Rodents a World Survey of Species of Conservation Concern

Rodents A World Survey of Species of Conservation Concern Edited by William Z. Lidicker, Jr. IUCN/SSC Rodent Specialist Group Occasional Papers of the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) No. 4 IUCN–The World Conservation Union IUCN Species Survival Commission Role of the SSC 4. To provide advice, information, and expertise to the Secretariat of the The Species Survival Commission (SSC) is IUCN's primary source of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna scientific and technical information required for the maintenance of biological and Flora (CITES) and other international agreements affecting conser- diversity through the conservation of endangered and vulnerable species of vation of species or biological diversity. fauna and flora, whilst recommending and promoting measures for their con- 5. To carry out specific tasks on behalf of the Union, including: servation, and for the management of other species of conservation concern. • coordination of a programme of activities for the conservation of Its objective is to mobilize action to prevent the extinction of species, sub- biological diversity within the framework of the IUCN Conserva- species and discrete populations of fauna and flora, thereby not only maintain- tion Programme. ing biological diversity but improving the status of endangered and vulnerable species. • promotion of the maintenance of biological diversity by monitoring the status of species and populations of conservation concern. • development and review of conservation action plans and priorities Objectives of the SSC for species and their populations. 1. To participate in the further development, promotion and implementation of the World Conservation Strategy; to advise on the development • promotion of implementation of species-oriented conservation of IUCN's Conservation Programme; to support the implementation of action plans and response to related issues. the Programme; and to assist in the development, screening, and moni- • provision of guidelines, advice and policy recommendations to toring of projects for conservation action. governments, other agencies and organizations with respect to conservation and management of species and their populations. 2. To maintain an international network of independent volunteer members selected for their expertise in species conservation and to provide a forum • periodic evaluation of the status of species and biological diversity for the exchange of views and scientific information on species and conservation initiatives. populations of conservation concern. 3. To cooperate with the World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC) in developing and evaluating a data base on the status of and trade in wild flora and fauna, and to provide policy guidance to WCMC. © 1989 International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Reproduction of this publication for educational and other non-commercial purposes is authorized without permission from the copyright holder, provided the source is cited and the copyright holder receives a copy of the reproduced material. Reproduction for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written permission of the copyright holder. ISBN 2-88032-971-X Published by: IUCN, Gland, Switzerland Printed by: Kelvyn Press, Inc., Broadview, Illinois, United States of America Cover photo: Sciurus niger avicennia, Fox squirrel. (Photo by Ralph Palmer) Rodents A World Survey of Species of Conservation Concern Based on the proceedings of a workshop of the IUCN/SSC Rodent Specialist Group held at the Fourth International Theriological Congress August 17, 1985 Edmonton, Alberta Canada Edited by William Z. Lidicker, Jr. IUCN/SSC Rodent Specialist Group Occasional Papers of the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) No. 4 IUCN–The World Conservation Union Contents Page Page Acknowledgements ii 8. Rodents of Conservation Concern in the William Z. Lidicker, Jr. Soviet Union Region 40 Viktor N. Orlov Introduction iii William Z. Lidicker, Jr. 9. A Tentative List of Threatened Rodents in China and Japan with Notes on their Distribution, 1. Threatened Rodents in the Northwestern Habitat, and Status 42 North American Region 1 Wang Sung, Zheng Changlin, and Tsuneaki Kobayashi Murray L. Johnson 10. The Status of Rodents in the Western 2. Rodents of Concern in Southwestern Asian Region 45 North America 4 Iyad A. Nader Joseph G. Hall 11. Rodent Conservation in the Indian 3. Rodent Species of Concern in the Eastern Sub-continent 48 North American Region 8 Ishwar Prakash Garrett C. Clough 12. Rodents of Conservation Concern in the 4. Endemic Rodents of the West Indies: Southeast Asian Region 51 The End of a Splendid Isolation 11 Illar Muul Charles A. Woods 13. The Rare and Endangered Rodents 5. The Conservation Status of South of the Australasian Region 53 American Rodents: Many Questions but John H. Calaby and Anthony K. Lee Few Answers 20 Eduardo Gudynas Appendix 1. IUCN Red Data Book Categories 58 6. A Preliminary Report on Threatened Appendix 2. Members of the IUCN/SSC Rodent Rodents in Europe 26 Specialist Group 58 Zdzislaw Pucek Appendix 3. Partial List of Regional 7. African Rodents of Special Concern: Collaborators 59 A Preliminary Assessment 33 Duane A. Schlitter Acknowledgements We are indebted to Professor William A. Fuller of the Univer- for their sustained support of the IUCN Species Survival Com- sity of Alberta, Edmonton for accommodating our request to mission, and to the American Association of Zoological Parks hold a workshop at the Fourth International Theriological Con- and Aquariums for their assistance with preparing this publica- gress. He and his Congress Organizing Committee gave us the tion. As former Chairman of the RSG, I would like to add my logistic support that we needed to make it all run smoothly. personal thanks to all members of the Group for their consider- Gren Lucas and Simon N. Stuart, Chairman and Species Pro- able efforts and cooperative spirit. Collectively, we kept each gramme Officer respectively of the Species Survival Commis- other motivated and dedicated to the formidable task before us. sion, encouraged us in the preparation of this report, and are responsible for its successful publication and distribution. Spe- cial thanks are due to WWF—The World Wide Fund for Nature William Z. Lidicker, Jr. ii Introduction This report has its origins in a workshop of the Rodent Specialist an attractive poster was prepared by J.S. Millar and J. N. Layne Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission held on 17 describing the RSG and its activities. The oral presentations, as August, 1985 at the Fourth International Theriological Con- well as the subsequent written reports included herein, clearly gress (ITC) in Edmonton, Alberta. The workshop represented reflect the uneven level of knowledge of rodents in different the culmination of more than five years of effort by the Rodent parts of the world, and also the uneven complexity of the rodent Group, and along with the publication of this report, also faunas in various regions. In preparing the reports, each marked the beginning of a new phase of Group operations. It Regional Coordinator was asked to: 1) discuss the general state seemed fitting that our first workshop on rodents of conserva- of knowledge regarding rodents in their region and any unique tion concern should be held in Canada, a country with a rodent problems characterizing the area; 2) list all rodents of conserva- for its national symbol. tion concern, identifying them by IUCN Red Data Book cate- The Rodent Specialist Group (RSG) was initiated in March gories (see Appendix 1); 3) identify priorities for action; and 4) 1980 by Professor Ken Myers, who was the chairman of the La- where possible propose action plans, preferably with multiple gomorph Specialist Group. He invited six of us (Hall, Johnson, options. As will be seen, it is possible in some regions to Layne, Schlitter, Taylor, and myself) to meet with him in June prioritize conservation problems and even to make a start at 1980 at the annual meeting of the American Society of Mam- developing action plans. In other regions, much more explora- malogists held that year at the University of Rhode Island. At tory research is needed before even a reliable species list can be this time, an organizational plan was made, recommendations compiled. It is our intent that this workshop report will stand as for additional members were assembled, and James N. Layne a statement of the current level of our knowledge of the conser- and I agreed to serve as co-chairmen of the new group. The vation status of rodents around the world. As such, it should membership of the Group was promptly expanded to its current also serve as a starting point for future efforts of this Group and 19 members (Appendix 2). Thirteen geographical regions of be a useful reference for others concerned with conservation the world were established (see Fig. 1), and a Regional Coordi- issues. nator appointed for each region. Group meetings were then held Is rodent conservation a viable issue? This is a question that each year through 1984 in conjunction with annual meetings of often emerges from discussions within our Group, and with the American Society of Mammalogists. Most of our business, other sympathetic colleagues. Merely considering the numbers however, was necessarily conducted by mail. Several meetings of species involved, rodent conservation should be a major were held in 1985 at ITC IV, and in these we were joined by component of conservation efforts. Yet generally speaking, Gren Lucas, Chairman of the Species Survival Commission. At rodents do not have the appeal of various larger and more the end of 1983, James Layne resigned as co-chairman, but for- charismatic species of mammals. In fact, rodents are com- tunately continues as a member of the Group. monly disliked and considered pests. They often are implicated The activities of the Group for March 1980 through June in damage to agricultural crops, or accused of transmitting 1983 have been summarized in a written report, so there is no zoonoses.

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