Species management

This book is a product of the Marine Conservation Sub-Committee, an advisory body on marine species issues within IUCN. The book features twelve stories of different ocean animals that highlight the latest issues in marine conservation. The tales in this exquisitely illustrated book are testament not only to the eccentricity of life in our oceans, but also the diversity of challenges and opportunities we face to conserve these marine marvels.

The combination of threats currently facing the remaining great apes requires immediate conservation action at all scales – from site-level initiatives, through national and regional strategies, to international conventions and action plans. This document outlines current approaches to great ape surveys and monitoring for field biologists, protected area managers, government wildlife departments and the conservation community at large.

The Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) currently includes three species of chondrichthyan fishes on its Appendices, in recognition of their unfavourable conservation status and need for concerted international conservation measures. The primary purpose of this study was to prepare a database of migratory chondrichthyan fishes (the sharks, skates, rays and chimaeras) and to use it to identify potential species that would benefit from a CMS listing.

Some of the most important decisions in wildlife management in Africa revolve around elephants. Where elephant densities increase the impact of elephants on their habitats and other species may also increase. Depending on local values and/or the land-use objectives, this impact is often seen as undesirable. Information about attempts to control wild populations of elephants is generally not readily accessible to the relevant managers and conservation authorities in Africa.

TRAFFIC's findings in this report provide strong evidence that China's trade ban has been effective at reducing the market for Tiger products, particularly traditional medicines. Still, illegal trade remains a threat. China's progress in Tiger conservation, especially Tiger trade, would almost certainly be undone if China's market for Tiger products were re-opened.

In some areas of western equatorial Africa, ape populations have declined by more than 50% over the last twenty years. By far the most serious short-term threats to apes in this region are poaching and disease epidemics. In the longer term, however, it is believed that habitat loss and disturbance will become as serious a threat as hunting and disease.

Amphibian populations are disappearing from habitats all around the world. The crisis caught us by surprise - and only now are we able to fully grasp the scope of the situation. Around a third of amphibian species are threatened with extinction - mass extinctions of this magnitude have not been seen since the time of the dinosaurs. The crisis shows us that the world has changed.

The Cross River gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli) is recognized by IUCN as Critically Endangered, and is the most threatened taxon of ape in Africa. Work during the last two decades has revealed that fewer than 300 Cross River gorillas may remain, spread across an area of about 12,000 km2. The outlook for these apes is far from hopeless, but a concerted and sustained effort will be required if their long-term survival is to be assured.