Official IUCN publications

Wild caprinae, including sheep and goats, are an extremely valuable group of mammals. While most live in mountains, some inhabit desert grasslands, tropical forests or even arctic tundra. They range in size from the 30kg goral to the 350kg musk ox and display a variety of horn shapes and sizes as well as coat and body coloration. They are highly prized by hunters on account of their horns and their coats.

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. Although the Indian rhino is to be found in greater numbers than the other two, the threats to this species nevertheless remain significant.

The volume brings together contributions from experts from eastern and southern African countries. Papers cover a range of topics including the relevance of traditional practices, and of land, village and widlife laws and policies; case studies of different projects in Tanzania; and an overview of community-based conservation initiatives in five other African countries. Also includes recommendations from the workshop used to guide the preparation of new policy.

<p>In the mid-1980s, the IUCN Commission on Environmental Law, in consultation with leading experts from around the world, began to respond to a need later identified by Agenda 21 : the preparation of an integrated framework for international environmental law.