Current News

In October 2008, the IUCN Red List web site was given a brand new look. The new site has more functionality than ever before. This also means that the site has more detailed search pages that allow increased flexibility in the searches that can be carried out, introduces the ability to store searches for future use or to share search results with others, and allows users to download range data for mammals and amphibians.

In order to help users to navigate their way through the wider range of functions on the web site, a set of instructions have been developed (The Users’ Guide to the IUCN Red List web site. Version 1.0 (March 2009)) and this document is now available to download from the link below (PDF, 2.47 MB). The document contains several sections, providing guidance on how to search the web site, how to navigate through the species fact sheets, how to save searches and export data from the site, and where to find and download GIS data for amphibians and mammals. Use the index to access the section you want (just click on the topic in the index).

A video tutorial on how to search the IUCN Red List web site is also available (follow the link below).

Links:

Top wildlife experts from around the world have allocated $US 3.3 million to 23 species conservation projects. Gorillas, cockatoos, and frogs are some of the many threatened species that are receiving a helping hand from SOS (Save Our Species), a global conservation fund initiated by IUCN, the World Bank and the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

Drawing on species conservation knowledge accrued over decades by IUCN, for the first call for proposals SOS focused on species groups that were completely assessed on IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species™ and already had specific conservation action plans in place. According to IUCN’s Red List, one in three amphibians, one in eight birds, and one in four mammals are at risk of extinction in the wild. Nineteen different organizations will use these funds to conserve threatened animal and plant species and their habitats.

“The dire situation facing the world’s biodiversity calls for urgent action. SOS is seeking to bring knowledge, expertise and funding together in order to address the plight of threatened species,” says Julia Marton-Lefèvre, IUCN’s Director General. “Through these exciting projects we hope to show that, if properly implemented, conservation works.” 

A high variety of different species is crucial for ecosystem health and SOS aims to conserve a multitude of threatened creatures, focusing on Asian and African mammals, amphibians and birds with the new round of funds. SOS supports a variety of mammal projects such as conservation programmes targeting the critically endangered Cross River Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli) and Black Rhino (Diceros bicornis) in Africa, in addition to the endangered Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia) in Pakistan. 

Mammals represent the largest portion of the SOS portfolio, but they are not the only species at risk. SOS also supports bird and amphibian projects, protecting the critically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpiper (Eurynorhynchus pygmeus) in Asia; a project to re-introduce the Philippine Cockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygia); and an initiative preserving the Golden Mantella Frog (Mantella aurantiaca) in Madagascar.

“Ignoring species conservation means ignoring a world in which species are currently disappearing at a rate 100 to 1,000 times higher than normal. The loss of wild plant and animal species is a real threat to human well-being, sustainable development and poverty reduction. In these times of economic turmoil, it would be wise not to further damage nature—our ultimate safety net,” says Jean-Christophe Vié, Deputy Director of IUCN’s Global Species Programme and SOS Director. “By implementing on the ground conservation action, the projects SOS select help protect entire habitats which both people and wildlife depend on.”

In October 2010, SOS was established with more than $US10 million in financing commitments in order to build a global coalition to protect threatened species and their habitats. This unique international alliance aims to raise awareness of biodiversity conservation and looks for participation from innovative companies across all industries. Nokia was the first company to join SOS.

“SOS was established to use the charisma of wild animals to explain the role of nature, generate interest in the plight of threatened species, and shed light on the complexity of conservation work,” says Monique Barbut, CEO and Chairperson of the GEF and Chair of the SOS Donor Council. “Today, with our core funding we are adding 23 new projects covering a large number of threatened species, including around 60 that will be closely monitored. So far we are on track. The only thing missing now is the private sector’s commitment to join our endeavour to save the planet’s captivating wildlife before it is too late.”

This decade has been declared by the United Nations as the Decade of Biodiversity. Issues surrounding species survival will be discussed at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Jeju, Republic of Korea, from 6 to 15 September 2012.

For more information or to set up interviews, please contact:

The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, an IUCN Member, have launched the UKOTs Online Herbarium. It is a species and specimens database containing plant diversity information for all UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs) and geographically related islands. 

A new flowering plant belonging to the Medinilla plant group has been discovered in the highlands of Matasawalevu village, on the island of Kadavu in Fiji. The plant was found during a biodiversity assessment of the Nakasaleka district carried out as part of IUCN’s Water and Nature Initiative (WANI).

There are around 193 known species of Medinilla, occurring in Madagascar, Africa, South Asia and the Pacific Islands. Of the 193 species, 11 can only be found in Fiji. One of them is the Tagimoucia flower, Medinilla waterhousei, the floral emblem of Fiji.

IUCN’s WANI works with local communities to help them better manage water resources on Kadavu island. The team was monitoring the degradation of the river basin in the area when the new plant was discovered.

“The discovery of this previously unknown species of plant gives us a sense of just how fragile nature can be,” says Dr Milika Sobey, Water and Wetlands Programme Coordinator at IUCN’s Oceania Regional Office. “The fact that it was found during work on a watershed management project is one more lesson in how important it is that nature is included in the priorities for water management.”

“Through the Water and Nature Initiative IUCN has shown in more than 30 countries worldwide that by working with local people and partners, it is possible to put in place sustainable solutions that meet the water needs of both people and nature,” says Dr Mark Smith, Director of the IUCN Global Water Programme.

The species was found on the border of grassland and primary forest. This location makes it highly vulnerable to bush fires that are common in the area.

“We only managed to find one plant of this kind,” says Mr Marika Tuiwawa, of the University of the South Pacific’s Institute of Applied Science, IUCN member and partner in the WANI project, who discovered the species. “Commercial agricultural activities and uncontrolled bush fires are the main threats to this species. A simple fire could destroy it in a matter of minutes.”

The plant’s common name has not been confirmed yet but the name Medinilla matasawalevu has been suggested to illustrate its location.

“The fact that only one plant of this kind was found so far and that it occurs in such a vulnerable place should set alarm bells ringing,” says Dr Jane Smart, Global Director of IUCN’s Biodiversity Conservation Group. “The challenge now is to protect the new species and raise awareness of its importance among local communities, to secure its long term future.”

Work is currently underway to confirm the exact classification of the new species, for which DNA research may be carried out.

In Colombia, work is under way to save a group of species whose fate is intimately linked with our own.

Amphibians—frogs, toads, salamanders and the lesser-known caecilians —are the most threatened of all vertebrates. Over 6,200 species have been identified; of those 41% are at risk of extinction and almost half are in decline. Their disappearance would have dramatic consequences for species that share the same ecosystems -including people.

Medical marvels

The permeable skin of amphibians makes them susceptible to changes in the environment, but also arms them with significant biomedical properties. A painkiller isolated in the skin of a frog is 200 times more potent than morphine. Potential treatments for HIV and skin cancer have been isolated from the skin of amphibians. Amphibians also regulate crop pests and vectors of disease such as malaria. If we do not act quickly, we risk losing many similar benefits before they are even discovered.

New discoveries

The Chocó region of Colombia is a biodiversity ‘hotspot’ particularly for amphibians but it is under protected and under threat, not least from road building and pressure from biofuel and timber interests. Recent surveys located one critical area with many threatened bird species, such as the Endangered Gold-ringed Tanager, and a new species of toad, on properties that were being cleared for cattle pasture.

A project funded by SOS (Save our Species) is being carried out by IUCN Member Conservation International (CI) in cooperation with the local NGO Fundación ProAves to prevent further amphibian extinctions and secure a future for the many other species that survive here.

Two species believed to be entirely new to science, as well as numerous other threatened species, have been safeguarded by the creation of a new protected area, tackling the top threat to species in this region—habitat loss.

“Colombia leads the world in sheer numbers of threatened amphibian species. Despite the challenges there are also many opportunities for conservation with swathes of steamy jungles harbouring myriad unique species, and we are thrilled to be able to support local efforts to protect Colombia's frogs,” says Project Leader and amphibian conservation champion Robin Moore.

On patrol

A research and forest guard station has been built that will help protect and manage this area. A forest guard is now situated full-time at the Reserve which is critical in enforcing protection of the area.

Ecotourism is a way of supporting the project in the long term and paying guests are now visiting the station, providing a source of revenue for the park. Local communities are being introduced to the importance of amphibians and the value of ecotourism in generating income—this goes hand-in-hand with conservation.

Amphibians are at risk from a lethal cocktail of threats that include disease, climate change and pollution. Stemming the decline and extinction of amphibian species will require targeting the continued loss and degradation of habitat. Because of their typically small home ranges, amphibians can be safeguarded through the protection of relatively small tracts of suitable habitat and provide an ideal target group for action to halt biodiversity loss.