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IUCN Species Survival Commission
(SSC) E-Bulletin November/December 2005
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.
This issue and all previous issues are available on the SSC website: www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/
Previous issues: visit the archives
In this issue:
News
RABBIT DECLINE THREATENS ENDANGERED PREDATORS AND ECOSYSTEMS
WILDLIFE CONFERENCE GIVES CONSERVATION BOOST TO WEST
AFRICA 'S 'FORGOTTEN' ELEPHANTS
MAURITIAN BIODIVERSITY WINS A REPRIEVE
Announcements and Meetings
DAVID GIVEN - A HUGE LOSS TO INTERNATIONAL PLANT CONSERVATION
IMPORTANT RED LIST NOTIFICATION
PRESIDENTIAL AWARD TO AFRICAN ELEPHANT SPECIALIST GROUP REGIONAL CO-ORDINATOR
SPECIALIST GROUP GRANTS FOR ORCHID CONSERVATION
NEW ARRIVALS
SSC DOMINATES INDIANAPOLIS PRIZE LINE-UP
RED LISTING EUROPE ’S FUNGI
New Publications
TOP 50 MEDITERRANEAN ISLAND PLANTS THREATENED WITH EXTINCTION
NEW STUDY PINPOINTS EPICENTRES OF IMMINENT EXTINCTIONS
RABBIT DECLINE THREATENS ENDANGERED PREDATORS AND ECOSYSTEMS
Diseases killing off rabbits are bringing rare eagles and the world's most endangered cat to the brink of extinction, says a report from conservation groups including several SSC Specialist Groups. Myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease, combined with habitat loss and over-hunting, have brought rabbit numbers in Spain and Portugal to as low as 5% of population estimates 50 years ago. The Iberian Lynx, whose diet consists of 80-100% rabbits, has seen its own numbers fall to little more than 100 adults, according to the latest official figures, partly due to rabbit decline. The Iberian imperial eagle, another rabbit specialist predator has declined to around 150 pairs. The report, “Reversing Rabbit Decline”, calls for the rabbit to be reclassified under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, given that it is currently classified as Least Concern and this does not adequately reflect its recent and rapid decline in Spain and Portugal.
Full story: http://www.iucn.org/en/news/archive/2005/12/rabbit_decline_release.pdf
WILDLIFE CONFERENCE GIVES CONSERVATION BOOST TO WEST AFRICA 'S 'FORGOTTEN' ELEPHANTS
An agreement aimed at boosting the fortunes of Africa ’s ‘forgotten’ elephants emerged from the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) meeting in November. Twelve countries in West Africa, home to the region’s last remaining populations of elephants signed the treaty which together with its associated action plan, sets targets and timetables for improving elephant habitats, boosting the numbers of fragile populations, setting up wildlife ‘corridors’, and a range of other measures covering cross-border cooperation.
Full story: www.iucn.org/en/news/archive/2005/11/cms_elephants.pdf
MAURITIAN BIODIVERSITY WINS A REPRIEVE
The Prime Minister of Mauritius announced recently that he would stop construction of a highway that would have cut through the country’s second largest track of remaining native forest, and pass through Ferney Valley , home to half of the world's Mauritius kestrel population - once one of the world’s rarest birds. Ferney Valley harbours more than 130 species of native plants and ferns, half of which are endemic to Mauritius . IUCN supported local environmental NGOs’ campaigns to halt the road, warning of the catastrophic effect on the native biodiversity. Only 1.6% of the original Mauritian forest remains. Members of SSC’s Indian Ocean Island Plant Specialist Group provided technical advice on the unique flora found in this area.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
DAVID GIVEN - A HUGE LOSS TO INTERNATIONAL PLANT CONSERVATION
IUCN and the international plant conservation community have lost one of their champions, David Given. He died peacefully on 27 November, surrounded by his family, after losing a two-year battle against cancer. David's passing is a huge loss to both New Zealand plant conservation and to the wider environmental community. He served on the SSC Steering Committee and Chaired the Plant Conservation Committee (PCC) from 1997 to 2004. A world expert on ferns, he was also Chair of the Pteridiophyte Specialist Group until devoting more time to the PCC.
Full tribute: http://www.iucn.org/en/news/archive/2005/11/david_given.pdf
IMPORTANT RED LIST NOTIFICATION
The Red List Programme has issued a notification concerning the 2006 Red List update and future updates leading up to the next IUCN World Conservation Congress in 2008. It outlines the recent mini upgrade of the Red List website, guidelines for submission of assessments, and explains the global species assessment projects. The notice is available on the Red List website www.iucnredlist.org – follow the “What’s New” link from the home page.
PRESIDENTIAL AWARD TO AFRICAN ELEPHANT SPECIALIST GROUP REGIONAL CO-ORDINATOR
Lamine Sebogo, regional coordinator of the SSC African Elephant Specialist Group has been presented with a national award of Burkina Faso (where he is based) by the country’s President for his work in driving the development of the Strategy for the Conservation of West African Elephants which involves several governmental bodies in the region.
SPECIALIST GROUP GRANTS FOR ORCHID CONSERVATION
Orchid Conservation International, the charity established by SSC’s Orchid Specialist Group, is offering grants for projects directly related to orchid conservation. It will either provide a single grant of £5,000, or make several smaller awards, depending on the projects submitted. Projects considered for funding will include those such as establishing and maintaining organizations and practices that protect orchids and their habitats; studies of wild orchid populations; propagation techniques, and educational projects. More information from Philp Seaton (philip@seatonorchids.freeserve.co.uk).
NEW ARRIVALS
SSC Shark Specialist Group
Claudine Gibson has joined the Shark Specialist Group as Programme Officer. She has a first degree in Ecology and Conservation and a master’s degree in Global Aquatic Biodiversity: Monitoring and Conservation from the University of Hull (UK). Claudine has spent over five years working and volunteering with various NGOs in biodiversity conservation.
Sarah Valenti has also joined the Shark Specialist Group recently, as the Group’s first Red List Officer. She has a first degree in Oceanography with marine biology from the University of Southampton . Sarah looks forward to working towards the completion of the Red List assessments for chondrichthyan fishes and the wider communication of the results.
Species Programme Finance Assistant
Sonia Galan is the new Finance Asssistant in the Species Programme. Sonia is Spanish, has worked for WWF in Switzerland , Assa Abloy Treasury in Geneva , and as a social worker in an Indian orphanage.
SSC Freshwater Programme Intern
Anna McIvor has joined the SSC Freshwater Biodiversity Assessment Programme in Cambridge UK on an internship. Anna has a PhD from Cambridge University and her main focus will be to help implement the Darwin Initiative Project looking at the integration of biodiversity, livelihoods and economic valuation assessments for wetland conservation at two sites in East Africa and Cambodia.
SSC DOMINATES INDIANAPOLIS AWARD LINE-UP
The Indianapolis Zoo has announced the names of the six finalists chosen to compete for the Indianapolis Prize, a prestigious new award that will be given every other year to an individual who has made significant strides in animal conservation efforts. The first Indianapolis Prize will be announced at a gala ceremony on September 30, 2006 . Four of the six are associated with SSC: Holly Dublin, SSC Chair, George Archibald, Crane Specialist Group Chair, David Mech, Wolf Specialist Group Chair, and Simon Stuart, former head of the Species Programme and now head of the SSC Biodiversity Assessment Unit.
MEETINGS
RED LISTING EUROPE ’S FUNGI
Representatives from 20 countries participated in the European Council for the Conservation of Fungi meeting of European Macrofungal (which includes edible mushrooms) Red Listing in November. A working group was established to start the project and secure funding. This group will be chaired by Anders Dahlberg, Chair of the SSC Fungi Specialist Group. More information from Anders ( anders.dahlberg@ArtData.slu.se).
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TOP 50 MEDITERRANEAN ISLAND PLANTS THREATENED WITH EXTINCTION
Majorca , Ibiza , Sicily , Crete , Malta – for many, these islands conjure up images of dream holiday destinations. But the natural beauty that draws thousands of visitors to these islands every year is being fast eroded. Many of the close to 25,000 Mediterranean native plants that make the region one of the world’s 34 biodiversity ‘hotspots’ are disappearing. A new conservation tool The Top 50 Mediterranean Island Plants, produced by SSC lays out a conservation strategy for species from the familiar hyacinth, carnation, and violet families, along with less known, intriguingly-named plants such as moon trefoil, Lefkara milkvetch, Troodos rockcress, and Casey’s larkspur.
‘Top 50’ website: www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/plants/Top50/index.html
NEW STUDY PINPOINTS EPICENTRES OF IMMINENT EXTINCTIONS
New research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (www.pnas.org), shows that safeguarding 595 sites would save hundreds of Earth’s species. The study identifies 794 species threatened with imminent extinction, each of which is in need of urgent conservation action at a single remaining site. IUCN Red List data (especially for the amphibians and mammals) contributed significantly to the identification of sites and several Species Programme staff are among the authors.
SEASON’S GREETINGS TO ALL READERS AND BEST WISHES FOR 2006 FROM THE STAFF OF THE IUCN SPECIES PROGRAMME
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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 (alk@iucn.org) or Andrew McMullin (mcmullina@iucn.org); tel: +41 (0)22 999 0153.
SSC E-Bulletin
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