IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) E-Bulletin January 2004

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:
NEW ACTION PLAN FOR WEST AFRICAN CHIMPANZEES
SECOND INTERNATIONAL TAPIR SYMPOSIUM
GLOBAL MAMMAL ASSESSMENT KICKS OFF
IMPORTANT PLANT AREAS FOR ASEAN COUNTRIES
AFRICAN ELEPHANT SPECIALIST GROUP MEETING
IDENTIFYING PRIORITY SITES FOR CONSERVATION
FIRST ULYSSES S. SEAL AWARD FOR INNOVATION IN CONSERVATION
GRANTS TO SPECIALIST GROUPS
CRACIDS AND THEIR CARETAKERS REVEALED
FLAMINGO SPECIALIST GROUP COORDINATOR PROFILED
TENTACLE ON THE WEB
SSC STAFF NEWS

NEW ACTION PLAN FOR WEST AFRICAN CHIMPANZEES
More than any other species, chimpanzees resemble humans - genetically, behaviourally and physically - and therefore provide an important link to our evolutionary history. Yet their numbers have plummeted and the species faces imminent extinction. Leading scientists and conservationists around the world have worked together to produce a new action plan aimed at reversing the fortune of the West African chimpanzee. The plan offers the most up-to-date information on the status and threats to chimpanzees and identifies conservation priorities at the national and regional level. It has been produced jointly by SSC's Primate Specialist Group and the Center for Applied Biodiversity Science at Conservation International.

SECOND INTERNATIONAL TAPIR SYMPOSIUM
Tapir conservationists from 19 countries gathered for the Second International Tapir Symposium that took place 10-16 January in Panama City. The symposium was organized through a partnership between the SSC Tapir Specialist Group (TSG) and the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) Tapir Taxon Advisory Group (TAG). Tapir biology, research and conservation were addressed while workshops examined and prioritized specific topics relevant to the conservation of the four tapirs species and their remaining habitats in Latin America and Southeast Asia (genetics, husbandry and captive management, action planning and fundraising). A workshop facilitated by Dr. Phil Miller and Amy Camacho from the SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group set goals and priority actions for the TSG in the next two years. The third symposium will be held in Chiapas, Mexico, in January 2006.

GLOBAL MAMMAL ASSESSMENT KICKS OFF
A workshop to assess the conservation status of all African insectivores, bats and rodents was conducted by SSC/IUCN, the Center for Applied Biodiversity Science at Conservation International (CI-CABS) and the Zoological Society of London recently. This brought together 37 of the foremost experts on African small mammals. Over 800 species were evaluated and information regarding their taxonomy, distribution, habitats, status, threats and conservation measures was entered into the Species Information Service, SSC's emerging data management initiative. The workshop was the first of the Global Mammal Assessment (GMA) an international project which aims to consolidate available information on systematics, populations, distribution, habitat requirements, life history, ecology, conservation status, threats, and needed conservation actions of all mammals. The GMA is being carried out by the Biodiversity Assessment Unit, a collaborative effort between SSC, and CI-CABS. Funding for the GMA comes from the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund. The GMA project description is available on the SSC website: http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/

IMPORTANT PLANT AREAS FOR ASEAN COUNTRIES
A workshop on Important Plant Areas (IPA) for ASEAN countries was held in Bangkok, Thailand from 27-30 January organized by Dr. Domingo A. Madulid, Chair of SSC's Philippine Plant Specialist Group, with support from the ASEAN Regional Centre for Biodiversity Conservation (ARCBC), the SSC Plant Conservation Committee and Plantlife International. Delegates representing nine ASEAN countries: the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Brunei, were assisted by ARCBC staff and De La Salle University. The major topics covered were IPA criteria as they apply to ASEAN countries, IPA principles for ASEAN, problems in tackling IPA in the region and in each country, project planning and implementation. Workshop proceedings will be published and made available on CD this year. A follow-up meeting is proposed to be held in Manila in September. For further details contact: Domingo A. Madulid, Email: dmadulid@info.com.ph

AFRICAN ELEPHANT SPECIALIST GROUP SIXTH MEMBERS' MEETING
The SSC African Elephant Specialist Group (AfESG) held its sixth members' meeting in Namibia 4-8 December. Significant progress was made on the listing of the African Elephant using the IUCN Red List criteria, the establishment of a task force to develop a technical document on the options for dealing with local overpopulation of elephants, and the scenario planning exercise to explore possible futures for the African elephant over the next 30-50 years. Other developments included the drafting of a statement on the capture of African elephants from the wild for captive purposes, the updating of the AfESG's statement on elephant taxonomy and technical discussions on human-elephant conflict, illegal killing and trade. A summary of these discussions as well the numerous papers presented at the meeting will be published in Pachyderm, the journal of the AfESG and the African and Asian Rhino Specialist Groups. Currently the AfESG's focus is firmly on raising funds for its core operations and it has just received a grant from the UK-DEFRA for £25,000.

IDENTIFYING PRIORITY SITES FOR CONSERVATION
Conservation organizations have joined forces to identify key biodiversity areas (KBAs) which are the starting point for site-level conservation planning within the landscape context. IUCN/SSC is working with BirdLife International, Conservation International (CI-CABS) and Plantlife International and took part in a workshop in late January, hosted by CI-CABS. The objective was to refine the initiative's approach and criteria. Criteria will take into account species that are globally threatened, have a restricted range, and those that form congregations. The results of the meeting are due to be published in "Biosciences" as a follow-up to the Vth IUCN World Parks Congress.

FIRST ULYSSES S. SEAL AWARD FOR INNOVATION IN CONSERVATION
The SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group is pleased to announce that the first Ulysses S. Seal Award for Innovation in Conservation has been given to Nathan Flesness. As the executive director of the International Species Information System (ISIS), Nate has been a constant advocate and implementer of Ulie's vision. He has explained to the zoo world that animal collections must be managed scientifically if they are to be properly cared for and protected. The Ulie Seal Award has been established to acknowledge the tremendous impact that Ulie, who chaired the CBSG for more than 20 years, had on conservation throughout the world.

CHICAGO ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY GRANTS TO SSC SPECIALIST GROUPS
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. Any proposal submitted on the Group's behalf must be endorsed by the Group Chair (or other officer). Proposals for the next grant cycle are due, by e-mail, no later than 1 March 2004. Contact Linda Reiter for more information, Email: lireiter@brookfieldzoo.org

CONSERVING THREATENED ORCHIDS IN THE ANNAPURNA RANGE
Among the groups to receive a Chicago Zoological Society grant in the last funding round was the SSC Indian Subcontinent Regional Orchid Specialist Group. Member Lokesh Ratna Shakya received USD $3,500 to carry our conservation work in the Annapurna Conservation Area. This region is good orchid habitat but is being degraded by clearance for fuel wood. As well as conducting a field survey, the project will identify the status of threatened species and raise conservation awareness in the area. It will also involve ex situ propagation of Critically Endangered species and work with the King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation to encourage local people to get involved in conservation.

CRACIDS AND THEIR CARETAKERS REVEALED
Cracids are a family of large gregarious game birds made up chachalacas, guans and curassows. Found only in the Neotropics, their size makes them an ideal protein source for people living in the region. Unfortunately, Cracids are not always harvested sustainably, many are severely over-hunted and their populations are plummeting rapidly throughout their range. Depletion of their natural forest habitat is another key threat to these birds. The SSC Cracid Specialist Group is dedicated to bringing the Family Cracidae to the global attention of conservationists, and to stimulate additional research and worldwide interest in these threatened species. The Group is the latest to be profiled on the SSC website: http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/sgprofiles/cracidsg.htm

FLAMINGO SPECIALIST GROUP COORDINATOR PROFILED
Alan Johnson, global coordinator of the Flamingo Specialist Group since 1978 is profiled on the Wetlands International website. Alan worked as avian ecologist at the Station Biologique de la Tour du Valat in the Camargue, France, from 1962 through to his retirement in 2001. His interest in flamingos dates back to 1965 when these birds had momentarily stopped breeding in France. Read more at: http://www.wetlands.org/networks/Profiles/January.htm

TENTACLE ON THE WEB
The latest issue of "Tentacle", the newsletter of the SSC Mollusc Specialist Group is now available on the web at: http://www2.hawaii.edu/~cowie/Tentacle.htm

STAFF CHANGES
Petra Crofton is the new Programme Assistant for the SSC Wildlife Trade Programme in Cambridge, UK. She begins by working on the review of CITES Appendix II species in conjunction with SSC Specialist Groups and TRAFFIC. Petra comes from the Netherlands, where she obtained a Masters in Biology and Philosophy. She has lived in France for the past few years establishing and running an A Rocha Field station and carrying out botanical studies for local implementation of Natura 2000. She speaks English, French, Dutch and German.

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.