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to be a catalyst, clearinghouse and facilitator for cetaceanrelated
research and conservation action. The advice it provides
relates mainly to the status of populations, abundance, trends,
current or potential threats, and the efficacy of protection
and mitigation. Emphasis is placed on recovery of Critically
Endangered and Endangered species, subspecies and
subpopulations. Two cetacean species and 16 subpopulations
are currently listed as CR; seven species and 10 subspecies or
subpopulations, as EN. The CSG also stresses the importance
of preventing declines in the first place. Most of the group’s
work centres on regions where capacity is limited and cetacean
populations are either poorly known or not being monitored
closely by governments or by the International Whaling
Commission (IWC).
A major change over the past year has been the retirement
of Bill Perrin after decades of outstanding accomplishment as
a scientist and conservationist. Bill chaired the CSG from
1984–1991 and spearheaded the group’s Red List
assessments until the summer of 2013, when he handed over
this responsibility to Barb Taylor, another long time CSG
member. We have begun planning and fundraising for the
required updating of cetacean species assessments over the
next year or so. In the meantime, progress has been made
towards assessing newly recognized species such as the
Bolivian Dolphin (in progress along with a new assessment of
its congener the Amazon dolphin or boto) and the two, rather
than one species of Finless Porpoise (both Vulnerable). The
Yangtze River subspecies, the world’s only freshwater
porpoise population, was listed as CR in 2013.
The Critically Endangered Vaquita, a porpoise endemic to
the northern Gulf of California, has been a focus of CSG
activities for many years. Mexico’s new president established
an Advisory Commission of the Presidency of Mexico for the
Recovery of the Vaquita soon after taking office in December
2012. Four CSG members constitute the scientific component
of this commission and they have been deeply involved in its
work throughout the past year. A ban on shrimp gillnetting, a
major vaquita bycatch threat, along with a shift to vaquita-safe
trawling gear is to be implemented within the next three years,
but it remains to be seen if this will be effective.
In March 2013 the CSG helped organize and conduct the
Third Southeast Asian Marine Mammal Symposium and
Workshop in Langkawi, Malaysia. This event provided
opportunities to share new information and data on national
and regional conservation problems as well as identify gaps
and ways to fill them. Workshop sessions on marine protected
areas (MPAs), strandings, acoustics, small-scale fishery
economics, bycatch and education were intended to improve
capacity in the region and better acquaint outside experts with
local perspectives.
Several CSG members were involved in the documentation
of a mass stranding of melon-headed whales in Madagascar in
2008 and later in the work of an independent panel to review
and analyze the possible causes. The widely publicized report
of the panel, released in September 2013, concludes that this
event was triggered primarily by acoustic stimuli, specifically a
multi-beam echosounder system operated by a survey vessel
working for an oil and gas company. This finding has major
implications because of the common use of high-frequency
mapping sonar systems by vessels from the military, the
hydrocarbon industry and various other marine industries.
Another important development in 2013 was the creation of
an IUCN Joint SSC/WCPA Marine Mammal Protected Area
Task Force (MMPATF), co-chaired by two CSG members. The
objectives of this Task Force are to promote effective spatial
solutions and best practices, bolster capacity in areas of need,
disseminate modern tools and methods, assist implementation
of global MPA targets and agreements, and enhance
opportunities for cooperation.
In recent years, major grants in support of field and lab
projects on at-risk cetaceans have been received from the
SOS coalition and the International Whaling Commission’s
Small Cetacean Conservation Research Fund.
More information on these and other activities of the CSG
is available here.
Dr Randall Reeves
Chair, Cetacean Specialist Group
Chameleon Specialist Group
The mission of the Chameleon Specialist Group is to improve
the conservation status and sustainable use of wild
chameleons. The group has 13 members, based in Cameroon,
South Africa, Madagascar, Europe and North America.
IUCN Red List assessments for 64 chameleon species
from East Africa have been submitted for review, and
assessments of a further seven species from Madagascar are
underway. We anticipate completing the Global Chameleon
assessment in 2014.
In 2013, we developed a Species Conservation Strategy for
the Critically Endangered Belalanda Chameleon in
Madagascar, and contributed to the assessments of
Chamaeleo, Trioceros and Kinyongia chameleon species
Vaquita. © Thomas Jefferson Trioceros cristatus. © Gonwouo Nono L.
Specialist Groups, Task Forces and Red List Authorities
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