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and associated Facebook pages and Twitter accounts as
networking and information-sharing tools. The website serves
as an information hub for researchers, conservation
professionals and keen naturalists interested in the status of the
world’s small mammals. It promotes the work of some of our
global expert members investigating small mammal diversity
and working in remote places around the world to save the most
endangered species of small mammal. We started recruitment
of 10 Regional Chairs who will help drive the development of the
SMSG and ensure greater regional representation at the senior
levels of the group.
Finally, we are very grateful to the Durrell Wildlife
Conservation Trust, the Texas A&M University and the
Zoological Society of London for their generous support of the
SMSG.
Dr Richard Young and Dr Thomas E. Lacher, Jr
Co-chairs, Small Mammal Specialist Group
Snake and Lizard Red List Authority
In 2013, the Snake and Lizard Red List Authority focused on
reviewing IUCN Red List assessments resulting from Global
Reptile Assessment (GRA) workshops, and on submitting
species assessments with completed reviews, to The IUCN
Red List. A key element of IUCN’s strategic plan is to increase
the coverage of different taxonomic groups on The IUCN Red
List.
Just over 600 reptile species (including reassessments and
a small number of corrected assessments) were added to The
IUCN Red List in 2013, bringing the total number of reptiles on
The IUCN Red List to over 4,000 (over 40% of the global total)
for the first time. The majority of these species were included in
the first IUCN Red List update in 2013, and included the
majority of regional endemics from the 2012 GRA workshops
on the reptiles of Central America and West Africa.
Additionally, a number of recently-recognized, highly
threatened skinks from the Caribbean were both assessed and
reviewed through the RLA membership, and a moderate
number of species with outstanding queries following 2011’s
Western Ghats and Oceania workshops, were also added to
The IUCN Red List; completing these regions for the GRA (with
the exception of only individual species which remain under
review).
Philip Bowles
Chair, Snake and Lizard Red List Authority
Mexican Parrot Snake (Leptophis mexicanus). © Philip Bowles
Lane Snapper (Lutjanus synagris). © D. Synder
Snapper, Seabream, Grunt Specialist Group
(SSG SG)
Our mission is to achieve sustainable use and global
conservation of snapper, seabream, grunt, and associated
species through improved scientific knowledge, public
awareness, and optimized management decision-making. The
SSG SG is focused on completing IUCN Red List assessments
of over 500 species, as well as diverse conservation needs
and regional issues.
IUCN Red List assessments are now being conducted for
all snappers and grunts of the Mediterranean, East and West
Atlantic, and Arabian (Persian) Gulf (Lutjanidae and
Haemulidae, >80 species), as well as seabreams worldwide
(Sparidae, 136 species) and smaller families. Our group
members are currently working on Marine Protected Area
(MPA) and regulatory initiatives in some regions, with a focus
on conserving spawning aggregations using available data and
traditional ecological knowledge from fishers. Regional Red
Listing work includes European region (Mediterranean and
Atlantic coast of Europe and E Atlantic islands of Spain and
Portugal) – 30 species of Centracanthidae, Haemulidae,
Sparidae, (drafts completed in 2013); Northwest Atlantic
(Bahamas workshop in 2012); Eastern Atlantic (Ghana
workshop in 2013) and Arabian (Persian) Gulf (Qatar workshop
in 2013).
Dr Barry Russell and Dr Ken Lindeman
Co-chairs, Snapper, Seabream, Grunt Specialist Group
South American Camelid Specialist Group
(GECS)
Our mission is to promote the conservation and sustainable
use of (wild) South American Camelids in their area of
geographic distribution.
During 2013 we took part in several activities from the
international to the national level. At the international level, we
reviewed an IUCN/Traffic report on the transfer of the
Ecuadorian population of Vicuña (Vicugna vicugna) from
Appendix I to Appendix II. We participated at the IPBES
meeting on Contribution of Indigenous and Local Knowledge
Systems to IPBES: Building synergies with science. We
participated at the XXX Meeting of the Vicuña Convention, held
in Ecuador and contributed to the elaboration of resolutions.
After the meeting, we maintained collaborations with the Pro-
Specialist Groups, Task Forces and Red List Authorities
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