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Species 2014 Annual ReportSpecies the Species of 2014 Survival Commission and the Global Species Programme Species ISSUE 56 2014 Annual Report of the Species Survival Commission and the Global Species Programme • 2014 Spotlight on High-level Interventions IUCN SSC • IUCN Red List at 50 • Specialist Group Reports Ethiopian Wolf (Canis simensis), Endangered. © Martin Harvey Muhammad Yazid Muhammad © Amazing Species: Bleeding Toad The Bleeding Toad, Leptophryne cruentata, is listed as Critically Endangered on The IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM. It is endemic to West Java, Indonesia, specifically around Mount Gede, Mount Pangaro and south of Sukabumi. The Bleeding Toad’s scientific name, cruentata, is from the Latin word meaning “bleeding” because of the frog’s overall reddish-purple appearance and blood-red and yellow marbling on its back. Geographical range The population declined drastically after the eruption of Mount Galunggung in 1987. It is Knowledge believed that other declining factors may be habitat alteration, loss, and fragmentation. Experts Although the lethal chytrid fungus, responsible for devastating declines (and possible Get Involved extinctions) in amphibian populations globally, has not been recorded in this area, the sudden decline in a creekside population is reminiscent of declines in similar amphibian species due to the presence of this pathogen. Only one individual Bleeding Toad was sighted from 1990 to 2003. Part of the range of Bleeding Toad is located in Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park. Future conservation actions should include population surveys and possible captive breeding plans. The production of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is made possible through the IUCN Red List Partnership. In this issue 2014 Annual Report of the Species Survival Commission (SSC) and the Global Species Programme 1. 2014 Spotlight on High-level Interventions ..............................................................................................2 2. 2014 Report from the Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission and the Director of the IUCN Global Species Programme ..........................................................................................................4 4. The IUCN Red List at 50 ...................................................................................................................... 22 5. Report of the IUCN SSC Specialist Groups, Red List Authorities, Task Forces ..................................... 26 7. Report of the IUCN SSC Sub-Committees ......................................................................................... 191 8. SOS – Save Our Species and Integrated Tiger Habitat Conservation Programme .............................. 202 9. Publications Summary ....................................................................................................................... 208 Team SpecieS Dena Cator, Olivier Hasinger, Lynne Labanne, Olivia Nater, Rachel Roberts, Claire Santer. LayouT www.naturebureau.co.uk cover Tiger (Panthera tigris), Endangered. © Debashish Dutta Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect official views of IUCN SSC ISSN 1016-927x © 2015 IUCN—International Union for Conservation of Nature Email: [email protected] For address changes, notify: SSC Membership Species Programme, IUCN Rue Mauverney 28 CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland Phone: +41 22 999 0268 Fax: +41 22 999 0015 Email: [email protected] Mauritius Fody (Foudia rubra), Endangered. © Sugoto Roy 1 2014 SpotlIght High-level interventions are the means by which IUCN and/or the Species Survival Commission (SSC) addresses emerging conservation issues of serious concern (often brought to the attention of the SSC Chair’s Office through the Specialist Group network). IUCN’s influence and neutrality is used to put pressure on governments, organizations and companies and, depending on the issue in question, will either be signed by the Director General and sent from the Director General’s Office, co-signed by the Chair of the SSC, or signed by the SSC Chair alone (and occasionally with signatories from other Commissions or regional offices). The letters typically express concern about the issue, highlight – where relevant – the species (detailing their Red List status) and habitats which are to be impacted, and remind governments of their existing commitments (if any) e.g. Each letter provides all the necessary background and technical information and goes through a watertight review process, led by the SSC Chair’s Office, engaging the appropriate Specialist Group and, when needed, the IUCN regional office(s) and IUCN programme(s). The content focuses on being helpful by suggesting some possible solutions, while recognizing simultaneously some of the good things that have happened already. The letter will conclude by extending the help of the IUCN, the SSC, and very specifically the technical expertise of the SG, in providing advice, support and knowledge as may be required. Vaquitas on the verge of Vultures and the licensing of extinction, Mexico diclofenac in Europe On 5 December, at the request of the Alerted by a member of the IUCN SSC Vulture Cetacean Specialist Group, a letter was sent Specialist Group, the Director General and to the President of Mexico to address the Simon Stuart wrote to the European catastrophic decline of the Vaquita (Phocoena Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy sinus) by implementing urgent measures to stop the illegal in July to express serious concern on the EU’s licensing of Totoaba (Totoaba macdonaldi – a species urgently in need of diclofenac for veterinary use in Europe and its impact on conservation measures in its own right) fishery. With less than vultures. It was felt that given the strong scientific evidence of 100 individuals remaining, the letter urged the Government the causal relationship between the veterinary use of to take rapid action to strictly regulate all fishing activities diclofenac and catastrophic vulture mortalities on the Asian in the upper Gulf of California to avoid the entanglement of sub-continent, similar devastating effects would also be seen Vaquitas in artisanal gillnets. Overseen by the SSC Chair’s on vultures in Europe as a result of use of the drug. A call was Office, the letter involved the Cetacean Specialist Group, made to the European Commission to revoke the licensing of senior Mexican colleagues, the Mexican State Member and diclofenac for veterinary purposes in Europe and to spearhead the IUCN Regional Office for Mexico, Central America and the a global effort for its worldwide ban for veterinary use. The Caribbean (ORMACC). It was co-signed by IUCN’s Director letter was drafted by the SSC Chair’s office in collaboration General and Simon Stuart. A response was received on with the Vulture Specialist Group. It was reviewed by the 11 March from Minister Luis Fueyo Mac Donald, the Mexican Wildlife Health Specialist Group, the IUCN office in Belgium, National Commissioner, which stated that there would be RSPB (as the BirdLife partner engaged in this issue), the a temporary suspension of gill net fishing in the Upper Gulf Vulture Conservation Foundation and the CMS Poison of California over the next two years, in an area comprising Working Group. The Commission responded rapidly, agreeing 1.3 million hectares; a two-year compensation programme to submit a request for scientific advice on the possible for fisherman who are forced to give up their gill nets and long effects of veterinary medicines containing diclofenac on lines; encouragement of the development of new fishing gear necrophagus birds to the European Medicines Agency’s and improved inspection and surveillance to be developed (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use with the Department of the Navy, National Commission of ahead of its September meeting. The EMA expected to issue Aquaculture and Fisheries, and the Federal Attorney for and publish its advice by December 2014. The SSC remains Environmental Protection with the collaboration of the people actively engaged in this issue since a ban has not yet (fishermen). IUCN continues to closely monitor the situation been implemented. and a response to this strategy is currently being drafted. 2 IUCN Species Annual Report 2014 on high-level Interventions Hydropower dams in Yô Grande Environmental concerns Initiated by the SSC Stork, Ibis and Spoonbill associated with expansion Specialist Group, and some NGO Members of of the Suez Canal IUCN, the Director General and Simon Stuart In September 2014, the SSC Invasive wrote to the Prime Minister of the Democratic Species Specialist Group (ISSG) requested Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe the possibility of IUCN intervening on the expressing concern that the proposal to build three expansion of the Suez Canal in Egypt. The expansion has the hydroelectric plants in Yô Grande River, in the district of Caué, potential to cause severe environmental impacts on the entire would seriously impact the rich and unique biodiversity Mediterranean Sea, associated with increased opportunities (including many endemic species) in the area. If built, the for invasion by species from the Red Sea and Indian Ocean. plants would destroy the habitat of two endemic and Critically The existing Suez Canal is considered to be one of the most Endangered birds, the Sao Tome Grosbeak (Neospiza significant pathways of marine invasions globally and has concolor) and the Dwarf Olive Ibis (Bostrychia bocagei). São already led to the introduction