have been made, to reflect the
results of collaborative work between condition
assessment experts in Namibia, South Africa and
Zimbabwe. This provides a standardized scoring
system that can be used throughout all range
States. An additional module on "clean" rhino
(those without any obvious distinguishing fea-
tures) has also been added to the course. The
course was used in a training course in rhino
identification techniques, attended by delegates
from Botswana, Malawi, South Africa, Zambia
and Zimbabwe. In addition Namibia, Kenya and
Tanzania also have sets of the training course.
Updated course manuals and posters have been
distributed to many existing set holders and
response to the course continues to be positive
with orders for more copies continuing to come in.
The African Rhino Specialist Group continues to
be an active Consortium member of the Italian-
funded SADC Programme for Regional Rhino
Conservation. The group would like to acknowl-
17
Species 36: July–December 2001

edge the continuing support it receives from
WWF for many of its activities. Without this
support, the secretariat couldn’t function, bien-
nial meetings wouldn’t be held, and the group
would be much less active. The group is also
grateful to the United States Fish & Wildlife
Service for providing additional funds to help
sponsor the production of two editions of its
joint journal (with Asian rhino and African
Elephant Specialist Groups), Pachyderm.
Richard Emslie, remslie@kznwildlife.com
Bison Specialist Group –
North America
The beginning of the new intersessional period
has ushered in new Co-Chairs for the European
and North American sections of the Bison
Specialist Group. Dr. Wanda Olech with the
Department of Animal Genetics, Warsaw
Agricultural University, is heading up the
European Group.
Cormack Gates with the
Dr
The Group will evaluate the Faculty of Environmental
status of North American bison Design, University of
Calgary, Alberta, is leading
the North American
Group. Dr. Gates has started to restructure the
Bison Specialist Group (North America) mem-
bership in anticipation of an active period for
bison conservation. A priority for the Specialist
Group is to produce an Action Plan for North
American bison. Delaney Boyd, a graduate stu-
dent with the University of Calgary Faculty of
Environmental Design, and Officer of the Bison
Specialist Group, has started to coordinate draft-
ing of the status survey in collaboration with
group members. The survey will consider the
historical and cultural significance of bison,
bison ecology and conservation biology, legal
status and listings, population descriptions and
management, habitat issues, genetics and taxon-
omy, and disease. The Bison Specialist Group
(North America) will identify priority informa-
tion gaps, threats and possible conservation
actions needed to develop an Action Plan. This
initiative aligns with the IUCN Strategic Plan for
2000-2010, which has set a target for assessing
the status of all mammals by 2002. The Specialist
Group will evaluate the status of North American
bison using the IUCN Red List Criteria and will
recommend a listing designation for each sub-
species of bison to the IUCN/SSC.
The threats to bison conservation include
reduced genetic diversity, hybridization between
subspecies, infiltration of cattle DNA, exotic dis-
eases, habitat loss, increasing land use pressure
from industrial development, agricultural expan-
sion, commercialization and domestication of
18
Species 36: July–December 2001
bison, transboundary and inter-jurisdictional dis-
putes, and reintroduction difficulties.
Consequently, the Bison Specialist Group will be
very active in the coming months and years.
Delaney Boyd–Officer, dpboyd@ucalgary.ca
Dr. Cormack Gates–Co-Chair, ccgates@nucleus.com
Cactus and Succulent
Specialist Group
The IUCN/SSC Cactus and Succulent Specialist
Group (CSSG), as the IUCN Red List Authority
for cacti and succulent plants, has started assess-
ing the cacti and succulents according to the new
IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. The proj-
ect was stimulated by the group's former
Chairman, Prof. Edward F. Anderson, who was
very active in Red Listing during his trip to
Mexico in February, just before his unexpected
death. Thanks to the participation of several
group members, over 400 species, all in the
Cactaceae, have been evaluated.
These assessments are currently in the review
process for inclusion in the 2002 IUCN Red List.
Although the more than 400 assessments made
so far represent an encouraging start towards the
evaluation of the global status of threat of this
plant group, only evaluations of cacti were sub-
mitted and these are strongly biased towards
Mexican and Eastern Brazilian species.
It has been estimated that there are over 10,000
species of cacti and other succulents worldwide,
and the evaluation of their conservation status
represents an overwhelming challenge for the
group. Although the deadline for submissions for
the IUCN Red List has now passed, we will con-
tinue compiling assessments for the next annual
update of the Red List. We plan to advance in the
evaluation of additional cactus species through-
out the distribution range of the family. However,
members of other critical succulent plant fami-
lies, such as the Agavaceae, Amaryllidaceae,
Crassulaceae, Euphorbiaceae, and Mesembryan-
themaceae, urgently need to be assessed.
Consequently, during the following phases of
this project we wish to encourage Cactus and
Succulent Specialist Group members holding
relevant knowledge of either cacti or other suc-
culent plants to support the Red Listing process.
Héctor Hernández, Chair
Wolfgang Stuppy, Executive Officer,
w.stuppy@rbgkew.org.uk
Nepenthes rajah
Carnivorous Plants
Specialist Group
Membership
Our membership strategy is to ensure maximum
taxonomic and geographical expertise and cover-
age through the Specialist Group members and
contacts. We have selected members for the
more charismatic genera (Nepenthes,
Sarracenia, Heliamphora, Drosera), but also for
the lesser known ones (Byblis, Cephalotus,
Utricularia, Pinguicula, Genlisea, etc.). At the
same time, we have tried to identify people who
have extensive field knowledge and, where pos-
sible, those that are living in the distribution
ranges of the taxa.
CITES Carnivorous Plant Checklist
We are also proud to announce the completion of
the first version of the CITES Carnivorous Plant
Checklist. The Chair and Specialist Group secre-
tariat compiled this work with tremendous input
from the members, especially Jan Schlauer and
Charles Clarke. The publication covers those
carnivorous plant species listed in the CITES
Appendices and will prove a useful tool for the
implementation of CITES. The Checklist in-
cludes a list of accepted names and synonyms,
and lists the taxa by country of occurrence. The
IUCN Red List Category is also provided for each
accepted taxa. Thanks to the Royal Botanic
Gardens at Kew for having participated actively
in this achievement and for publishing the
Checklist. These will be sent out to all CITES
Parties and to contributors by the CITES
Secretariat.
For copies please contact: Jacqui Roberts, RBG, Kew,
Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AB, UK
Tel/Fax:+44 (0)20 8332 5724/5757
j.roberts@rbgkew.org.uk
Red List Authority
We have been asked by the Red List Programme
to suggest a group of carnivorous plants that
could be indicators of the evolution of threats
and/or the progress of conservation. Specifically,
to identify taxa that are represented worldwide
and which are sensitive enough to show any
changes in their habitat. We suggested the genus
Drosera and are now identifying members and
contacts for geographical focal points. The sec-
ond step of this project will be to identify a rep-
resentative number of Drosera species covering
as wide a range as possible. Those who are able
and willing to contribute to our efforts to com-
pile information on Drosera based on the Red
List Categories or know experts in your region,
please contact the Carnivorous Plant Specialist
Group Secretariat.
Action Plan
Members who have put a
substantial amount of
work into the preparation
We are proud to announce
of the Action Plan proba- the completion of the first
bly wonder what has hap-
pened to this project. Due version of the CITES
to other work priorities we
have had to postpone the Carnivorous Plant Checklist
final drafting of the Action
Plan and we now are confronted with questions
as to whether the information contained is still
up-to-date and pertinent. As time permits, we
will compile a tentative draft concentrating on
the action points and circulate it again to the
major contributors.
Contact us
I would like to thank all the members for their
tremendous input to various aspects of our activ-
ities. A special mention goes to Madeleine
Groves at The Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew
(RBG, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AB) who
acts as Secretary and Coordinator and without
whom I would be challenged to Chair this excit-
ing group.
Bertrand von Arx, Chair, Bertrand.vonarx@ec.gc.ca
19
Species 36: July–December 2001

Cracid Specialist Group
The Cracid Specialist Group has a new website
(http://www.angelfire.com/ca6/cracid/) man-
aged by David Sarkozi. To contribute photos or
other items to the website, please contact David
directly at dsarkozi@flash.net. The website will
include photos of Cracids and their habitat under
the following headings:
What is a Cracid?
What is the Cracid Specialist Group?
Where do Cracids live?
Why are Cracids so Special?
What you can do to help Cracids!
A number of Cracid field projects have been
implemented since publication of the Cracid
Action Plan. Of the 19 projects listed for support
in Appendix V of the Action Plan, more
than three-quarters have received full or partial
support.
The Houston Museum of Natural Science is
establishing a Cracid Research Collection. We
have specimens of several species, but would
like to expand the collection and open it to
Cracidologists. If you have deceased captive or
wild cracids, or have cracid specimens (mounted
or study skins), please contact Dan Brooks
directly.
The group continues its strong commitment to
publication of Cracid research through the trilin-
gual Bol. CSG (Bulletin of the Cracid Specialist
Group). This Bulletin has been published and
circulated biannually,
every March and
More than three-quarters of September, with generous
help from the World
the Action Plan projects have Pheasant Association. It
now reaches nearly 400
received some support individuals around the
globe, predominantly in
Latin America.
Some changes have been made in Specialist
Group administration. Fabio Olmos has become
increasingly specialized on marine birds, and has
stepped down as Cracid Specialist Group’s
Brazilian Regional Coordinator and Portuguese
Editor. Fabio will be sorely missed, as he has
been a vital part since the group resurfaced in
1996. However, he has promised to continue pro-
viding us with information about Brazilian
Cracid projects. Fabio has appointed Luis Fabio
Silveira as his replacement, who has humbly
accepted the invitation. Additionally, with
increasing commitments, Alfredo Begazo has
decided to step down as Cracid Specialist
Group’s Spanish Editor and translator. He will
remain Regional Coordinator for Peru, but Rob
Williams will take over as Regional Coordinator
for Ecuador. Fernando Gonzalez-Garcia has been
appointed as his replacement, and has kindly
20
Species 36: July–December 2001
accepted the invitation. A welcome aboard is
hardly necessary for Fernando, since he served
as Spanish Editor/Translator for the Cracid
Action Plan, Biology and Conservation of
Neotropical Galliformes in the New Millenium,
and has filled in for a couple volumes of Bol.
CSG. In addition to serving as Middle American
Regional Coordinator for the group, Fernando
has also (co)moderated two Middle American
Cracid Workshops. Both Fabio and Alfredo will
continue to maintain their active roles in the
Cracid Specialist Group. Were it not for the same
active roles they unselfishly fulfilled since the
group was revitalized a few years ago, the group
may have never gained its current momentum.
For more information on the Cracid Specialist
Group, please contact Dr. Dan Brooks, CSG
Chair, at: Houston Museum of Natural Science;
Department of Vertebrate Zoology; 1 Hermann
Circle Drive; Houston, Texas 77030-1799, USA.
Daniel M. Brooks, Chair, dbrooks@hmns.org
Medicinal Plant Group Logo,
the Silphion
Insectivore Specialist
Group
New Specialist Group structure for
insectivores
The Insectivore, Tree Shrew and Elephant Shrew
Specialist Group (ITSES) was recently split into
the Insectivore Specialist Group (ISG) and the
Afrotheria Specialist Group, the latter, chaired by
G. Rathbun. Among other mammal groups,
Afrotheria includes the tenrecidae (tenrecs),
chrysochloridae (golden moles) and macrosceli-
didae (elephant shrews). The Insectivore
Specialist Group remains in charge of shrews
(Soricidae), hedgehogs (Erinaceidae), moles,
desmans and shrew moles (Talpidae), solen-
odons (Solenondontidae) and tupaias
(Scandentia). The number of species is still
under revision, as new species and subspecies
are still found, especially tropical African
Soricidae. Future basic research will concern the
distribution and ecology of these species.
The taxonomy is still controversial. Including the
Scandentia in the Insectivore Specialist Group
has both traditional and practical reasons, it is
one way to create activity for species that previ-
ously had little or no attention. The Insectivore
Specialist Group and the Afrotheria Specialist
Group will continue to exchange information
and ideas so that we all can do a better job on
behalf of "our" animals. Websites will be cross-
referenced and newsletters will be exchanged.
The "new" Insectivore Specialist Group is cur-
rently re-organizing membership, setting goals
and proposals for new Action Plans. J. Merritt
acts as vice chair and R.M. Baxter as
administrative chair. Section coordina-
tors include S. Churchfield and
R. Hutterer (shrews), N. Reeve
(hedgehogs), H. Whidden, J.
Ottenwalder and C. Wood.
(solenodons) and
Helgen (tupaias). As of
September 2001, the
group counts approxi-
mately 40 active members.
We will undoubtedly contin-
ue to add new members
to share their knowledge
and expertise.
The number of interest-
ed individuals is much
higher. For example, there
are already over 600 sub-
scribers to the newsletter, Shrew
Talk alone. Besides being a scientific
forum on insectivores, it has been a tra-
dition for Shrew Talk to include the lay-
men's questions and provide answers
and this tradition will
continue.
Future challenges
Every structural change of a group requires time.
Once re-organized, we will work on new conser-
vation Action Plans and Red List assessments.
The Status, Survey and Conservation Action
Plan for African Insectivora will be revised and
the Shrew Bibliography on CD-ROM will be
updated. A regular group newsletter will be edit-
ed by W. Haberl and R.M. Baxter, addressing cur-
rent Insectivore Specialist Group topics. This will
begin as an e-mail service and will be printed if
funds become available.
Congresses
Two congresses focussing on insectivores will
enhance contact between members and promote
scientific progress. These are the 4th Desman
Meeting held October 2001
in France and the
International Colloquium The “new” Insectivore Specialist
on the Biology of the
Soricidae II at Powdermill Group is currently re-organizing
Biological Station,
Pennsylvania, U.S.A. from our membership
14-18 October 2002.
Werner Haberl, Chair, shrewbib@sorex.vienna.at
Medicinal Plant Specialist
Group
Uwe Schippmann stepped down as Chair of the
Medicinal Plant Specialist Group last year. Uwe
has chaired the Specialist Group since it was
established in 1994, first as Co-chair with Tony
Cunningham, 1994-1997, and as Chair between
1998-2000. Many thanks to the Bundesamt fûr
K.
Naturschutz (BfN) in Bonn, Germany, for its sup-
port to Uwe in his role as Chair. Uwe remains an
active member of the group's new steering com-
mittee, and continues as editor of our newsletter,
Medicinal Plant Conservation, with continuing
support from BfN. Former co-chair Tony
Cunningham has also joined the steering com-
mittee to oversee development of the research
programme, including the Centres of Medicinal
Plant Diversity and "Top 50" initiatives.
During this first year of the new IUCN interses-
sional period, the group is being reconstituted
with regional sub-groups and a new steering
committee made up of regional and programme
vice-chairs. As Vice-Chair for South Asia, Vinay
Tandon is coordinating the formation of a South
Asia sub-group. Activities for this sub-group in
the Himalayas were launched in January 2001 at
a Conservation Assessment and Management
Plan (CAMP) workshop in Pokhara, Nepal, sup-
ported by the International Development
Research Centre (IDRC) and the Ford
Foundation. Sonia Lagos-Witte, as Vice-Chair for
21
Species 36: July–December 2001

Latin America, is coordinating the formation of a
Latin American sub-group. These groups are
developing activities that contribute to the over-
all Specialist Group programme, and we are
developing partnerships and funded projects
with other institutions. We anticipate the forma-
tion of additional regional sub-groups for North
America (Mexico, U.S.A., Canada) Africa, and
Europe in 2002.
This year we have also begun a fundraising and
partnership development effort to support the
Centres of Medicinal Plant Diversity initiative,
together with IDRC. The Medicinal Plant
Specialist Group has played a key role in secur-
ing funds from the Global Environment Facility,
United Nations
Environment Programme
for a Medium-sized Project
We have begun fundraising to that will support the initia-
support the Centres of Medicinal tion of medicinal plant
conservation activities
Plant Diversity initiative within four countries par-
ticipating in the TRAMIL
(Traditional Medicine for
the Islands) network in the Caribbean and
Central America. Members of the regional sub-
group for Latin America are currently working
with the TRAMIL network, IDRC, and the IUCN
Programme Office for Mesoamerica (IUCN-
ORMA) to extend the scope of medicinal plant
conservation activities in this region.
Dr. Danna J. Leaman, Chair, DJL@green-world.org
Otter Specialist Group
Successful Workshop on African Otters
As part of the 8th International Theriological
Congress, held in August this year, Claus
Reuther, Chairman of the Otter Specialist Group,
and Jan Nel, the Group's Coordinator for Africa,
moderated a workshop entitled "African otters –
How to increase knowledge of biology, distribu-
tion and threats". Over 20 scientists and conser-
vationists attended this workshop. Initial
presentations on the state of knowledge on
African otters (Jan Nel) and other otter species,
as well as on otter conservation activities world-
wide (Claus Reuther) formed the basis for a very
fruitful discussion.
The workshop recommended production of a
combination of identification leaflet and ques-
tionnaire. Taking into account the numerous lan-
guages and dialects spoken throughout Africa,
which occasionally do not contain a name for
otters, it was necessary to introduce the four
species occurring in Africa by photographs. The
information collected by the questionnaire which
asks basic questions on otter observations will
be stored in the Information System for Otter
22
Species 36: July–December 2001
Surveys that has been established by the German
Association for Otter Conservation (Aktion
Fischotterschutz). This database will form the
basis for an African network of people and insti-
tutions which will support awareness for otter
conservation.
Other workshop suggestions include specific
studies on methods to identify and to monitor
the distribution of African otters, training cours-
es to teach people in these methods, and the
establishment of a specific research facility to
collect basic information especially for the three
sub-Saharan otter species. Claus Reuther, Jan
Nel, and Helene Jacques, the contact of the Otter
Specialist Group for the French speaking part of
Africa, will now prepare detailed project propos-
als and funding applications to initiate some of
these activities.
Impetus for public awareness activities for
otter conservation
Organised by the Asian Section of the Otter
Specialist Group, the Otter Research Group
Japan, the National Taiwan University and the
Tung-Hai University, a four day workshop on
conservation and public awareness of otters was
held at Taichung, Taiwan in December 1999.
This was a continuation of the successful survey
methods workshop, held in Thailand, November
1997 and is a result of the great fundraising
efforts of Specialist Group members, Motokazu
Ando and Hiroshi Sasaki.
The proceedings of this conference have been
published by Charles Santiapillai and Hiroshi
Sasaki in 2000. This book gives a remarkable
overview of public awareness and conservation
activities from Asia, Europe, North and Latin
America. Also, Motokazu Ando and Hiroshi
Sasaki published a booklet which should be in
the library of every (otter) conservationist. The
Wetlands Ambassador—Education and Public
Awareness Methodologies for Otter Conservation,
contains best practice examples from all over the
world. For more information please contact the
Otter Research Group Japan c/o Hiroshi Sasaki
(hsasaki@chikushi-u.ac.jp).
Claus Reuther, Chair,
Aktion.Fischotterschutz@t-online.de
Philippine Plant Specialist
Group
The newly-formed Philippine Plant Specialist
Group, chaired by Domingo A. Madulid, is
embarking on several projects aimed at conserv-
ing the threatened plants of the Philippines.
Philippine Plant Specialist Group members, who
come from various local and foreign botanical
and academic institutions, botanic gardens, and
non-governmental organizations are keen to
make a mark in the plant conservation of the
Philippines. This is the first time that a concert-
ed effort is being made in this important field.
In August 2001 members of the Specialist Group
as well as wildlife researchers in the Philippines
held a meeting in Quezon City to plan for a
National Training Workshop of Filipino conser-
vationists on Red Listing of Threatened Plants
and Animals of the Philippines based on the new
Red List criteria. Fifteen selected participants
representing key government conservation agen-
cies, academic institutions and conservation
organizations were invited to the meeting. The
training workshop
was due to be held in
October, 2001. About
50 participants from
various parts of the
Philippines were
expected to attend
this training work-
shop.
The trainers were
Dr. V. Samarasekara,
Senior Programme
Officer of the
Regional Biodiversity
Programme of IUCN
in Sri Lanka, and
Mr. Sanjay Molur of
the Zoo Outreach
Organization at Tamil
Palawan bearded pig Nadu, India.
(S. b.? ahoenobarbus) During the August
meeting, Domingo
Madulid, as Chair of the Red List Authority for
Philippine plants, appointed members to the
Authority who are expert in specific plant groups
such as algae, mosses, fungi, ferns, gym-
nosperms and angiosperms, including diptero-
carps, orchids, zingibers, and legumes among
others. Red List Authority members were trained
in Red Listing during the October 28-31 work-
shop after which they will proceed with the actu-
al assessment of Philippine plants for the IUCN
Red List. A Red Data book of threatened plants of
the Philippines is also being planned as an
important output of the group.
Recent activities of the Philippine Plant Specialist
Group can also be viewed on our website:
www.pnh.com.ph
Domingo A. Madulid, Chair, dmadulid@info.com.ph
Pigs, Peccaries and Hippos
Specialist Group
The bearded pig (Sus barbatus) was formerly
widely distributed through the Malay Peninsula,
Sumatra, Borneo and a number of smaller
islands, Yet its biology and ecology remain poor-
ly known, although a pioneering study by group
member Julian Caldecott revealed much about
the species’ ecology in Borneo, particularly its
eruptive migrational behavior. Since then, sever-
al other researchers have investigated bearded
pig population fluctuations in Borneo and their
role in the hunting culture of Borneo's indige-
nous people (for example), confirming important
role of bearded pigs in both forest ecology and
Bornean society and economy, as well as high-
lighting the need for longer-term studies.
In response to these needs, a series of electronic
conferences were held involving a number of
organizations and researchers in forming collab-
orative research plans. One outcome was the
production of a pre-proposal for a Borneo-wide,
long-term research program to jointly investigate
topics like pig migrations, while continuing vari-
ous on-going research projects which focus on
separate, but inter-related, topics. The pre-pro-
posal has been sent to potential funding organi-
zations, and it is hoped that the newly
constituted ‘Bearded Pig Research Group’ will
also be able to meet to discuss research plans
and proposals in more detail.
A second outcome is the production of an elec-
tronic newsletter through which progress of the
new research group and information on the
Bearded Pig and other Asian suids can be shared.
It was decided to redesign the newsletter, called
Asian Wild Pig News, to meet the Specialist
Group’s wider conservation and research inter-
ests in the region. The first issue, released in
July, included editorials, discussions, and a copy
of the aforementioned pre-proposal. The latter
issue included an important new review of tax-
onomy of south-east suids, which suggests the
recognition of at least two new species of Sus
and a high standard research paper on hunting of
bearded pigs in Sarawak. Asian Wild Pig News
No. 2 was published in September 2001, and dis-
tributed electronically.
For a subscription, email erik.meijaard@anu.edu.au.
The production of this newsletter, and the
engagement of a wider community of
researchers and related institutions, will also
help refocus attention on various other taxa
which have been largely neglected. This is exem-
plified by the enigmatic Indo-Chinese warty pig
(S. bucculentus), which is still known from only
three skulls, two of which were collected over a
century ago and both subspecies of Javan warty
pig (S. verrucosus), once feared extinct. The
recent upsurge of interest in babirusa
(Babyrousa babyrussa) is welcome, but work
has focused almost entirely on the mainland race
23
Species 36: July–December 2001

while the races on Buru, Salubesi and the Togian
Islands have been neglected. Conversely, the
development of conservation recovery programs
for the Critically Endangered pygmy hog (S. sal-
vanius) and Visayan warty pig (S. cebifrons)
have made remarkable progress in some areas,
but most of the recent information published on
these projects, and on other taxa of conservation
interest, is not easily available to the wider
majority of wildlife managers and researchers.
Erik Meijaard, Asia Regional Coordinator
Pteridophyte Specialist
Group
The Fern Flora Worldwide: Threats and
Responses symposium, (Guildford, U.K., July
2001) was a great success with over 80 attendees
from 20 countries. The organization and admin-
istration was managed by the British
Pteridological Society and
Ferns can be useful indicators of we are grateful to Society
member Graham Ackers
priority conservation areas for leading that team.
The British Pteridological
Society will publish the
Proceedings in 2002. Many of the meeting posters
described the fern conservation action in various
parts of the world. Papers elaborated on regional
and national projects in hand or proposed, and
several demonstrated the fundamental use of
molecular techniques for conservation. Papers
also described how major databases were being
programmed to guide conservation priorities.
During the symposium it was clear that genetic
studies (using molecular techniques) on selected
fern genera (e.g. Asplenium) have shown that
ferns can be useful indicators of areas worthy of
priority conservation. As with most other plant
groups, however funding for fern taxonomists is
declining and systematic floristic treatments are
slow to appear, leaving much of the world still to
be studied in detail. Further, the species
approach to conservation action, while included
in a number of national biodiversity action
plans, mostly in temperate areas, will make little
impact on pteridophyte conservation as a whole,
although a few flagship species may be the
exception (e.g. tree ferns). Finally, the richest
diversity of pteridophytes is found in tropical
areas where the limited botanical resources con-
centrate on economically useful vascular plants
and not ferns. Our only hope is to work in part-
nership with those conserving habitats or specif-
ic areas. We should also ensure our pteridophyte
expertise is made available to country and
regional SSC Plant Specialist Groups.
The Group has been re-structured with the
formation of an Executive Board of seven
24
Species 36: July–December 2001
members. The wider membership at present
includes 18 Regional Coordinators, who will
maintain contact with Country (or Provincial)
Liaison Officers.
Activities of the Pteridophyte Specialist
Group include:
Regional and national networking, in conjunc-
tion with the International Association of
Pteridologists (IAP), to build a database of active
pteridologists and others keen on conserving
pteridophyte habitats and hotspots, and making
this available to those who need such expertise.
Preparing for publication an assessment of areas
of high pteridophyte diversity (‘hotspots’),
species rarity and status of threat, as well as
organizing a team of Red List evaluators.
Preparing for publication an Action Plan to con-
serve threatened pteridophytes and/or their
habitats. Action programs already in place will
be emphasized in the publication.
Close contact will be maintained through the IAP
with those whose research is related to pterido-
phyte conservation biology. The Specialist Group
will support applications for funding such
research as appropriate.
Public awareness, communication and fund rais-
ing using pteridophytes as flagship species for
areas and habitats (for example Top 50), pterido-
phyte conservation will be promoted at all levels.
Fund raising will be an essential element.
Proposals and achievements will be communi-
cated through the appropriate websites.
Clive Jermy and Tom Ranker, Co-Chairs
Re-introduction Specialist
Group
New Triennium
The Re-introduction Specialist Group has made
some changes in its organizational structure with
the re-appointment of old and new section
chairs. The structure now consists of a Chair,
Vice-Chair, Secretariat, Section Chairs and
Members. The group has appointed nine Section
Chairs and one Country Representative. The sec-
tions are Plants, Australasia/Marsupials, Aquatic
Mammals, Birds, Primates, Invertebrates,
Reptiles/Amphibians and a Taiwan Country
Representative. The post of Ungulate Section
Chair is still vacant.
Special Bird Issue of Re-introduction News
The Group has printed and disseminated issue
no. 19 which was dedicated solely to bird re-
introductions. This issue was generously funded
by the National Commission for Wildlife
Conservation and Development (NCWCD), Saudi
Arabia. It was a bumper issue covering 24 bird
re-introduction projects, comprising 45 species
which are from 19 families and 10 orders. A total
of 11 countries are represented.
Arabic translation of the Guidelines for the
Placement of Live Confiscated Animals
The Specialist Group’s host organization, the
Environmental Research and Wildlife
Development Agency (ERWDA), has undertaken
the translation of these guidelines into Arabic.
They will soon be produced as a booklet con-
taining both the Arabic and English version of
the guidelines. Once these booklets are printed
they will be widely distributed amongst relevant
organizations and confiscating authorities in
Arabic speaking countries.
Non-human Primate Re-introduction
Guidelines
The Group is also developing primate re-intro-
duction guidelines. These have been reviewed
and comments received are being incorporated
and will then be submitted to an editorial board
for finalization. We will then produce a special
primate issue of Re-introduction News which will
include selected primate re-introduction case-
studies and the guidelines. The guidelines will
also be produced as a booklet. We are
looking for organizations involved in primate
conservation to fund this special issue of the
newsletter and booklet. Please contact the group
if you can help.
African Elephant Re-introduction guidelines
The Re-introduction Specialist Group has signed
a Memorandum of Understanding with the
African Elephant Specialist Group to develop
guidelines on African elephant re-introductions.
These guidelines will be translated into French
and distributed to elephant range states, cover-
ing both current and historic distribution (See
page 7).
Pritpal S. Soorae, Executive Officer,
PSoorae@erwda.gov.ae
Southern African
Invertebrates Specialist
Group
About 100 people attended the inaugural meet-
ing of the Southern African Invertebrates
Specialist Group, which was held in
Pietermaritzburg, South Africa on 4th July 2001.
It was agreed that for now we should not be
too concerned with exactly where, geographical-
ly, ‘southern Africa’ ends. Certainly, it would be
appropriate to include all the Southern African
Development Community (SADC) countries,
which include Madagascar and the Seychelles.
Although there is currently a core formal mem-
bership of 12 participants, including Dr Dai
Herbert as Vice-Chair, the membership will be
expanded to ensure greater representation of
the region, more taxa and more organizations
actively engaged in conservation.
There was agreement that besides inland inver-
tebrates, those living in intertidal, estuarine and
near-shore ecosystems would also be covered.
The taxonomic challenges and the vast number
of species should not be an impediment, at least
from the point of view of this group. Bearing this
in mind, there would be strong links with biodi-
versity and atlassing projects currently underway
or in the planning process. The Specialist Group
agreed to meet biennially, to coincide with the
Entomological Society of Southern Africa con-
gresses. This would provide an opportunity for
as many members (and non-members) as possi-
ble to participate. In
addition, there is a clear
need to firstly develop a
website and electronic
Habitats of these organisms
newsletter, which is cur- should be given attention
rently being pursued.
One of the major activities of the Group will be
to act as a Red Listing Authority for all those taxa
that do not have dedicated taxonomic Specialist
Groups. This includes most invertebrate species.
This activity, in turn, will be linked to
development of an Action Plan. Throughout this
process there will be strong interaction with non-
governmental organizations and national conser-
vation agencies, particularly so with respect to
the development of national Red Lists.
While the focus of the Specialist Group is princi-
pally on the species level of biodiversity, there
was a strong feeling that habitats of these organ-
isms and threatened habitats in general, as well
as priority areas of high endemic congruence,
should be given attention.
Michael Samways, Chair
25
Species 36: July–December 2001
 Southern African Plant
Specialist Group
A provisional goal and objectives of the Southern
African Plant Specialist Group have been defined
at a recent workshop of select South African
plant conservationists as follows.
Goal
To promote the conservation and sustainable use
of southern Africa’s indigenous plants.
Objectives
Coordinate, encourage and support the production of
national flora checklists and databases of southern
African endemic plants.
Produce an inventory of plant related databases in
southern Africa.
Identify, prioritize and integrate the conservation
needs for southern African plants.
Where appropriate, coordinate the production of indi-
vidual Action Plans.
Coordinate, encourage and support the production,
refinement and implementation of plant Red Data List
databases.
Collaborate with other IUCN/SSC plant related
Specialist Groups represented in the southern African
region.
Coordinate the implementation of Action Plans with
national and local conservation bodies.
Collaborate with and provide a support service for
plant conservation organizations in the region.
Promote communication amongst people interested in
plant conservation in the southern African region.
Encourage research collaboration with relevant terti-
ary institutions and identify research priorities.
Source funding for the various activities of the
Specialist Group.
Although membership of the Southern African
Plant Specialist Group remains to be reconstitut-
ed, membership will be regionally representa-
tive, with invited members coming from the
ranks of amateur botanists, conservation agen-
cies, non-governmental organizations, universi-
ties and government and parastatal
departments/institutions.
Although few in number,
To promote the conservation and southern Africa has pas-
sustainable use of southern sionate botanists, eager to
make a difference in con-
Africa’s indigenous plants serving the region’s indige-
nous flora and to spur
positive botanical news.
While we realize the road is long, the Specialist
Group can only benefit from such enthusiasm
and commitment.
Janice Golding, Red List Authority, Southern African
Plants
Christopher Willis, Chair, Southern African Plant
Specialist Group
26
Species 36: July–December 2001
Sturgeon Specialist Group
The IUCN/SSC Sturgeon Specialist Group held
an informal meeting on July 12, 2001 at
Oshkosh, USA attended by both members and
non-members.
Discussions included the CITES Significant Trade
Review, Specialist Group structure, Red Listing,
and fundraising and communication.
An overview of the last CITES Significant Trade
Review was provided and information given on
the last 10 species subject to the review. The
group was also informed of the next four species
subject to this review (Acipenser persicus, A.
transmontanus, A. oxyrhynchus, Scaphirynchus
platorynchus) and asked to think about contacts
that would be useful in providing information on
the status, conservation and management of
these species.
The group also discussed organizational matters
such as the value of establishing sub committees
for various disciplines within the SSG to cover
stock assessments; identification and genetic
samples; aquaculture and restocking; CITES and
sturgeon trade and Ecology and Environment.
Participants were asked to identify potential
members from countries which are not yet rep-
resented in the Specialist Group. These include
Turkey, Japan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and
Canada. For the Group to work effectively, a
website and newsletter are needed.
M. Pourkazemi, Chair
Baird’s
Tapir Specialist Group
This year's Red List submission was a rewarding coverage may help them remain so. Thailand's
task for the Tapir Specialist Group's expanded protected areas contain almost all of its remain-
membership. Our first Red List Focal Point, Alan ing intact forest. The total population of T. indi-
Shoemaker, did an outstanding job of collecting cus may be well over 3,000.
and organizing material from members. We Our Red List suggestions for the mountain tapir
received record input and made significant (T. pinchaque) remain essentially unchanged at
strides in evaluating the status of tapirs. The first endangered (EN), but note escalation of pressure
Red List Authority for tapir consists of: Patrícia from hunting, cattle culture, and fragmentation.
Medici, Emilio Constantino, Eduardo Naranjo, A mining project and reports of mountain tapir
Denis Torres, and Nico Van Strien. killings in northern Peru indicate problems for the
We proposed moving Tapirus terrestris from tiny remnant population thought to exist there.
Lower Risk, near threatened (LR/nt) to vulnera-
Tapirs thrive in some disturbed forests, and
ble (VU). The species is considered vulnerable in
decline in others. They do not fare well in the
Bolivia and northern Venezuela, and T. t. colom- presence of hunting, and this may be the
bianus, found in tiny pockets in Colombia, is deciding factor in whether they can adjust to
Critically Endangered. T. terrestris is endangered human activity.
(EN) in some ecosystems in Brazil, where
Alan Shoemaker, Red List Focal Point,
Amazonia may soon suffer the same population
ashoe@riverbanks.org
fragmentation and reduction experienced in the
Atlantic Rainforest and Cerrado. Only Mato Patrícia Medici, Chair, epmedici@uol.br.com
Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul states have good
Sheryl Todd, Deputy Chair, tapir@tapirback.com
populations. In Guyana and French Guiana,
tapirs are not protected; in French Guiana, where
they are sold in markets and restaurants, they are
prey to a developing bush-meat industry. Habitat
degradation and ease
of hunting around salt
licks were cited as
threats in Bolivia.
The overall popula-
tion of T. bairdii (EN) We received record input and
is probably less than
5,000. There appear made significant strides in
to be at least 2,500 in
Mexico and evaluating the status of tapirs
Guatemala, although
a planned road
through Guatemala
could be a threat. The
main strongholds are
Tapir (Tapirus bairdii) in Chiapas and
Guatemala; smaller
parks in Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa
Rica, and Panama also have tapirs. Colombia's
population of only a few hundred is the smallest
and most seriously threatened. Unconfirmed
tracks, possibly of T. bairdii, are reported in
northwest Ecuador.
In Sumatra, over 50% of the remaining forest is
outside tapir habitat, and all forest outside con-
servation areas may be lost over the next few
decades, and potentially by 2005 (Science
Magazine). Tapirs are common but declining in
Kerinci Seblat National Park. Myanmar’s protect-
ed areas make up only 3.2% of land area, and
most tapir habitat lies outside these protected
areas. The strongholds for Asian tapirs (T. indi-
cus, VU) are Malaysia and Thailand. In peninsu-
lar Malaysia, camera trapping shows that tapirs
are among the most abundant large mammals,
and Malaysia's stable economy and 45% forest
27
Species 36: July–December 2001
 Communications
Communications meeting
SSC communicators Anna Knee and Carolina
Caceres were joined by Ling Ling Lee, SSC
Executive Committee, in Ottawa, Canada in
October to discuss SSC’s strategic approach to
communications in the current intersessional
period. The meeting benefited from invaluable
input from Medicinal Plant Specialist Group
Chair, Danna Leaman, Carnivorous Plant
Specialist Group Chair, Bertrand von Arx,
Sustainable Use Team Communications Officer,
David Beamont and Orchid Specialist Group
North American Vice-Chair, Marilyn Light. A
work plan has been drawn up which sets priori-
ties for the coming year including greater sup-
port to Specialist Groups, particularly in website
and listserv development, essential to Group
communications. The
meeting confirmed the
The meeting confirmed the urgent need to help
Groups share their experi-
urgent need to help Groups ences with fundraising,
profile raising and region-
share their experiences alization, for example. It
also stressed the impor-
tance of personal contact
between Groups as well as with SSC staff. Every
effort should be made to find opportunities for
Chairs to get together. Carolina and Anna are
constantly working on innovative ways to tackle
the challenge of making a 7000 member network
communicate effectively.
New publications
The publication of Antelopes: Global Survey and
Regional Action Plans, Part 4: North Africa, the
Middle East and Asia is a significant and eager-
ly-awaited conservation milestone. Its launch
marks the completion, by the SSC Antelope
Specialist Group, of the most comprehensive
summary of the status of the 100 species in their
range states, and development of Regional
Action Plans for their conservation. Antelopes
are important flagship species for the conserva-
tion of natural environments. Flourishing ante-
lope populations are key indicators of healthy
grasslands, woodlands, forests and deserts in
many parts of Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
The Antelopes Action Plan Parts 1 to 3 covered
the antelopes of sub-Saharan Africa.
Microchiropteran Bats: Global Status Survey and
Conservation Action Plan, launched at the 12th
International Bat Research Conference in
Malaysia in August, was enthusiastically
received by the 140 experts from 20 countries
who gathered for the meeting. The Plan, com-
piled by the SSC Chiroptera Specialist Group,
provides a global framework for bat protection
and aims to stimulate the growing community of
bat biologists and conservationists to a greater
level of action. The Plan uses information gath-
28
Species 36: July–December 2001
ered from about 150 bat specialists around the
world. Illustrated with maps and photographs, it
provides the first detailed review of threats fac-
ing "microbats", conservation activities under-
way, and those needed to stop the decline in bat
populations.
For more information see:
http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/pressreleases/
batplanlaunch.html
For a list of all SSC Action Plans see:
http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/pubs/sscaps.htm
New Action Plans
CITES: A Conservation Tool
– new edition available
The IUCN/SSC Wildlife Trade Programme has
completed the seventh edition of CITES: A
Conservation Tool, a guide to amending the
Appendices to the Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora. This publication guides the CITES Parties
through the Convention's articles and resolu-
tions. It covers the process for the submission,
presentation, and adoption of proposals to
amend the Appendices for the 12th CITES
Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP 12,
3-15 November 2002, Chile). As well as in book-
let form, the seventh edition has been produced
on CD for the first time. Both CDs and booklets
have been distributed to CITES Parties in time for
their preparations for CoP 12. The guide is avail-
able on the SSC website in pdf version in
English, French and Spanish at:
http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/programs/
cites/cites.htm
This guide forms part of a series of tools pre-
pared by the Wildlife Trade Programme for
CITES Scientific Authorities. These include a
checklist and resource guide to help CITES
Scientific Authorities make Non Detriment
Findings (a requirement for export of certain
specimens) which will be published as an SSC
Occasional Paper. The Programme is working
with the CITES Secretariat to develop other tools
and is providing input to technical training work-
shops. The Analyses of Proposals to Amend the
CITES Appendices will be produced in collabora-
tion with the TRAFFIC Network for CoP 12.
New on the web
The IUCN/SSC Plant Conservation Committee
web pages have been updated and incorporated
into the main SSC website. SSC is grateful to the
Geneva Botanic Gardens for hosting the site for
several years. This move is in-line with IUCN
efforts to create a more integrated look across the
many component parts of its website.
New websites have been established for the Korean
Plant Specialist Group (http://yu.ac.kr/~llape/)
and the Philippine Plant Specialist Group
(http://www.pnh.com.ph/).
The Red Book
Public awareness of the Red List and the extinc-
tion crisis in general will receive a significant
boost thanks to a major new publication. The
Red Book: the Extinction Crisis Face to Face, edit-
ed by Amie Bräutigam, is a stunning photo-
graphic-based account of biodiversity, the Red
List, the scale of extinction, and its underlying
causes. A joint publication of CEMEX,
Agrupacion Sierra Madre, and IUCN/SSC, the
book contains spectacular photographs of a
broad range of species. For more information,
contact Team Species.
Red List issue of World
Conservation
The current issue of World This issue provides a simple
Conservation—the IUCN
magazine has been devot- account of the Red List process
ed to the Red List. This
special issue features a fascinating range of arti-
cles on species included in the Red List, with
color photographs, provides a simple account of
the Red List process, and an overview of future
direction for the Red List Programme. This issue
and all previous issues will be made available on
the IUCN World Conservation Bookstore website
at http://www.iucn.org/bookstore/index.html
Meeting Announcements
9th International Grouse Symposium
August 19 - 24, 2002, Beijing, China
The congress will focus on all aspects of grouse
biology, research and management. Special
themes will include Population Dynamics,
Behavioral Ecology, Habitat and Landscape
Ecology, Conservation and Management
Applications, and Molecular Genetics
Applications.
All abstracts should be submitted in English
(deadline 15 January 2002). Please try to send
the abstracts by e-mail (abstract@cnbird.com)
but not as an attachment. Write the title of the
abstract in capitals followed by the names and
addresses of the author(s). The abstract itself
cannot exceed 200 words.
Contacting address: Ms. Wang Li, 9th
International Grouse Symposium committee,
Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of
Sciences, Beijing 100080, P. R. of China
Website: For details and new information, please
visit our web site, www.cnbird.com, fax: +86-10-
82629264.
4th International Carnivorous Plant Society
Conference (ICPS)
June 21-23, 2002, Tokoyo City, Japan
The International Carnivorous Plant Society will
be a great occasion to bring together members
involved in activities regarding species from the
East and South East Asiatic region.
For further details contact Professor K. Kondo,
kkondo@ipc.hiroshima-u.ac.jp
29
Species 36: July–December 2001
 Technical Information
SSC MEMBERSHIP EXPERTISE
Please fill in! Red List Petitions Results
We are seeking your help in compiling an analysis of the expertise housed in the SSC membership. Ruling of the IUCN Red List Standards and Petitions
Please take a moment to fill in the following questionnaire and fax or email your responses to the SSC Subcommittee on Petitions Against the 1996 Listings of
Chair’s Office at email: ssc_iucn@ec.gc.ca; fax: ++1 819 953-7177. Four Marine Turtle Species, 18 October 2001
SSC member's last name: Introduction
The decisions by the Standards and Petitions
First name: Subcommittee (S&PS) of the IUCN-SSC Red List
Committee on two petitions against the listings of four
SSC Member's Specialist Group**: marine turtle species are given below. One petition
Please provide the following information on your area of expertise / Por favor provea la siguiente infor- was filed by Nicholas Mrosovsky against the listings of
Natator depressus (Flatback Turtle), Lepidochelys oli-
mación sobre su experiencia / Veuillez nous communiquer les informations concernant vos compé-
vacea (Olive Ridley), Chelonia mydas (Green Turtle)
tences professionnelles
and Eretmochelys imbricata (Hawksbill Turtle).
1. TAXA OF EXPERTISE (as applicable). What are the species/ groups of species, both within your Another petition was filed by Grahame Webb against
Specialist Group and others, with which you have experience? the listing of Eretmochelys imbricata (Hawksbill
Turtle).
TAXON/ES DE ESPECIALIZACION. ¿Cuáles son las especies/grupos de especies, tanto del Grupo
Especialista, como de otros) con las cuales tiene experiencia? The justifications of the Marine Turtle Specialist Group
TAXA SUR LESQUELS VOUS VOUS SPÉCIALISEZ (si approprié). Quels sont les espèces ou les groupes (MTSG) were received on 21 March 2001, and the jus-
d’espèces (de votre Groupe de Spécialistes ou non), sur lesquels vous êtes compétents? tifications of the petitioners were received on 26 July
2001. The S&PS investigated these justifications and
Order/Orden/Ordre: deliberated on the issues raised in them before reach-
ing a decision on each case. The S&PS’s evaluations
Family/Familia/Famille: were based on the information that was available in
1995, when these listings were made, and on the 1994
Species/Especies/Espèces: criteria, on which these listings were based. Thus, the
S&PS did not consider information that became avail-
able after 1995, and the changes to the IUCN criteria
2. DISCIPLINE: What do you consider your discipline or area of expertise (in 4-5 words)? that took effect in 2001.
For example: Conservation Biology, Ecosystem/ Natural Resource Management, Information/ Data The S&PS noted that the justifications by the MTSG for
Management, Marine Ecology, Policy, Population Biology, Remote Sensing, Sociology, Sustainable Use these listings suffered from a lack of organization, and
a lack of rigor in applying quantitative criteria to the
of Species, Taxonomy, Veterinary Science, Wildlife Management and so forth.
available data. However, recognizing that this is the
DISCIPLINA: La disciplina o tipo de experiencie que considere le corresponde (en 4-5- palabras)? Por first use of the appeal process, and that the documen-
Ejemplo: Biología de la Conservación; Gestión de Ecosistemas/Recursos Naturales; Gestión de tation requirements that were in effect in 1995 were
Información/Datos; Ecología Marina; Política; Biología de Poblaciones; Sensores Remotos; Sociología; much less comprehensive than the current ones, the
Uso Sustentable de Especies; Taxonomía; Sciencias Veterinarias; Gestión de Vida Silvestres; etc. members of the S&PS opted to devote their own time,
as necessary to re-apply the criteria and re-analyze the
DISCIPLINE: Comment définiriez-vous votre discipline ou compétences professionelles (en 4-5 mots)? data. In many instances, then, this decision rests on
Par exemple: Biologie de la conservation, Gestion des ecosystèmes/Ressources naturelles, Gestion des
the basis of the S&PS's re-analysis of the data submit-
données/informations, Ecologie marine, Droit de l‘environnement, Télédétection, Sociologie, ted by the MTSG as well as by the petitioners.
Utilisation durable des espèces, Taxonomie, Sciences vétérinaires, Gestion de la faune et de la However, the time and effort required in order to re-
flore,…etc. analyze the data was an inappropriate demand on the
S&PS, and future petitioners should not expect similar
treatment with regard to their petitions. In the future,
both listings and petitions will be expected to follow
new requirements for documentation, recommenda-
tions for incorporating uncertainty, and guidelines for
using the criteria.1
Applying Criterion A
All four species that are the subjects of these petitions
3. COUNTRY/IES OF EXPERTISE/ PAIS/ES DE EXPERIENCIA / PAYS DE VOS COMPETENCES PRO-
were listed under Criterion A in 1996. Three were list-
FESSIONELLES: ed under Criterion A1 (past reduction), and the fourth
COUNTRY/PAIS/PAYS: under Criterion A2 (future reduction). There are two
important aspects of the application of Criterion A to
long-lived and widely distributed species such as
marine turtles. These relate to the temporal and spa-
tial scales of the reduction.
Temporal scale of reduction: The criterion is based on
long-term reduction (e.g., during the last 3 generations
for Criterion A1). Thus, recent increases or decreases
must be evaluated in the context of long-term change.
A species that has been stable or increasing during the
** Only those Specialist Groups to which you are already a member. If you wish to join a new last few years (or even the last 1-2 generations) may
Specialist Group, please contact the Specialist Group Chair still be listed under criterion A1, if the overall, 3-gen-
eration reduction meets the numerical threshold (e.g.,
30
Species 36: July–December 2001
50% for Endangered). This is more likely in the case
of long-lived species because the generation time
(which is used to scale biological phenomena in the
criteria) is long in comparison to recent changes in
human-mediated threat processes.
Spatial scale of reduction: The criterion is based on
the reduction in the global population, and not on the
reduction in any specific population. Thus, in apply-
ing the criteria at the global level, reductions and
increases in specific populations must be averaged. In
cases where the starting population sizes are different,
it is not appropriate to apply a simple arithmetic aver-
age; instead, the estimates of long-term reduction from
different populations should be weighted by the initial
sizes of these populations. This is described in more
detail in the Criterion A guidelines mentioned above.
These guidelines are applicable to both 1994 and 2001
IUCN criteria.
An overview of the issues raised
in the petitions
Disagreements of interpretation: Most of the points
made by the current petitions against the listings of the
four marine turtle species were based on differences in
the interpretation of available information. This deci-
sion addresses these differences based on the 1994 cri-
teria and the issues of temporal and spatial scales
summarized above.
Disagreements involving data: A number of the points
made by the petitions involved disagreements over the
data on which the listing is based. Most of these relat-
ed to recent changes in the populations, and others
concerned rather small differences; thus they did not
significantly affect the outcome.2
Qualitative disagreements: Finally, some points made
by the petitions involved qualitative aspects of the jus-
tifications for listing (e.g., language used in the justifi-
cations regarding the risk faced by the species). While
some qualitative factors are relevant to the application
of the criteria, others are not. The S&PS considered
and addressed only information that was relevant to
the criteria. Its decisions were not made, in whole or
in part, on the basis of any arguments relating to qual-
itative aspects that are not operational or relevant to
the application of the 1994 criteria.
Taxon: Natator depressus
Flatback Turtle
Petitioner: Nicholas Mrosovsky
RLA/SG: Marine Turtle Specialist Group
Red List: VU A2cde (1996)
Ruling: DD
The petitioner claimed that future reduction due to pol-
lutants, pathogens, and introduced taxa (criterion
A2e), due to reduction in area of occupancy (A2c), or
due to exploitation by indigenous people (A2d) was
not evident. The MTSG justification referred to report-
ed losses due to introduced foxes, feral dogs and pigs,
reports of green turtle fibropapillomatosis in flatbacks,
evidence of threats to habitat quality, and reports of
accidental mortality by prawn trawling and coastal gill
nets.
31
Species 36: July–December 2001
 Although it is clear that there are reasons why some
declines may be expected in the future, there is no
quantitative evidence to suggest 20% decline in the
next 3 generations. There is always going to be sub-
stantial uncertainty in using criterion A2 (future reduc-
tion) with long-lived species. This difficulty is further
compounded here by lack of any specific quantitative
information.
Thus, the S&PS believes that the information provided
does not justify the use of criterion A2. However, con-
sidering that (as the MTSG states) this is one of the
most poorly understood marine turtle species, and that
the qualitative information provided suggests declines
are possible, future reduction of 20% or more cannot
be ruled out. For this reason, the S&PS decided that
the appropriate listing for this species is Data Deficient
(DD).
The justification by the MTSG also indicated that the
flatback turtle has one of the most restricted geograph-
ic ranges of any marine turtle species. However, it did
not provide data on the extent of occurrence or area of
occupancy, and the listing was based on future reduc-
tion (criterion A2) not on restricted range (criterion B).
Thus, the S&PS encourages the MTSG to assess this
species in the future under Criterion B as well as
Criterion A.
Taxon: Lepidochelys olivacea
Olive Ridley
Petitioner: Nicholas Mrosovsky
RLA/SG: Marine Turtle Specialist Group
Red List: EN A1abd (1996)
Ruling: EN A1bd
This petition challenges the listing on the basis of the
petitioner’s statement that there is evidence of large
numbers of nesting turtles, and increasing numbers in
some areas. The justification by the MTSG emphasizes
that the listing was based on past reduction, not on
current numbers, and states that some of the reported
increases occurred after 1995, when the listing was
made.
As discussed in the Introduction, there are two impor-
tant aspects of the application of criterion A1 to long-
lived and widely distributed species such as marine
turtles. First, the criterion is based on reduction over
the last 3 generations. Thus, recent increases or
decreases must be evaluated in the context of long-
term change. Second, the criterion is based on the
reduction in the global population, not on any specific
population. Thus, reductions and increases in different
populations must be averaged.
Crude calculations based on the data provided by the
MTSG indicate that the reduction since the late 1960’s
has been close to 50%. The time frame for this decline
was about 1 generation. Although the uncertainties in
the data prevent an exact calculation of the reduction,
it is very likely that the 3-generation reduction has
been more than 50%. The petitioner’s figures largely
agree with those of the MTSG, except for a few loca-
tions. Even considering the numbers used by the peti-
tioner, the S&PS concluded that a 50% reduction is
plausible. Given the uncertainty, and the plausibility
of a 50% decline, the interpretation of the available
information for listing depends on one’s attitude to
uncertainty and risk. IUCN guidelines recommend a
32
Species 36: July–December 2001
precautionary attitude and encourage reasoned infer-
ence, in order to reduce the chance of Type II errors.
The petition against the Olive Ridley listing also sug-
gested that nesting females is not an appropriate index
of abundance (criterion A1b), because high densities
in some beaches suggest that the population might
have reached its carrying capacity in those areas.
Under the IUCN criteria, "reduction" is defined as a
decline in the number of mature individuals. Hence,
an "index of abundance appropriate for the taxon" is
an observable quantity that correlates reasonably with
the number of mature individuals. The general concern
in the use of any index of abundance is the validity of
the assumptions that are required for the index to
accurately reflect the trend in the actual number of
mature individuals. Use of "nesting females" to exam-
ine population change assumes that the proportion of
mature individuals that breed each year, and the num-
ber of visits per female per year are reasonably con-
stant (or at least vary randomly) among years. For
Olive Ridleys, the MTSG states, "nesting in successive
years is commonplace and may be the norm for the
species" and "individuals nest 1-3 times/season". If
this is true, then the assumption is reasonable. Thus,
the S&PS believes that in this case, "nesting females" is
an appropriate index of mature individuals, regardless
of whether carrying capacity has been reached. The
alternative index (suggested by the petitioner) based
on feeding ground estimates lacks a clear relationship
to "mature individuals" and seems to be more prone to
sampling errors.
However, the S&PS disagrees with the MTSG that a
count of "nesting females" constitutes direct observa-
tion (criterion A1a). The difference between direct
observation (a) and index of abundance (b), as well as
the value of value of distinguishing between them, lies
in the assumptions to be met to provide valid estimates
of abundance. While "direct observation" requires
only statistical assumptions (e.g., random sampling),
indices of abundance require assumptions related to
the biology of the species. As discussed above, use of
"nesting females" does require such assumptions.
Consequently, this measure cannot be considered as
direct observation. For this reason, the final decision
will list this species as "EN A1bd", rather than "EN
A1abd".
Taxon: Chelonia mydas
Green Turtle
Petitioner: Nicholas Mrosovsky
RLA/SG: Marine Turtle Specialist Group
Red List: EN A1abd (1996)
Ruling: EN A1bd
This petition challenges the listing on the basis of the
petitioner’s statement that there is evidence of large
and increasing or stable populations.
The considerations on the application of criterion A1 to
long-lived and widely distributed species, discussed in
the Introduction, and under the Olive Ridley and the
Hawksbill petitions, apply to this case as well.
However, in this case, the evidence for the overall
decline is less easy to infer from the information pro-
vided. Such evidence consists of declines rates that are
"well in excess of 50%", "much greater than 50%", in
specific populations. Neither the MTSG nor the peti-
tioner provides either decline rate estimates or popula-
tion size estimates for all populations.
An optimistic estimate of global decline would assume
the Australian population to be constant over the last 3
generations (although comments attributed to Limpus
suggest there has been some reduction). Even so,
given the apparent magnitude of reductions cited for
other populations (more than 80% in Pacific Mexico, a
fraction of former size in Indonesia, 80% or more in
Mediterranean, in excess of 90% egg harvest in south-
east Asia), the size of the Australian population would
have to be much bigger than the historical sizes of the
other populations to offset them and justify the con-
clusion that the overall reduction was below the 50%
threshold. There is reasonable evidence to indicate
that even the Australian population may be declining.
Based on these, the S&PS concludes that the range of
plausible estimates for the overall reduction, although
very uncertain, is likely to include 50%. As noted
above, in the face of this type of uncertainty, the spe-
cialist group is justified in taking a precautionary atti-
tude. Therefore the S&PS finds the EN listing to be
appropriate.
The generation length of this species is estimated by
the MTSG as a minimum of 45 years, perhaps longer
than 60 years. The S&PS believes the approach used to
justify the generation length is consistent with that
used for other marine turtle assessments – in any case,
the conclusions of the assessment would be robust to
a modification of the generation length. This is
because the best-documented reductions have
occurred in a much shorter time than 3 generations.
Hence the outcome of the assessment would be insen-
sitive to a substantial variation in estimates of genera-
tion length.3
As discussed above, with regard to the Olive Ridley
petition, the S&PS has concluded that the number of
nesting females cannot be considered as direct obser-
vation; thus, it has decided to change the listing to EN
A1bd.
Taxon: Eretmochelys imbricata
Hawksbill Turtle
Petitioner: Grahame Webb and Nicholas Mrosovsky
RLA/SG: Marine Turtle Specialist Group
Red List: CR A1abd+2bcd (1996)
Ruling: CR A1bd
The two petitions opposing the listing of the Hawksbill
Turtle raise similar issues, hence they are considered
jointly.
Both petitions challenge the interpretation of the data
and the conclusion that there has been an 80% reduc-
tion of the global population in the last 3 generations.
For species with multiple populations, a listing under
A1 needs to weigh the estimated reduction in each
population with the relative size of that population 3
generations ago (see Introduction). The specific
disagreements are as follows:
Generation length:
One of the petitions challenges the generation length
(35 years) used by the MTSG on the grounds that it
ignores areas where the species grows faster (and
reaches maturity earlier) and on the grounds that it
uses a high estimate for the reproductive lifespan. In
general, the S&PS supports the idea of calculating a
weighted average of generation length for species that
have populations with different generations lengths.4
In this particular case, even if the generation length
were "closer to 25 years" (as the petition states), this
would not significantly affect the assessment, because
most of the recorded reduction has occurred in the last
20-40 years.
Past reduction:
According to the data presented in the MTSG justifica-
tion (Meylan & Donnolly 1999; Chelonian Conserv. and
Biol. 3:200-224.), there have been large declines in
many populations distributed throughout the range.
There seems to be no evidence to suggest that the
recent declines (last 20-40 years) were preceded by a
population increase, so the S&PS regards the declines
over the last 20-40 years as a lower bound for the esti-
mated reduction over the last 3 generations.
The petitions mention large and/or stable populations,
but this is not inconsistent with long-term reduction.
Even if the global population is stable or increasing,
there may still be an overall decline of over 80% when
a period of three generations is considered. The peti-
tioners present evidence and arguments against current
or recent declines (last 5-10 years). However, no data
are presented that show increase or stability of a major
population in the last 3 generations, whether 75 or 105
years. Thus, although current trends provide impor-
tant information, they need to be considered in the
context of the 3-generation time period for the purpos-
es of Criterion A.
Even if evidence of increase or stability of a major pop-
ulation in the last 3 generations were available, this
would not preclude that the global population had
declined by 80%. This is because the populations that
declined the most (e.g., Indonesia) had made up a
much larger proportion of the global population 3 gen-
erations ago. The estimates of reduction in different
populations should be weighed with the initial abun-
dances (3 generations ago), rather than current abun-
dances. Thus, currently small populations (that have
declined a lot) may contribute more to the estimate of
global reduction than currently large populations that
have remained stable.
Given the uncertainty about the past population sizes,
the interpretation of the available information depends
on one’s attitude to uncertainty and risk. IUCN guide-
lines recommend a precautionary attitude and encour-
age reasoned inference, in order to reduce the chance
of Type II errors.
The petitions also object to the A1d listing on the
grounds that international trade has declined dramati-
cally. However, A1d is based on past, long-term reduc-
tion. Therefore, what happened in the last few years is
not of direct relevance to the use of A1d. Given the cur-
rent population sizes and the historical levels of
exploitation, a decline of 80% can be inferred.
The S&PS agrees with the petitioners that the MTSG’s
justification does not use the data effectively (i.e., it
does not weight the trends in different areas).
However, the data presented in the justification allows
an informed interpretation. As provided in the MTSG’s
justification, the information on the various popula-
tions is difficult to "unify," as the decline rates are
given in a variety of units (catch rates, landings, sight-
ings rates per unit effort, etc). However, based on a
33
Species 36: July–December 2001
 rough estimate of the global population size, the size of
the pre-1993 catches, and the observed declines in the
areas of major population abundance, the S&PS con-
cludes that it is appropriate to infer a reduction of 80%
in the last 3 generations.
The petitions also point out that the justification quotes
a recommendation to ‘apply the status of the most
imperiled population to the entire species.’ This rec-
ommendation by Bjorndal (1999; Chelonian Conserv.
and Biol. 3:174-76) is definitely a misinterpretation of
the criteria, which require that reductions be consid-
ered across the entire range of the species. The most
appropriate way of doing this is to calculate an average
reduction across all populations weighted by their
respective population sizes 3 generations ago.
However, it does not appear that the assessment actu-
ally relies upon this misinterpretation. Although the
assessors fail to estimate an overall estimate of reduc-
tion, they do present convincing evidence of reductions
in excess of 80% over the last 3 generations "at many,
if not most of the important breeding sites throughout
its global range…" The S&PS concludes that the CR A1
assessment for Hawksbills would stand irrespective of
Bjorndal’s recommendation.
On the other hand, it is also inappropriate to base a
global assessment only on the best-studied (or, moni-
tored) populations (as one petitioner suggests), espe-
cially if these constitute a small fraction of the global
population. Although such populations often provide
valuable data, restricting a global assessment to these
populations might result in a biased estimate, because
countries with the least resources for monitoring may
also have the least resources for enforcement, the
greatest exploitation, and hence the greatest rates of
decline. In such cases, it may be unwise to ignore qual-
itative information about declines from other regions.
Another basis of the petitions’ challenge is the state-
ment in the MTSG’s justification that "the species is
not expected to become extinct in the foreseeable
future". The S&PS concludes that the petitioner’s crit-
icism on this point is not valid, because the listing is
based on quantitative criteria rather than the qualita-
tive beliefs of the RLA.
The petitions also argue that nesting females is not an
appropriate index of abundance. For the reasons dis-
cussed under the Olive Ridley petition, the S&PS dis- Photo Credits
agrees with this argument, but also considers "nesting Cover Photo — Brown long-eared bat (Plecotus
females" only an index of abundance, not direct obser- auritus), F.R. Greenaway
vation, and has therefore decided to change the listing
under A1 to A1bd. Page 4 — Canid drawings by Priscilla Barrett
Page 6 — Icura dunensis (Fabaceae),
Future reduction: Wil Wessels
The petitions also challenge the listing under A2
(future reduction), on the basis of reduced trade, Page 8 — Taken in Limassol, Cyprus, September
2001
increased conservation efforts, and some increasing or
stable populations. Page 13 — Lemur catta and distance chart,
On the one hand, the current trends in trade bans and Ulie Seal
protected areas suggest a slowing in the rate of popu- Page 20 — Images provided by Bertrand von Arx
lation decline. On the other hand, however, increases
in the ease of access, availability of technology and Page 21 — Silphion plant, drawing by Anja Seidl
size of the human population in developing countries, Page 23 — Adult female Palawan bearded pig,
coupled with the potential transience of international Roland Seitre
and national trade agreements are also valid factors for
consideration in determining the future reduction in Page 27 — Baird’s Tapir, Sharon Matola
the global population of the species. In addition, the
depleting stockpile and retained industry infrastructure IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN an effective SSC communi-
in Japan, and the dialogue from Cuba are significant
points raised by the assessors.
cations network, we need your submissions and
updates for Species. Submissions for Species 37
In re-examining all of this relevant information, the are due May 15, 2002. Submissions should be
S&PS concludes that a future reduction of 80% (in the
next 3 generations) does not seem to be well justified.
addressed to:
Clearly, it is difficult to make an A2 assessment in the Carolina Caceres, Team Species
face of such a long generation time, and such unpre- c/o Canadian Wildlife Service
dictable trends with regard to the threats to the species. 351 St. Joseph Blvd.
The S&PS believes, however, that an estimate of 80%
reduction requires more justification, in the form of
Hull, Quebec, K1A 0H3
recent trends in both population numbers and the CANADA
nature and magnitude of threats. Based on the evi- E-mail: ssc_iucn@ec.gc.ca
dence presented in the justification, the S&PS believes
that there is not sufficient basis for a CR A2 listing and
removes the listing criterion CR A2bcd. Although the For address changes, notify:
species may qualify for listing under A2 at threat levels Gabi Allen
lower than CR, this would not change the current list- Species Program Office
ing, because the species qualifies for CR under A1.
IUCN Headquarters
Rue Mauverney 28
CH-1196 Gland, Switzerlerland
Phone: 41 22 999 0151
Fax: 41 22 999 0015
E-mail: gba@hq.iucn.org

SSC members are also strongly encouraged to

subscribe to the SSC e-mail listserver. To do so,
send an e-mail to the following address:
SSC-mem-owner@indaba.iucn.org
1 For the new documentation requirements and the new recommendations for dealing with uncertainty, see IUCN
Red List Categories: Version 3.1. For guidelines for using Criterion A, see Guidelines for Assessing Taxa with Please include the message "subscribe SSC-
Widely Distributed or Multiple Populations Against Criterion A (developed by the Standards and Petitions members" and your e-mail address.
Subcommittee, June 2001).
2 In the future, it is recommended that such factual disputes be clarified (or reasons for disagreements clearly iden-
Subscriptions
tified) by dialog between the petitioner and the specialist group or the Red List authority. To this end, all data
used in a listing must be either referenced to a publication that is available in the public domain, or else be made Annual subscriptions (two issues) can be
available. obtained by writing to the Species Survival
3 It is recommended that in the future justifications also consider how the threatening processes have changed Commission,
over the last three generations. c/o Canadian Wildlife Service
4 In calculating a weighted average of generation length, it is important to consider the possibility that some of 351 St. Joseph Blvd.,
these differences may be due to increased mortality in the recent past due to exploitation by humans. If the gen- Hull, Quebec
eration length varies under threat, the new (2001) IUCN criteria require that the more natural, i.e. pre-distur- K1A 0H3 Canada
bance, generation length be used. E-mail: ssc_iucn@ec.gc.ca
34 For more information on any item included in this issue,
please contact Team Species at ssc_iucn@ec.gc.ca.
Species 36: July–December 2001