CROCODILE SPECIALIST GROUP _____________________________________________________________________________________ NEWSLETTER VOLUME 23 No. 1 ● JANUARY 2004 – MARCH 2004 IUCN - World Conservation Union ● Species Survival Commission The CSG NEWSLETTER is produced and distributed by the Crocodile Specialist Group of CROCODILE the Species Survival Commission, IUCN – The World Conservation Union. CSG NEWSLETTER provides information on the conservation, status, news and current events concerning crocodilians, SPECIALIST and on the activities of the CSG. The NEWSLETTER is distributed to CSG members and, upon request, to other interested individuals and organizations. All subscribers are asked to GROUP contribute news and other materials. A voluntary contribution (suggested $40.00 US per ____________________________ year) is requested from subscribers to defray expenses of producing the NEWSLETTER. All communications should be addressed to: Dr. J.P. Ross, Executive Officer CSG, Florida NEWSLETTER Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA. Fax 1 352 392 9367, ____________________________ E-mail <[email protected]>. VOLUME 23 Number 1 JANUARY 2004 – MARCH 2004 PATRONS We gratefully express our thanks to the IUCN−The World Conservation Union following patrons who have donated to the CSG Species Survival Commission conservation program during the last year. ____________________________ Big Bull Crocs! ($25,000 or more annually or in aggregate donations) Prof. Harry Messel, Chairman Japan, JLIA − Japan Leather & Leather Goods IUCN Crocodile Specialist Group Industries Association, CITES Promotion School of Physics Committee & All Japan Reptile Skin and University of Sydney Leather Association, Tokyo, Japan. Australia Mainland Holdings Ltd., Lae, Papua New Guinea. Heng Long Leather Co. Pte. Ltd., Singapore. EDITORIAL OFFICE: Reptilartenshutz, Offenbach am Main, Germany. Florida Museum of Natural History D. & J. Lewkowicz, France Croco et Cie-Inter Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA Reptile, Paris, France. Prof. F. Wayne King, Deputy Chairman Singapore Reptile Skin Trade Association, Dr. James Perran Ross, Executive Officer Singapore. Dr. John Thorbjarnarson T.C.I.M. – P. Roggwiller, Paris, France. Christine Housel, Publication Assistant Friends. ($3,000 - $25,000) Crocodile Farmers Association of Zimbabwe. Xiangjiang Safari Park , Guangzhou, China. Florida Alligator Marketing and Education COVER PHOTO. C. cataphractus in Council, FL, USA. Lake Divangui, southwest Gabon, Africa. Fur and Alligator Advisory Council of See pages 4-5 for a report on a brief population Louisiana, LA, USA. survey of these crocodiles. B. Barr photo. S. & J. Puglia, Alligator Adventure at Barefoot Landing, Myrtle Beach, SC, USA. National Geographic TV, Washington, DC, USA. Editorial Enrico Chiesa, Italhide S.R.L., Milan, Italy. CHANGES IN STORE FOR CSG. The Crocodile Supporters. ($1,000 - $3,000/yr) Specialist Group faces a period of change in the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay Inc., Las Vegas, immediate future. All CSG members were Nevada, USA. appointed by a letter from the Chairman in 2000 Dr. I. Lehr Brisbin, Savannah River Ecology to serve for the period until the next IUCN Laboratory, Aiken, SC, USA. World Conservation Congress. That Congress Phil Steel, Crystal River Alligator Farm, FL, will be held in Bangkok 17-25 November 2004, USA. at which time all Specialist Group members' Somkiat Wannawatanapong, Wabin Crocodile terms end, and are reviewed for re-appointment. Farm and United Leather Product Co. Ltd., This is an opportunity for the CSG to examine Thailand. member activities and introduce new blood and Newport Aquarium, Kentucky, USA. expertise. Over the next few months the Luis Martinez, Caicsa S.A. Colombian Reptiles, Regional Vice Chairs will review members in Medellin, Colombia. their sections and make recommendations for Alian Ruswan, Medan, Indonesia. renewal. Some time after next November, George Saputra, Indonesia. members can expect to receive notification of Wayne Sagrera, Vermilion Farms, LA, USA. their re-appointment. The next few months Rene Hedegaard, Danish Krokodile Zoo, would be a good time for members to Eskilstrup, Denmark. communicate with their regional Vice Chairs and advise them of their current interests and Contributors. ($500 - $1000) activities. Paul H. Slade, Nell and Hermon Slade Trust, This upcoming transition of membership will Mona Vale, Australia. be particularly important for CSG because our Terry Cullen, Cullen Vivarium, Milwaukee, WI, Chairman, Professor Harry Messel (whose term USA. also runs to November) has announced that he Mauri USA, Inc., New York, NY, USA. will not accept appointment for another term. Antonio Quero Alba, Eurosuchus S.A., Malaga, Therefore CSG will have a new chairman Spain. appointed by the Chair of IUCN’s Species Robert Young, Alligator Bob’s, Thonotosassa, Survival Commission in November and the new FL, USA. CSG chair will appoint/re-appoint members. Crocodile Management Association of Thailand. Professor Messel will make his recommendation Johan Jordaan, Zongwe Farming Enterprises, to SSC for his replacement and has asked the Zambia. Rachmat Wiradinata, PT Ekanindya Karsa, Steering Committee to advise him. The CSG Indonesia. Steering Committee, under the guidance of Rob Ferran, Micanopy, FL, USA. Deputy Chairman, Dietrich Jelden, has initiated Dr. Sam Seashole, Monks Corner, SC, USA. a open and transparent process and discussion to Biodiversa S.A., Cartagena, Colombia. solicit input and identify possible candidates. Dr. Michael Allen, Oxford, UK. The Steering Committee will discuss this at their J. & L. Ralston, Pearl Seacoast Cruises, meeting 24 May and make a recommendation to Australia. Professor Messel, who will in turn make a F. & S. Ricaurte, Eco-Caimen, S.A., Zoocriadero recommendation to SSC. We must recall that Lirica Ltd., Colombia. appointment of specialist group chairs is done by Z. Casey, Pelts & Skins LLC, Kenner, LA, USA. the Chairman of SSC and that our input, while Reptel. Madagascar. important, is advisory. The Steering Committee seeks to establish a broad consensus opinion on a suitable recommendation for our chairmanship and welcomes input from the membership on this important matter. Your thoughts can be transmitted to your regional vice chair or any 2 Steering Committee member (listed on back Australia—so this species is not threatened with page). The final decision will be announced in extinction globally (the Red List focus of November. attention). Yet throughout most of its range, the These changes pose a special challenge for saltwater crocodile is seriously depleted or the group. Change is always a little scary, but extinct and in need of conservation action. So also the opportunity to refresh and renew our should the global population be listed in the Red direction and commitment to crocodilian List as "critically endangered" or not threatened conservation. At this time it is particularly at all? important that we keep our patrons and Professor Nicholas Mrosovsky’s new book supporters fully informed and that they maintain on the IUCN Red List system examines this and their support of the Group’s work. The CSG has other problems in the Red List, using sea turtles been remarkably effective at addressing the as the main example. Like crocodiles, sea turtles interests of its diverse constituency and raising are long-lived and widely distributed reptiles, funds to support our activities. As we navigate with highly variable status between countries. through this challenging transition, open Thus many of the issues discussed with sea discussion, goodwill and trust will ensure that turtles are equally applicable to crocodilians. CSG’s strengths are maintained and our The book, "Predicting Extinction: Fundamental members and donors confidence supported. Flaws in the IUCN’s Red List System, — The Steering Committee of CSG. Exemplified by the Case of Sea Turtles" (ISBN 0-9734777-0-9), is readily available on the IUCN Marine Turtle Specialist Group website: Views & Opinions <http://members.seaturtle.org/mrosovsky/>. At the heart of Mrosovsky’s concern is FLAWS IN THE IUCN "RED LIST" CRITERIA? The that IUCN Red List of Threatened Species the science associated with the Red List (http://www.redlist.org) is one of the best known determinations should not be compromised by products of the SSC (Species Survival the desire to list species as "endangered" for Commission) and IUCN (International Union for advocacy reasons. The roles of science and the Conservation of Nature). Based on the best advocacy in conservation are often polarized, so available scientific evidence, the Red List is a Mrosovsky's concerns deserve serious attention. user-friendly guide to the species of wild plants There is at least one line of reasoning that and animals worldwide that the IUCN considers questions the role of science: Science is not to be threatened with global extinction. The Red going to be the deciding factor, or even a major List identifies taxa that we may lose completely player in the debate but rather the values, from the planet, unless something is done to opinions, and politics of the players. Scientists ameliorate the threatening factors. It is thus a will increasingly find that the issues will not be "call to action," and a remarkably effective one argued on their merits, and that the introduction within the international political arena. Some of scientific evidence will simply be ignored 7,000 scientists associated with the SSC are (Salzman, J. 1995. Scientists and advocacy.