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Home , Siamese crocodile

IUCN SSC Specialist Group

2019 Report

Grahame J.W. Webb

Chair Mission statement international forums (e.g. CITES); (3) develop Grahame J.W. Webb (1) The Mission of the IUCN SSC Crocodile ‘CSG Conservation Priorities for World Croc- Specialist Group (CSG) is to assist the Interna- odilians’; (4) update the Crocodilian Capacity Red List Authority Coordinator tional Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Building Manual. James Perran Ross (2) and the Species Survival Commission (SSC) to Research activities: quantify taxonomic and meet their missions with regard to the conser- population status of the Rio Apaporis Location/Affiliation vation, management and sustainable use of (Caiman crocodilus apaporiensis, Colombia). (1) Wildlife Management International world crocodilians. Act Pty. Limited, Darwin, Australia Conservation actions: improve the status (2) Rocky Point Consulting LLC, Gainesville, Projected impact for the 2017–2020 of wild Siamese Crocodile ( Florida, US quadrennium siamensis) populations through reintroduc- tion programmes (, Viet Nam, and By the end of 2020, we envisage: (1) increased ). Number of members reintroductions and improved status of wild 642 populations of Critically Endangered (CR) Network crocodilian species (e.g. sinensis in Capacity building: (1) fund up to 20 postgrad- Social networks China, Crocodylus siamensis in Cambodia uate students per annum through the CSG Facebook: IUCN Crocodile Specialist Group and Thailand, C. mindorensis and C. porosus Student Research Assistance Scheme; Website: www.iucncsg.org in the Philippines, C. rhombifer in Cuba and (2) continue promoting the CSG Future Leaders C. intermedius in Venezuela and Colombia); Program. (2) improved legal protection status of habitat Communication: investigate the concept for C. siamensis and Tomistoma schlegelii in of a ‘Junior CSG’. Mesangat , , ; (3) Documents review: update the Best Manage- publication of ‘CSG Conservation Priorities for ment Practices for Crocodilian Farming. World Crocodilians’ and species action plans. Proposal development and funding: establish a fundraising advisory group. Targets for the 2017–2020 quadrennium Technical advice: develop an updated standard Assess reference source for crocodilian Red List: review and progress Red List assess- and phylogenetic relationships. ments for crocodilians. Communicate Plan Synergy: improve communication with the Planning: (1) update and review Species Action membership. Plans; (2) improve protection status of Lake Mesangat, Kalimantan, Indonesia, for Siamese Activities and results 2019 Crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) and False Assess Gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii). Red List Policy: (1) complete at least two country/ species reviews; (2) maintain involvement at i. Eight assessments were completed in 2018– 2019, bringing it to 25 total assessments to date. (KSR #5) Dr. Paolo Martelli, CSG Vice-Chair for Veterinary Science, discussing Capture training and processing hatchling Siamese (weight, crocodilian health assessment and disease diagnosis techniques measurements, tail notching, sexing and DNA sampling), part of WCS/FFI with participants during Kalimantan Crocodile Workshop partnering at FFI headstart facility at Phnom Tamao Zoo, Cambodia Photo: Bruce Shwedick Photo: Joe Rose

Plan breeding facilities for pure-bred individuals with Crocoddylus suchus and Caiman yacare Planning were expanded; industry has committed being proposed for endorsement, Caiman c. for testing and subsequent release. apaporiensis confirmed to be genetically indis- i. Eighteen Action Plans are completed or very near completion. (KSR #15) Thailand: A project for release of adult tinct from Caiman crocodilus. Information on C. siamensis has been developed, but consul- leptorhynchus and Crocodylus halli ii. The “Mesangat-Suwi Management Plan, tation with local communities continues (= southern population of Crocodylus novae- 2019–2023” was developed by the Indonesian before reintroductions can begin. (KSR #24) guineae) has recently been published. The status Regional Government. The Ecosystem Essential of most crocodilian species (including Caiman Area (EEA) Forum is now implementing activities Network crocodilus and Crocodilus acutus is in a flux from this plan. Although some level of protection Capacity building at this time, with cryptic species indicated or is afforded to the area, a stronger level of protec- i. Twenty-two students were funded through suspected, and will require significant review. tion is considered more desirable. (KSR #15) the CSG Student Research Assistance Scheme (KSR #26) Policy in 2019. A total of 175 students were funded in Communicate i. A project to update the status of Caiman the period 2009–2019. The number of students Synergy latirostris populations in Paraguay and Uruguay funded annually has doubled since the period has been underway since mid-2018, following 2009–2016. (KSR #17) i. An informal working group was established to review of the situation in Bolivia, Paraguay and ii. Five ‘Future Leaders’ attended CITES look at other media platforms for communica- Uruguay. (KSR #27) CoP18 and meetings of the CITES Standing tion between members. ii. CSG members attended the 18th meeting Committee, under mentorship of the CSG of the Conference of the Parties to CITES Chair and Deputy Chair. Terms of Reference Acknowledgements for the Future Leaders Program were drafted, (CoP18), as well as the 71st and 72nd meetings CSG wishes to acknowledge its CSG members, for dissemination to the membership for of the CITES Standing Committee. (KSR #26) who individually and collectively make an enor- review and comment. (KSR #17) iii. A final document on ‘CSG Conservation mous contribution to crocodilian conservation, Priorities for World Crocodilians’ relies on all Communication management and sustainable use, in line with CSG Action Plans being completed. (KSR #28) i. The Junior CSG programme is operating, but the IUCN and SSC mission statements. CSG also iv. Various proposed updates of the Croco- is focused in North America. Ways in which the wishes to thank the individuals and organisa- dilian Capacity Building Manual are currently concept can be extended more broadly to other tions that donate towards the operations of the being evaluated (Human-Crocodile Conflict). regions of the world are now being examined. CSG through the International Association of (KSR #26) Documents review Crocodile Specialists Incorporated. Research activities i. A review of humane slaughter methods was Summary of activities 2019 i. Taxonomic and population status of the Rio undertaken recently, but no update was found Apaporiensis Caiman (Colombia): The genetic to be required to the Best Management Prac- Components of Species Conservation Cycle: 5/5 tices for Crocodilian Farming manual at this divergence between Caiman c. crocodilus and Assess 1 | time. (KSR #25) C. c. apaporiensis was found to be very low Plan 7 ||||||| based on the mitochondrial genome, so there is Technical advice Act 1 | no significant differentiation that supports the i. Development of an updated standard refer- Network 5 ||||| division of these two subspecies. (KSR #43) ence source for crocodilian taxonomy and Act phylogenetic relationships is ongoing. The CSG Communicate 1 | Conservation actions Taxonomy Working Group continues its work, Main KSRs addressed: 5, 15, 17, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 43 i. Cambodia: Ten juvenile C. siamensis were KSR: Key Species Result released in the ; captive