IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) E-Bulletin – January 2003

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: visit the archives

In this issue:

"STUDYING ELEPHANTS"” HANDBOOK
VIABLE POPULATION OF BRUJIN’S BRUSH-TURKEY DISCOVERED
MOLECULAR TAXONOMY USED TO IDENTIFY STRANDED WHALE
2003 IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES
NEW SPECIALIST GROUP WEBSITES
ACTION PLANS ONLINE
MEMBERSHIP NEWS
SPECIES INFORMATION SERVICE UPDATE
FUNDING SUCCESS

"STUDYING ELEPHANTS"” HANDBOOK
With significant contributions from the IUCN/SSC African Elephant Specialist Group (AfESG) members, "Studying Elephants" is now available electronically from their website at http://iucn.org/afesg/tools/index.html. The AfESG and African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) collaborated to digitize this 1996 AWF book. It focuses on studying elephants in the wild, and contains information about census methods, radio-collaring and satellite tracking, elephant behaviour, and vocalizations. From the AfESG home page (http://iucn.org/afesg/index.html), follow the link “Tools for Elephant Research and Management”. The book is available in both English (http://iucn.org/afesg/tools/stdeleen.html) and French (http://iucn.org/afesg/tools/stdelefr.html).

VIABLE POPULATION OF BRUJIN’S BRUSH-TURKEY DISCOVERED
A very successful opportunistic visit to Waigeo Island, Papua province, Indonesia in May 2002 by Belgian birder Iwein Maruo, resulted in the first field observations ever of the endemic and rare Bruijn's Brush-turkey Aepypodius bruijnii (Megapodiidae), and discovery of its nest mound. During an extensive two-month survey starting in October 2002, sponsored by The Netherlands Foundation for International Nature Protection (Van Tienhoven Foundation) and under the auspices of the Megapode Specialist Group, Mauro discovered an incredible 28 incubation mounds in a relatively small area and frequently observed the species there. At long last the existence of a viable population has been revealed, enabling assessment of population size and conservation status of this nearly mythical species.

MOLECULAR TAXONOMY USED TO IDENTIFY STRANDED WHALE
A recent stranding in Japan of the little-known species Longman's beaked whale (Indopacetus pacificus), highlights the value of using molecular taxonomy techniques as outlined by SSC Cetacean Specialist Group member C.S. Baker (and others) in Species 38. Longman's beaked whale is known from only a few complete specimens and fragments found in Australia, South Africa, the Maldives, and Kenya. The whale was identified as Longman’s beaked whale after Japanese scientists examined the skeleton, stomach contents, and DNA, with help from the comprehensive database of beaked whale DNA sequence assembled by Dr. Merel Dalebout, University of Auckland, in collaboration with scientists and institutions from around the world. Validated DNA databases for identification of most cetaceans are currently accessible through the web-based programme at http://www.dna-surveillance.auckland.ac.nz. The programme is supported by the Laboratory of Molecular Ecology and Evolution and the Computational and Evolutionary Biology Laboratory, University of Auckland. Information: C. Scott Baker (cs.baker@auckland.ac.nz) or Howard Ross (h.ross@auckland.ac.nz).

2003 IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES
A reminder to all SSC members that the deadline for submissions to the 2003 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is 30 April 2003. There is a standard electronic questionnaire available that covers the minimum documentation requirements that can be filled in by those wanting to submit assessments; this can be requested from craig.hilton-taylor@ssc-uk.org. SSC members should also remember that all assessments have to be evaluated by the relevant Red List Authority before they can appear on the IUCN Red List. If you do not know who the relevant contact person for this is, do not worry, we will forward the assessments to them on your behalf. All completed assessments should be sent to the Red List Programme Office at redlist@ssc-uk.org.

NEW SPECIALIST GROUP WEBSITES
The Medicinal Plant Specialist Group (MPSG) now has a new website. It can be reached directly at http://mpsg.org, or by following links from the MPSG listing on the SSC’s Specialist Groups web page at http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/sgs/sgs.htm. The website has been designed and is managed by Dr Reza Azmi, an MPSG member based in Malaysia. Recent issues of the MPSG newsletter, Medicinal Plant Conservation, are posted on the site, along with the current programme, activities, and membership.

The SSC Veterinary Specialist Group held a workshop back in June 2002, and defined its mission statement as: “The IUCN Veterinary Specialist Group is a collaborative multidisciplinary network supporting and promoting the health of wildlife and wildlife management as core components of ecosystem and biodiversity conservation.” The Group’s website is now available at www.iucn-vsg.org

ACTION PLANS ONLINE
There are two recent additions to the IUCN/SSC Action Plans available online at http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/actionplans/actionplanindex.htm: Equids: Zebras, Asses and Horses - Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan and The Ethiopian Wolf - Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan.

MEMBERSHIP NEWS
Questions about SSC membership? You can now e-mail all your membership-related questions (including any changes of address) to sscmembers@iucn.org.

SPECIES INFORMATION SERVICE UPDATE
A report on SIS activities in 2002 is now available at http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/sis/sis7.html. SIS development has been slowed by changes in staffing and lack of funds but is again building momentum. Partnership with Oracle has the software tool moving to a more user-friendly Oracle platform. In conjunction, the web-based version is also under development. Work on the Global Amphibian Assessment, whose results will be housed in SIS, is also progressing well and plans are underway to begin a Global Mammal Assessment.

FUNDING SUCCESS
Red List Programme:
A joint funding proposal to the Rufford Foundation by the SSC Red List Programme and the Institute of Zoology, UK, has recently secured funds over a two-year period to enable the annual production of the Red List in 2003 and 2004, and also to develop other scientific products using the Red List information.

Plant Conservation Programme "Top 50":
The SSC recently received a generous grant from the MAVA Foundation to implement the "Top 50" plants campaign, aimed at raising awareness and undertaking conservation action on a focussed group of Critically Endangered plant species. The SSC’s Plant Conservation Committee recognises that the high numbers of plant species facing extinction are often not supported to the same extent as other more charismatic species, and this grant will be used to develop communications tools that will serve as a template for “Top 50s” for all of the plant Specialist Groups. Importantly, it will also support several field projects, and hopefully catalyse funding for others. Some Specialist Groups have prepared “Top 50” species lists, and the first pilot project is being managed by Dr Bertrand de Montmollin (Chair) and the Mediterranean Island Plant Specialist Group, with activities in Corsica, the Balearic Islands, and Crete. More information: Wendy Strahm (was@iucn.org).

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.