WWF International

There is today a growing awareness that many wetlands are more valuable in their natural, or only slightly modified state, than if drained, dyked or built upon. Past neglect of wetlands has meant that there is insufficient material available on policy guidance, planning techniques, or management methodologies for their conservation and sustainable use in different regions.

This Action Plan provides an overview of the state of knowledge about all species of lagomorphs, provides a contemporary framework about their importance to humans and the world’s ecosystems, reviews their status on a worldwide scale, and makes recommendations for conservation action to prevent the extinction of any lagomorph species and to allow their populations to recover to safe and production levels.

This Action Plan gives an overview of otter biology and the conservation issues that affect all 13 species, and also practical guidelines and cautions to those intending to pursue conservation projects on otters. The final chapter summarises the actions that need to be taken to conserve all species of otters worldwide for the long-term future.

This Action Plan considers elephant populations across Asia on the basis of size and provides recommendations to enhance their long-term survival. It also considers the management of elephants in captivity.

Given that the basis for improved management of elephants throughout Asia must be sound systematic scientific research, the Action Plan recommends a number of research projects that need to be carried out in the field.