IUCN SSC Boa and Python Specialist Group

2019 Report

Tomás Waller

Chair Mission statement Network Tomás Waller (1) The Boa and Python Specialist Group (BPSG) Capacity building: train two BPSG members in mission is to provide expert opinion and scien- Red List assessments. Red List Authority Coordinator tific advice to IUCN and other conservation Membership: increase BPSG membership in Mark Auliya (2) organisations, government and non-govern- ’ range countries. ment agencies, applicable to the conservation Synergy: (1) keep participating in international Location/Affiliation of boas and pythons and in general. forums (e.g. CITES); (2) attend Southeast Asian (1) Fundación Biodiversidad, Buenos Aires, Conservation Alliance (SARCA) Steering Argentina Projected impact for the 2017-2020 Committee meetings. (2) Department of Conservation Biology Helm- quadrennium Communicate holtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, By the end of 2020, we envision: (1) an Communication: (1) increase frequency of Germany; Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum improved knowledge of the trade of South- Serpens newsletter to twice a year; (2) publish Alexander Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, 53113 east Asian ; (2) a change in the supply scientific and technical reports. Bonn, Germany chain of skins from Southeast Asian reptiles due Membership: improve communication with to a better interaction with traders and local membership. Number of members governments; (3) a substantial advance in CITES Scientific meetings: organise the first BPSG 91 provisions related to trade; (4) a better global members meeting. knowledge on the status of several threat- Social networks ened species but particularly of the Endangered Activities and results 2019 Facebook: IUCN Boa & Python Specialist Group Cropani’s Boa ( cropanii); (5) a signif- icant advance in Red List assessments of the Assess species in our remit; and (6) a more integrated Red List and communicated group which will redound in i. By the end of 2019, most of the species in our more effective conservation actions worldwide. remit (ca. 200 species) were already assessed under the IUCN Global Reptile Assessment Targets for the 2017-2020 quadrennium process, with the follow up of the BPSG Red List Authority Mark Auliya. A short list of 34 species Assess with outstanding issues were moved forward Red List: complete assessment of and and the full BPSG remit of species is estimated Pythonidae species. to be completed by early 2020. (KSR #1) Research activities: (1) develop a standard refer- Research activities ence for BPSG species ; (2) improve knowledge and status of Cropani’s Boa; (3) i. Bruno Rocha continued with the project develop research programmes on priorities “Building a Conservation Strategy for the established under Southeast Asian Reptile Cropani’s Boa (Corallus cropanii)”. The main Conservation Alliance (SARCA) cooperation. project activities in 2019 were public awareness and environmental education. Bruno expects Plan that education and awareness will increase the Planning: develop BPSG Strategy Planning. probability of detecting new specimens of this Proposal development and funding: increase elusive snake. (KSR #12) number of grants delivered. Mariano Barros and Juan Draque with Yellow Anaconda, Eunectes notaeus, Argentina Photo: Tomas Waller

Silver Boa, Chilabothrus argentum, Bahamas Conception Bank Photo: Graham Reynolds ii. Biological data collection continues under the SARCA Initiative for python species Boa constrictor occidentalis, Argentina Photo: Tomas Waller harvested in Indonesia and Malaysia. Several peer reviewed scientific articles were published on different aspects of the sustainability of the Communicate Acknowledgements trade on pythons from Southeast Asia, as a Communication We thank the following entities for supporting result of the research being conducted by BPSG i. A new issue of the BPSG newsletter Serpens, the work of the BPSG during 2019: IUCN Species members and led by Daniel Natusch. (KSR #32) Volume 7, Issue 1, was published and dissemi- Survival Commission, Fundación Biodiversidad, iii. The taxonomy of boas, pythons and their nated in April 2019. (KSR #28) CITES Secretariat, BSR and the Southeast Asian allies is very dynamic and attempting to have ii. Different scientific papers and reports Reptile Conservation Alliance (SARCA) member- a standard reference seems yet premature. were produced by the membership in 2019, ship. Thanks to Phil Bowles and Mark Auliya, Discrepancies (e.g. in Red List assessments) are which cannot be enumerated here. As a BPSG who did extraordinary work under the Global being solved on a case-by-case basis. (KSR #4) product, we highlight the document Harvest Reptile Assessment initiative and reviewing the Network monitoring of snakes in trade. A guide to wildlife assessments on behalf of the BPSG, respec- Capacity building managers, authored by several BPSG members tively. Thanks to Victoria Lichtschein, Daniel Natusch and Jess Lyons for their dedicated i. At least one additional BPSG member under the auspices of BPSG and SARCA, that service to the progress of the Group. completed the Red List assessment training in was published as Occasional Paper 65 of the 2019. IUCN Species Survival Commission. A humane treatment guidance was produced by SARCA Summary of activities 2019 Membership together with the Swiss Veterinary Office where i. Three new members were incorporated into Components of Species Conservation Cycle: 3/5 four BPSG members participated as authors and the BPSG in 2019. Assess 4 |||| the BPSG participated in the review: Welfare Synergy Principles for Snakes and Monitor Lizards in the Network 4 |||| i. In 2019, Daniel Natusch, as part of the IUCN Southeast Asian Skin Trade–a guide for stake- Communicate 2 || delegation, represented the BPSG at CITES-re- holders. (KSR #43) Main KSRs addressed: 1, 4, 12, 28, 29, 32, 43 lated meetings, including the 18th Meeting of KSR: Key Species Result the Conference of the Parties held in Geneva, 17–28 August 2019. (KSR #29) ii. Daniel Natusch represented the BPSG at different Southeast Asian Reptile Conservation Alliance (SARCA) meetings during 2019, both in person and remotely through Webex, as well at the SARCA Side Event at the 18th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES held in Geneva, 17–28 August 2019. (KSR #29)