Species Survival Commission E-Bulletin - August 2001

This bulletin, as a supplement to Species, SSC's published newsletter, aims to keep staff, members, and the wider IUCN network up-to-date with news and announcements from the Commission.

Previous issues:

In this issue:

New Deputy Coordinator for IUCN's Species Programme
Greater SSC involvement in the International Theriological (Mammology) Congress
Wildlife Trade Programme news
SSC/IUCN and the conservation of crop wild relatives
Launch of the SSC/IUCN Microbat Action Plan
A call for information on the effects of climate change on species

NEW DEPUTY COORDINATOR FOR IUCN'S SPECIES PROGRAMME
Dr. Jean-Christophe Vié has been appointed as the new Deputy Coordinator of the IUCN Species Programme and will be starting work in Gland, Switzerland, on 15 October 2001. Jean-Christophe is French, a qualified veterinarian, 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's experience includes the directorship of an NGO dedicated to the study and conservation of Guianan wildlife. His career has also taken him to Saudi Arabia, Gabon and the USA and he speaks French, English and Portuguese. Jean-Christophe will be responsible for general operations and management of the Species Programme and network support.

SSC AT THE 8TH INTERNATIONAL THERIOLOGICAL CONGRESS (ITC)
SSC was an active participant at the 8th International Theriological Congress in South Africa, 12-17 August. The congress, which takes place every four years, and covers almost every field of mammalian research, brought together 500 theriologists (mammalogists) from all over the world including researchers, wildlife managers, museum curators, zoo keepers, and amateur zoologists. IUCN/SSC's mammal related Specialist Groups use this event to hold their own meetings and this time, meetings were held by the Equid, Otter, and Cat Specialist Groups. The Canid Specialist Group was also well represented. Brief reports from these groups will appear in next month's E-Bulletin, as well as in the next issue of Species. SSC Fauna Programme Officer, Mariano Gimenez Dixon who represented the SSC Secretariat, reports that during a meeting with the Congress Committee Chair there was a call to enhance and strengthen the relationship between SSC, its Specialist Groups and the congress organisers. It was felt that with little extra effort, more Specialist Groups could hold their meetings at the ITC, with benefits both for SSC and the Congress. There was also a decision to change the name of the congress to the International Congress of Mammalogy (ICOM). The next Congress, ICOM9, will take place in 2005 in Japan. Those interested in participating can visit the website at http://cse.ffpri.affrc.go.jp/hiroh/ICOM9Japan.html. The organisers would appreciate advice and ideas to help ensure a successful and effective event. The contact is: Dr Hirofumi Hirakawa, E-mail: hiroh@affrc.go.jp

NEWS FROM THE SSC WILDLIFE TRADE PROGRAMME
The Wildlife Trade Programme would like to remind the IUCN/SSC network of the 15 October 2001 deadline for comments on the proposed revisions to the CITES listing criteria. The Notification, No. 2001/037 is available on the CITES website at http://www.cites.org/eng/notifs/2001/037.shtml. Many SSC members were involved in testing the 1994 Resolution Conf 9.24 criteria. IUCN will be reviewing the proposed changes and welcomes further feedback from the network.
* The WTP is also seeking information on the status and trade in the following Appendix II species of turtle, tortoise, and sturgeon: Cuora amboinensis, Cuora flavomarginata, Cuora galbinifrons, Lissemys punctata, Pyxis planicauda, Acipenser persicus, Acipenser transmontanus, Acipenser oxyrinchus, and Scaphirhynchus platorynchus. Please contact tradeprog@ssc-uk.org if you can help.
* Vietnam hosted the 17th meeting of the CITES Animals Committee in early August. Input was requested from the SSC Veterinary Specialist Group to help in a review of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and CITES transport guidelines. The Crocodile Specialist Group which has a long history of involvement with CITES was mentioned as a partner in a forthcoming review of the status of crocodile ranching under the Convention.
* The SSC has long provided input to the significant trade review process, providing biological information on species for which there is concern that trade may be unsustainable. There was support for a pilot study into the efficiency of conducting significant trade reviews by country to identify common implementation problems that may be occurring, rather than dealing with these challenges on a species by species basis.
* Progress was made in adopting a system for the universal labelling of caviar and it was recommended that the next CITES Conference of the Parties might look at the need to label re-exports. Whilst a standard taxonomic text for coral has still not been adopted, it was agreed that a number of specimens can only be identified to the genus level. Agreement was reached on the likely venues, timing and possible agenda for workshops on the conservation and trade in Sygnathids (seahorses and seadragons) and in Asian freshwater turtles and tortoises.

SSC AND THE CONSERVATION OF CROP WILD RELATIVES
SSC Plants Officer Alain Mauric is attending the third Steering Committee meeting for a project in which IUCN/SSC is a member, entitled "In situ Conservation of Crop Wild Relatives through Enhanced Information Management and Field Application" at the new International Plant Genetic Resource Institute (IPGRI) Headquarters in Maccarese near Rome this week (28-31 August). The outcomes of this project will be the safe and effective conservation of crop wild relatives and their increased availability for crop improvement in Armenia, Bolivia, Madagascar, Sri Lanka and Uzbekistan. Dispersed information held by participating countries and international agencies will be brought together and an information management system created. With funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is also supporting a review and analysis of the current status of conservation activities on crop wild relatives throughout the world, particularly during the last decade. Further information about this project can be obtained from Alain Mauric at: alain.mauric@ssc-uk.org.

LAUNCH OF THE MICROBAT ACTION PLAN
The launch of a new IUCN/SSC bat Action Plan at an international conference in Malaysia has served as a rallying cry for conservationists worldwide to step up efforts to halt the alarming declines in bat populations. Microchiropteran Bats: Global Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan was launched during a ceremony at the 12th International Bat Research Conference in Kuala Lumpur by Musa Nordin, Director General of the Division of Wildlife and National Parks, Peninsular Malaysia. The Plan was enthusiastically received by the 140 experts from 20 countries who gathered for the meeting earlier this month. Compiled by the SSC Chiroptera Specialist Group, the publication 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. Full story

A CALL FOR INFORMATION ON THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON SPECIES AND ECOSYSTEMS
As part of the IUCN global strategy on climate change, Brett Orlando, the Union's climate change focal point, is interested to learn more about the work of SSC Specialist Groups, and to link SSC experts into an IUCN-lead effort to assess the impact of climate change on species and ecosystems. SSC experts are invited to contribute to information and expertise for: (1) an atlas of climate envelopes for species and ecosystems to determine the threat posed by climate change; and (2) a monitoring protocol for climate change. A global workshop to review these two products is planned for 2002. Please pass relevant information and contacts to: brett.orlando@iucn.org.

Species issue 35 is available on the SSC website at http://iucn.org/themes/ssc/species/spec-int.htm and Team Species would like to remind all those wishing to submit an item for issue 36 that the deadline has been extended to 17 September 2001. Please send submissions to Carolina Caceres at ssc_iucn@ec.gc.ca

If you would like more information on any of the items included in this issue or wish to submit an item to future issues, please contact Anna Knee at alk@iucn.org; tel: +41 (0)22 999 0153.