IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) E-Bulletin - July 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

GLOBAL MAMMAL ASSESSMENT STARTING
The Global Mammal Assessment (GMA) has started. This is a collaborative effort between the SSC mammal-related Specialist Groups and partner institutions. Project coordination is being carried out by a team comprising Dr. Wes Sechrest, at the CI/CABS - IUCN/SSC Biodiversity Assessment Initiative in Washington, DC, Dr Jonathan Baillie at the Zoological Society of London, and Dr Mariano Gimenez Dixon at IUCN headquarters in Gland, Switzerland. The data collected will be continually updated as part of the Species Information Service. It is expected that the GMA will take two years to complete, but it is hoped that by April 2004, there will be sufficient information to allow a comparative analysis of the conservation status of mammals, birds, and amphibians. For more information contact Mariano Gimenez Dixon (mgd@iucn.org).

SUBEQUATORIAL AFRICA REGIONAL SHARK SPECIALIST GROUP RED LIST WORKSHOP
The SSC Shark Specialist Group (SSG) is convening a Shark and Ray Red List Workshop for the Subequatorial Africa region at Umhlanga Rocks, South Africa, 4-7 September. African waters support some 25% of the world's chondrichthyan biodiversity (sharks, skates, rays and chimaeras) including many species that are endemic to the region. There is a significant lack of information on the status of many of Africa's chondrichthyan species, highlighting the lack of scientific and fisheries research that could provide data. There is also an urgent need to address conservation and management of these highly vulnerable fish in Africa, improve collaboration in the region, and find contacts in countries still unrepresented in the SSG, such as Angola and Mozambique. The workshop will take advantage of the attendance of a number of international shark experts at the World Parks Congress in Durban, 8-17 September. For further information, please contact Rachel Cavanagh (Rachel@naturebureau.co.uk) or see the SSG website.

CHICAGO ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY GRANTS - DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS
The Chicago Zoological Society makes annual grants to SSC Specialist Groups from its Chicago Board of Trade Endangered Species Fund for small projects identified in Action Plans or other group priority setting exercises. The second grant cycle for 2003 is in September and the deadline is 14 August. The Fund supports small projects, usually up to $5,000 that are on a specific threatened (or nearly threatened) species or a specific habitat that is of high value or substantially threatened. Priority will be given to projects that are clearly of critical need for the species or habitat, that are likely to provide good, immediate results. Proposals should be submitted by email to: Linda Reiter, lireiter@brookfieldzoo.org

DECLINING AMPHIBIAN POPULATION TASK FORCE (DAPTF) LEADERSHIP CHANGE
The DAPTF is pleased to announce that, from July 2003, it will be led by Dr Jim Collins of Arizona State University, Tempe. Jim is currently leading a major interdisciplinary study of amphibian diseases. See the DAPTF website.

NEW ODONATA SPECIALIST GROUP CHAIR
Viola Clausnitzer, based in Germany, has taken on the Chair of the SSC Odonata Specialist Group. Priorities for the Group include starting a Global Dragonfly Assessment.

RED LIST USER GUIDELINES ONLINE
The Guidelines for Using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria (May 2003) have been posted on the Red List Programme page of the SSC website.

The Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional Levels have been finalized and are currently being translated and published. The document will be published as a booklet, as well as posted on the SSC website.

NEW LOOK SPECIALIST GROUP WEBSITE
The SSC website has undergone a face-lift and is now in line with the global IUCN template. This comes as part of the drive to encourage all of IUCN's component programmes and commissions to change to the template to generate online consistency across the Union.

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.