January 2020

10 April 2020 is the next deadline to submit a proposal for the Recovery of Species on the Brink of Extinction funding opportunity.

In a partnership between National Geographic, Fondation Segré and IUCN SSC, the goal of this request for funding is to halt further biodiversity decline by implementing species conservation plans for species and groups of species.

For further information, please visit this webpage or send an email.

The IUCN World Conservation Congress is where the world comes together to set priorities and drive conservation and sustainable development action. IUCN’s 1,300+ government, civil society and indigenous peoples’ Member organisations vote on major issues, action that guides humanity’s relationship with our planet for the decades ahead. 

Registration and booking an exhibit now available.

Sign up to the Congress newsletter to receive Congress updates

A Director is needed to oversee the day-to-day operations and effectively coordinate strategic conservation priorities at the new Global Center for Species Survival (GCSS), to be located at Indianapolis Zoo, U.S., as a result of a partnership between Indianapolis Zoo and SSC.

The deadline for applications is Sunday 12 January.

Conservation efforts have led to improvements in the status of ten species, according to last month's update of The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 

Despite these improvements, the IUCN Red List now includes 30,178 species threatened with extinction, and there is increasing evidence of the negative effects of climate change. There are now 112,432 species on the IUCN Red List.

This update also included the assessments of all known eucalypt species worldwide.

The Central African Plant Red List Authority assessed the extinction risk of 25 São Toméan tree species, using assessments prepared by Fauna & Flora International and Fundação Principe (in collaboration with the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Central African Program, the University of Coimbra and the National Herbarium of Sao Tome and Principe), towards Global Tree Campaign’s project.

Global Shark Trends Project

The Shark Specialist Group’s Global Shark Trends Project, funded by the Shark Conservation Fund, is undertaking the first complete Red List reassessment of the world’s chondrichthyan fishes (sharks, rays, and chimaeras). In 2020 the project enters its final year with assessment workshops to be held in Malaysia and Senegal. More details on project can be found here.

A new decision support tool for Red List Assessments

A recent paper published in Conservation Letters showed the utility of a new Bayesian state–space model (JARA: Just Another Red List Assessment) as a decision support tool for assessing population reduction of wide-ranging, long-lived marine taxa. The paper illustrated the approach with four circumglobal pelagic sharks with differing temporal and spatial data deficiency.

A Call for Proposals is now accepting applications from projects targeting any of the ten species featured in the 2019 Lacoste X IUCN Save Our Species campaign.

The Call closes on 12 January 2020.

CPSG 2019 Annual Meeting a Success

Thank you to everyone who attended the very productive 2019 CPSG Annual Meeting in Argentina! 

Read summaries from each working group related to the meeting theme of “Engaging Governments in Species Conservation Planning,” and find all the photos on the CPSG Facebook page.

FREE Online Species Conservation Planning Workshop Facilitation Course from CPSG

CPSG brings stakeholders together with the best available information to generate ‘pivot points’ in recovery efforts for threatened wildlife. This free online course shares some of this experience—including skills rarely covered in existing biology programs—with the next generation of species conservation planners. Read more on the CPSG website or apply through this form by Monday 27 January 2020 to be considered for the course.

In summer 2019, the Environment, Agriculture and Education Society together with the IUCN SSC Monitor Lizard Specialist Group organised workshops in five districts of West Bengal, India. The objective was to create awareness among the local youth regarding conservation and exploitation of wildlife including monitor lizards. The outcome was overall positively received, more than 1,000 students participated.

Read the full report of the workshops on pages 94 - 100 of Biawak, Journal of Varanid Biology and Husbandry, Vol.13 No.2.

Topics in the most recent Quarterly Report include the first year of Sumatran Rhino Rescue, and the contribution of Global Wildlife Conservation to numerous IUCN SSC Specialist Groups.

A new issue of Gajah, the journal of the IUCN SSC Asian Elephant Specialist Group, is now available. The issue presents a variety of Asian elephant research (including peer-reviewed) articles and news.

When lions and people depend on the same lands for living, conflicts can occur. In Tanzania, Maasai warriors are reducing lion-human conflict by helping herdsmen to keep their livestock safe and allow people and lions to live side by side.

Lagomorph SG member Connie Millar received the 2019 Ambassador Award by the American Geophysical Union.

She also received the 2018 Editors’ Award in Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research in recognition of an influential paper demonstrating research excellence that has contributed substantially to our understanding of environmental science in cold environments.

It is with great sadness that we note the passing of Norman Myers. His friend Adrian Phillips, Chair of the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) between 1994 - 2000, reflects on his life and legacy in this tribute.

We welcome you to contribute your own comments below.

The EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria) Conservation Forum will take place between 19 - 23 May 2020, hosted by Zagreb Zoo, Croatia.

This biennial event brings together over 150 representatives of zoos and aquaria, conservation organisations and in situ conservation projects for three days of workshops and presentations.

Registration is open. The deadline for submission abstracts is 1 February 2020.

Fondation Franklinia is currently accepting project proposals concerning in-situ conservation of globally threatened trees.

The call for proposals is open until 21 February 2020. Proposals can be made in French and English.

The PBNF supports small, preferably local initiatives worldwide towards the conservation of endangered species (flora and fauna), or initiatives that in other ways promote the conservation and wise use of nature and our natural resources base.

The next application deadline is 1 February 2020.

Applications for the 2020 Beahrs Environmental Leadership Program are now open. The program will run from 18 July - 7 August 2020.

Experts convened by IUCN have issued a statement on how World Heritage contributes to the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Read the related news story here.

For questions or more information, please contact Sarina van der Ploeg, IUCN Publications Officer.

Available in English and Vietnamese from the Conservation Planning Specialist Group.

The Stork, Ibis and Spoonbill Specialist Group is delighted to launch its publication, the SIS Conservation. The inaugural issue focuses on the ecology and conservation of the Glossy Ibis, and is put together by the International Glossy Ibis Network which was established two years ago. Please submit manuscripts by email. 

Cactus and Succulent Plants Specialist Group Newsletter

Communities, Conservation, Livelihoods Digest

Edentata - Journal and Newsletter of the Anteater, Sloth and Armadillo Specialist Group