IUCN/SSC Action Plans for the Conservation of Biological Diversity

In 2011, the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) convened conservation partners to develop a conservation action plan for great apes in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with financial support from the Arcus Foundation.

The new strategy aims to ensure the long-term protection of bonobos across their range through the implementation of conservation actions designed to reduce, and if possible eliminate, the direct threats and contributing factors that are causing bonobo populations to decline.

The eastern chimpanzee is classified as “endangered” and of global conservation concern. This publication offers a 10-year plan which, if fully implemented, will go a long way to ensuring the maintenance of viable populations of the eastern chimpanzee across much of its existing range.

Part 3 of the Antelopes, Global Survey and Regional Action Plans completes the coverage of the Ethiopian Fauna Region. What distinguishes this portion of the earth from others is the wealth of the megafauna, of which antelopes constitute a dominant component.

Many shark populations are in serious decline worldwide with little shark fisheries management in place.

The new Canid Action Plan synthesizes the current knowledge on the biology, ecology and status of all wild canid species, and outlines the conservation actions and projects needed to secure their long-term survival.

Wild chimpanzees are only found in tropical Africa, where their populations have declined by more than 66% in the last 30 years. This action plan focuses on one of the four chimpanzee subspecies, the western chimpanzee, which is one of the two subspecies most threatened with extinction.

Consistent evaluation and new recommendations for action are required of protective measures to address threats that were unrecognised or non-existent until recently. Global warming, noise pollution and reduced availability of prey are now of great concern.

The fourth part in a series of action plan, this publication covers less than one-quarter of the world's antelope species that are found in North Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

These species, a group of about 150 ground-dwelling gamebird, are found on every continent apart from Antarctica. They live in a wide variety of habitats from tropical forests, high-altitude alpine zones, temperate forests, open country, to desert environment.

As large ground-dwelling birds, pheasants are widely hunted for food, plumage and the live bird trade - consequently many species are threatened. They are largely dependent on forested habitats, making them highly vulnerable to deforestation and habitat degradation.

The West Indian Iguanas form a unique group of species inhabiting tropical dry forests throughout the Bahanas and the Greater and Lesser Antilles.

One threat to parrot arises from their attractiveness as "talking" companions to humans, leading to a high demand for trade that involves hundreds of thousands of birds annually on a global basis, and gives parrots a high monetary value.

The black and the white rhinoceros have become flagship species for international conservation. They are significant not only for the continuation of a major evolutionary heritage, but also as symbols for the protection of African savannahs.

The eight species of bear live in more than 65 countries or autonomous regions in four continents, in a variety of habitats from tropical rainforests to arctic ice. Numerous human cultures around the world symbolically or physically try to incorporate the power of bears into their people.

The first comprehensive treatment of North American rodents of conservation concern.

This reflects the ongoing activities of the Crocodile Specialist Group, providing the first application of the new 1994 IUCN Red List Categories to crocodilian status assessment.

Descended from a long and ancient lineage, tapirs are important tropical forest seed dispersers. However, today, all species of tapirs are threatened to various degrees by habitat destruction and hunting.

Dragonflies, those beautiful and colourful creatures which can often be seen hovering above water, pre-date dinosaurs. Today, some 5,000 species have been described and many more await discovery and description.

The Ethiopian wolf is one of many species endemic to the highlands of Ethiopia but with only about 400 adults remaining, it is also the most endangered canid in the world.

There are currently three species of Asian rhino: the Indian or greater one-horned Asian rhino, the Javan or lesser one-horned Asian rhino and the Sumatran or Asian two-horned rhino. Today, all three are threatened with extinction and two, the Sumatran rhino and Javan rhino, critically so.

Increasing demands on the world's natural resources pose a serious threat to palm biodiversity.

Effective habitat conservation is essential if wild populations of primates are to survive.