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

Previous issues:

In this issue:

CAT SPECIALIST GROUP STATEMENT ON THE IBERIAN LYNX
EQUIDS ACTION PLAN RELEASED
HOLLY DUBLIN RECEIVES WWF AWARD FOR CONSERVATION MERIT
SPECIES 38 NOW AVAILABLE
LOCATION OF NEXT WORLD CONSERVATION CONGRESS ANNOUNCED
SPECIES INFORMATION SERVICE (SIS) PROGRESS
WORLD WOLF CONFERENCE 2003 - A CALL FOR PAPERS
REDISCOVERY OF THE GRASS GENUS Hubbardia

CAT SPECIALIST GROUP STATEMENT ON THE IBERIAN LYNX STATUS
In 2002, the Iberian lynx became the first wild cat species to be listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. Extinction is just one small step away. In response, the IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group initiated a vital seminar in southern Spain, 29-31 October 2002, with over 100 participants. Private landowners from Spain and Portugal, as well as representatives from international institutions including the European Union and the Large Carnivore Initiative for Europe (LCIE) attended. At a subsequent meeting the Core Group of the Cat Specialist Group issued a statement declaring that extinction of the lynx could be averted, but it was a race against time. The statement said that protection and expansion of the only two breeding populations of the lynx in the Adújar region and Donana National Park had high priority.

EQUIDS ACTION PLAN RELEASED
The recently released Equids: Zebras, Asses and Horses. Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan is a thorough, science-based assessment of the equids, and ecosystem and other requirements essential to their continued survival. Today, there are only seven species that remain, and most of these are threatened and classified as Endangered or Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. The new Equid Action Plan provides current knowledge on the biology, ecology and conservation status of the different equid species, and particularly prioritizes important conservation actions. It is the result of many experts working together as part of IUCN's Species Survival Commission to understand these animals - for those interested in the zebras, asses and horses of the world, this publication represents the new benchmark of knowledge in the field. Equids: Zebras, Asses and Horses. Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan is available through the IUCN Publications Services Unit, 219c Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0DL, United Kingdom: Tel: +44 1223 277894; fax +44 1223 277175; e-mail books@iucn.org

HOLLY DUBLIN RECEIVES WWF AWARD FOR CONSERVATION MERIT
Congratulations to Dr Holly Dublin, the Chair of the IUCN/SSC African Elephant Specialist Group. She has led conservation efforts from this role since 1992, and has recently received the WWF Conservation Merit Award for outstanding conservation achievements focusing upon individual species, biodiversity, and protected areas throughout Africa. Dr Dublin has been involved in various projects over the past 20 years, including population surveys and species conservation amongst others. She was an integral member of the recent IUCN delegation at CITES COP 12 in Santiago, Chile, and has supervised WWF's African Rhino Programme, recognized as the world's largest single-species conservation programme. IUCN/SSC continues to benefit from her significant ongoing contribution to our work, as Dr Dublin serves as an expert in several taxonomic and thematic Specialist Groups as well as on the SSC Executive Committee.

SPECIES 38 NOW AVAILABLE
Species, the newsletter of the Species Survival Commission of IUCN, has now been posted and should be arriving very soon to all regular recipients. Species 38 has a special feature that will benefit all those working in the field of conservation: lessons learned in fundraising! Several of the IUCN/SSC Specialist Groups offer advice and share their experiences on how to effectively source funding to continue their important work. With an introductory message from SSC Chair David Brackett, news stories from the network, and updates from the Specialist Groups and SSC Programmes, Species 38 is well worth a read to stay tuned with the happenings within the Commission. The current issue, along with back issues of Species, is available at http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/species/spec-int.htm

LOCATION OF NEXT WORLD CONSERVATION CONGRESS ANNOUNCED
The IUCN Council has announced its decision to hold the next IUCN World Conservation Congress in Bangkok, Thailand in November 2004. The venue chosen is the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, located close to the city centre of Bangkok. At the World Conservation Congress, IUCN's members gather to set the work priorities of the Union and elect its Council for the inter-sessional period. World Conservation Congresses are held at intervals of 3 to 4 years. An SSC Meeting will be held in conjunction with the Congress, and SSC members are invited to share their thoughts on what they would like included in this meeting. For more information about the World Conservation Congress: http://www.iucn.org/info_and_news/press/newnovember02.htm

SPECIES INFORMATION SERVICE PROGRESS
The Species Information Service (SIS) aims to become a worldwide species information resource (with interlinked databases of species-related information managed by SSC's network of Specialist Groups). The latest in a series of activity reports related to its development is now available. For an update on the progress during 2002, visit http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/sis/sis7.html

WORLD WOLF CONGRESS 2003 - A CALL FOR PAPERS
The Central Rockies Wolf Project announces a Call for Papers for the World Wolf Congress 2003 - Bridging Science and Community, to be held at the Banff Centre (Banff, Canada) from 25-28 September 2003. The congress will bring together an international delegation of scientists, government agencies, hunters, ranchers, conservationists, members of the business community, artisans, and the general public to discuss wolf ecology and conservation. Delegate registration for the Congress will begin 21 October 2002.

Queries about registration can be sent to registration@graywolf.ca
Queries regarding the Call for Papers can be sent to papers@graywolf.ca
Please visit www.worldwolfcongress.ca for complete information.

REDISCOVERY OF THE GRASS GENUS Hubbardia
Recent field surveys by members of the Indian Subcontinent Plants Specialist Group have rediscovered Hubbardia heptaneuron Bor. Hubbardia, a grass genus from India, was first collected in 1919, and first described in 1951. The species H. heptaneuron Bor was only collected twice, found growing on moist rocks near the Gersoppa Falls on the Sharavati River. The species disappeared and was reported as probably extinct after dam construction on the river, and the drying of Jog Falls. The recent surveys found H. heptaneuron Bor growing in Kolhapur district, only at three sites between 400m and 500m altitude and only covering an area of 3m². A Critically Endangered grass species of India's Western Ghats, it is now being cultivated by the Botany Department of Shivaji University, Kolhapur, India, and is currently growing well.

THE SPECIES PROGRAMME WOULD LIKE TO WISH ALL READERS A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR AND TRUSTS THAT YOUR FESTIVE SEASON WAS AN ENJOYABLE ONE!

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 Andrew Nichols at ajn@iucn.org; tel: +41 (0)22 999 0153.