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Papuan people with freshwater crocodiles in the Sepik River, Papua New Guinea Papuan people with freshwater crocodiles in the Sepik River, Papua New Guinea. Photo: Dr Keith K. Galgal.

Is banning exotic leather bad for reptiles?

IUCN SSC members - reptiles and sustainable use

Recent bans on the sale of leather from exotic reptiles such as...
90% of lemur species are threatened Around 90% of lemur species, found only in Madagascar, are threatened with extinction due to habitat destruction. Photo: © Russell Mittermeier

Hope for Madagascar and its lemurs

Russell Mittermeier

What can be done to ensure the long-term survival of Madagascar’s amazing biodiversity –...
Collaboration between the government, private sector and civil society is essential Collaboration between the government, private sector and civil society is essential for the achievement of a more sustainable world. Photo: IUCN/Nadine McCormick

Environmental challenges: too big for government and business to tackle alone

Carola van Rijnsoever

Ecosystems and the services they provide are at risk; their decline could jeopardise the...
Mangroves and wetlands help purify water Mangroves and wetlands help purify water, nurture fish stocks and protect shorelines from storms and erosion. They are also sources of food, such as in this Ramsar Convention protected site in Fiji. Photo: Ramsar Convention

Nature: A global fix for global risks

Inger Andersen

At a time when environmental threats to humanity loom ever larger, IUCN stands as the organisation...
Invasive Asian hornet Invasive Asian hornets, which have been spreading throughout Europe, are predators of native honey bees, threatening honey production. Photo: © Danel Solabarrieta Flickr CC BY SA 2.0

Do non-native species count as biodiversity?

Dan Simberloff

There have been calls for biodiversity and ecosystem assessments to count non-native species as well...
Conservancy in Kenya Wildlife conservancies managed by local communities provide an opportunity for income generation and conservation to take place side-by-side Photo: Make It Kenya CC 1.0

Communities hold the key to expanding conservation impact in Africa

Fred Nelson and Rosie Cooney

Wildlife conservation that uses community partnerships is working for people and...
Rural communities Rural communities in developing nations often depend most directly on natural resources, yet endure the poorest health services. Photo: David Humaní / Photoshare

The elephant left the room quite some time ago; let’s follow

David Johnson

Population was once a taboo subject. With the global population set to rise to over 9.7 billion by...
The wildlife trade involves hundreds of millions of individual plants and animals from tens of thousands of species The wildlife trade involves hundreds of millions of individual plants and animals from tens of thousands of species. Photo: Dan Challender/Save Vietnam's Wildlife

Empowering whistleblowers is the key to combating wildlife crime

Scott Hajost

Whistleblowers have been effective at combatting financial and corporate crime, but are sorely lacking...
Major flood in Manila, 2012 Flooding  in Manila, Philippines, in 2012 Photo: © Vinod Thomas

To curb disaster damage, we need smart investments in nature

Dr Vinod Thomas

As the destruction caused by natural disasters grows in intensity, we urgently need to invest in...
Conservation organizations are working together to protect forests and wildlife in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Conservation organizations are working together to protect forests and wildlife in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Photo: Rod Waddington CC2.0

Unlikely partners: how teaming up with ‘nature’s enemies’ could boost the impact of conservation

Jon Stryker

Nature, where everything is interconnected, is a shining example of the strength and brilliance of the...
The tiger population is growing within Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, India. The tiger population is growing within Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, India. Photo: © Harshawardhan Dhanwatey

Beyond the reserve: managing the consequences of successful tiger conservation

Poonam Dhanwatey

Effective protection for tigers within some wildlife reserves has caused their populations to rise...
The Candonga Reservoir downstream of the dam site was heavily affected by the spill. The Candonga Reservoir downstream of the dam site was heavily affected by the spill. Photo: Ibama CC2.0

Changing tide for the Rio Doce: bringing a river back to life

Yolanda Kakabadse

In the long term, it pays for business to use natural resources in a way that benefits all of...
Zebras and wildebeest in Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania. Zebras and wildebeest in Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania.  Photo: Janet CC3.0

Protected areas: a hope in the midst of the sixth mass extinction

Richard Leakey

With the world entering the biggest mass extinction since the dinosaurs disappeared 65 million years...
Displaced persons waiting at a water tank in Geneina, West Darfur, in 2007. Displaced persons in Geneina, West Darfur, in 2007. Photo: Nite owl CC

Degradation of nature is contributing to conflict – can we reverse the trend?

Queen Noor Al Hussein

The degradation of nature is undermining the security and peace of billions of people...
Inger Andersen Photo: Inger Andersen

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