THE WINDING ROAD of RED-LISTING REPTILES Search

THE WINDING ROAD OF RED-LISTING REPTILES Search... By Tandora Grant November 14, 2012

Posted in: Animals and Plants, Animals site sub feature, Conservation, Projects in the Field, Featured Latest Comments Tags Reptiles and Amphibians Rain in the Mojave Desert One of the iguanas I have worked closely with is found only on Grand Cayman 15 November 2012 11:11 AM | No Comments in the Caribbean. When I first started collaborating with the Blue Iguana Recovery Program in 1998, the speciesnumbers had declined to less than The Right Tools 25 in the wild, and they were classified as critically endangered. But what is 14 November 2012 3:20 PM | No Comments the difference between endangeredand critically endangeredor vulnerable? Weve all heard the terms, but what do they mean exactly? Elephant Names The worlds definitive standard on these terms comes from the International 14 November 2012 12:18 PM | 7 Comments Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the largest global environmental organization and professional conservation network. The IUCN developed the A young adult male The Winding Road of Red-listing Red List of Threatened Species, which is the most comprehensive database headstarted Jamaican iguana is Reptiles of the conservation status of plant and animal species worldwide. This tagged for short-term tracking 14 November 2012 9:55 AM | 1 Comment database documents a speciesbiology, research, threats, human use, and after release in the Hellshire conservation needs and actions, all of which are evaluated against a defined Hills. A Koala Kwest: Part 3 set of criteria to determine risk of extinction. Government agencies, educators, 06 November 2012 12:03 PM | 6 Comments conservation-based nongovernmental organizations, scientists, and others use the IUCN Red List to obtain information on the status of biodiversity, species, and ecosystems. This information is often used to enhance research, create national and international laws, and draw attention to global conservation needs and set Muddy Days in the Soil Lab priorities. 07 November 2012 9:22 AM | 3 Comments

Scientific experts for each species provide data and Panda Cub: Little Gift analysis to the Red List 13 November 2012 4:23 PM | 199 Comments database. When complete, the accounts are reviewed by two evaluators to ensure they conform to consistency Rain in the Mojave Desert standards. As program officer 15 November 2012 11:11 AM | No Comments for the IUCN Iguana Specialist Group, I have been working The Right Tools with our members to bring 14 November 2012 3:20 PM | No Comments existing assessments up to date and generate new entries for species that have not yet Elephant Names been evaluated. Progress on 14 November 2012 12:18 PM | 7 Comments this huge task has been great: Tandora stands at the visitor educational sign in front of the headstart facility at the we have completed 19 The Winding Road of Red-listing Hope Zoo in Kingston, Jamaica, where iguanas are raised until they are big enough assessments so far and have Reptiles to defend themselves against predators after release. Photo credit: Jaclyn Woods. 40 more to do. 14 November 2012 9:55 AM | 1 Comment

The process begins by gathering all known data on each iguana species; for example, how many eggs they lay and how often, the number of years it takes to reach sexual maturity, and how long they live. This information A Koala Kwest: Part 3 can help determine the number of years between generations and predict rates of growth or decline in the 06 November 2012 12:03 PM | 6 Comments future. We also characterize the habitat and calculate land-usage patterns by the iguanas where they live. All known threats are classified and scored by severity, scope, and timing, and whether they are subject to human Muddy Days in the Soil Lab trade or use. Lastly, we outline what conservation and research actions are currently in place for the iguanas 07 November 2012 9:22 AM | 3 Comments and where there are deficiencies that need to be addressed.

Once all the data has been Panda Cub: Little Gift http://blogs.sandiegozoo.org/2012/11/14/the-winding-road-of-red-listing-reptiles/ Page 1 / 3 discussed, we turn to the 13 November 2012 4:23 PM | 199 Comments IUCNs defined set of criteria for determining the level of extinction risk, if any. Species can be endangered for Mary from Brooklyn different reasons. If they only Panda Cub: Little Gift occur in a very small area, a Jan hope that Adelaide will have its own little gift in the single catastrophic event can coming year ... wipe them out. Or, they might still be found in several mosaic_world locations but are all Elephant Names experiencing a new and I guess that means all the baby ellies have gone through dramatic threat. Even a a naughty phase I ... widespread species that appears numerous might be Sally Bennett declining at a low level where We double-check the sex of a Jamaican iguana right before release to the Hellshire Panda Cub: Little Gift the number of deaths is Hills. Also in this photo is Byron Wilson, University of West Indies, who is head of First of all I am a big bear freak and have bears all over greater than the number of the field component for the recovery project. Photo credit: Jaclyn Woods my ... births. Nancy Burchard We developed a Species Recovery Plan to outline necessary action steps, including improving care and Panda Cub: Little Gift reproduction at the small breeding facility, protecting habitat, educating the public about controlling pet dogs, Awwww love it I miss da Sooperpanna ... and stressing the value of the iguana to the health of the forest and ecosystem. To date, we have released over 750 iguanas to three protected reserves. Because their numbers are now increasing, I am happy to report we have just published a new Red List assessment that down-lists this iguana to Endangered status! This significant milestone is certainly a morale booster for all the folks who work tirelessly to save iguanas. We can animals Bai Yun biomimicry make a difference! bird conservation Conservation desert tortoise You can read more about my work with the Grand Cayman Blue Iguana in the November calendar issue of ZOONOOZ, San Diego Zoo Globals member magazine, or by visiting the Blue Iguana Recovery Program Desert Tortoise Conservation Center website. elephant elephant keeper elephant odyssey Gao Gao Read a story about Maria, a wild Grand Cayman Iguana giant panda

giant panda research station Tandora Grant is a senior research coordinator for the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research. Read her previous post, Jamaican Iguanas Return Home. Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program Institute for Conservation Research RELATED POSTS Keauhou Bird Conservation Center keeper Maui Bird Conservation Center panda

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Tags: blue iguana, Iguana Specialist Group, Jamaican iguana, san diego zoo San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research San Diego Zoo's Institute for Conservation Research 1 Reader Comment San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park San DIego Zoo Global San Diego Zoo Institute for Reply Mae was from NJ Conservation Research Posted November 14, 2012 at 8:03 PM San Diego Zoo Safari Park Awesome results. Congratulations! San Diego Zoos Institute for Conservation From under 25 in the wild in 1998 to a release of 750 through 2012!! The Blue Iguana seems capable, with Research your groups assistance and protection, to repopulate the island. Although they dont have the fuzzy and soft sd zoo The Zoo Journal fur that makes most animals appealing, iguanas are very beautiful too. Thank you for your dedication and Wild Animal Park Yun Zi good luck in completing the remaining assignments.