Progress towards the achievement of Target 12 by the
Friends of Target 12, June 2014
Alliance for Zero Extinction Partnership (AZE)
Of the 587 Alliance for Zero Extinction sites harbouring the last remaining population of an
Endangered or Critically Endangered species, nearly half have some level of protection. Meanwhile,
230 sites in 39 countries do not overlap any protected areas, and should be prioritised for immediate
protection as a contribution to Aichi targets. Safeguarding these small areas that collectively span
only 93,000 km2 is an effective strategy to halt the extinction of hundreds of imperilled species (Hsu
et al, 2014).
Amphibian Survival Alliance (ASA)
In 2013 the Amphibian Survival Alliance made a bold move to align our vision with that of Target 12 We envision a world in which the extinction of known threatened species of amphibians has been
prevented and their conservation status, particularly of those most in decline, has been improved
and sustained.
Target 12 now underpins our every action as an Alliance. As we move forward we are eager to
engage with other active Friends of Target 12 to increase our collaborative impact under this
initiative. Over the course of the next two years we will be investing in the conservation of a range of
species at priority sites around the world. With the launch of the Leapfrog Habitat Conservation
Fund a multimillion-dollar annual habitat conservation fund, we are now well positioned to help our
partners drive forward vital conservation efforts. Some of the projects already supported by
Leapfrog are highlighted below and many more are still to come.
In addition to habitat protection, the Alliance has been actively funding work to reduce the negative
impact of diseases and exotoxins to amphibians and with this being the 50th year of The IUCN Red
List, we are actively fundraising for the upkeep of the amphibians on The IUCN Red List while directly
supporting the reassessment of species affected by our projects.
 Amphibian Red List Authority
The IUCN SSC Amphibian Red List Authority (Amphibian RLA) is the branch of the Amphibian
Specialist Group (ASG) responsible for maintaining the amphibian extinction risk assessments on The
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
To equip our new partner institutions and new individual RLA members to update amphibian
assessments, remote training on the Red List methodology and associated tools was completed by
23 Amphibian RLA members, 10 interns and two Amphibian RLA institutional partners from 2013 to
date. In addition, four Red List training workshops were conducted in 2013-early 2014, both directed
at RLA members (Sydney, Australia and Chengdu, China) and the wider scientific community
(Salvador, Brazil and Iquitos, Peru).
To facilitate collaboration between RLA members and the wider herpetological community on the
assessment or reassessment of amphibian species, the Amphibian RLA launched a new and
improved Amphibian Assessment Forum online platform. This tool was developed in collaboration
with ASG and iNaturalist. Four regional or national-themed forums are already in place, with an
additional two in the process of being set up for Panama and the Philippines. The Amphibian RLA is
exploring the development of more forums as more working groups are set up and new institutional
partners join the Amphibian RLA.
Last year saw a total of 412 amphibian extinction risk assessments and reassessments submitted and
published on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. A total of 205 amphibian assessments and
reassessments have already been submitted for Red List version 2014. While this is a significant
improvement from previous years, the work is far from over. The number of reassessments that
need to be completed by the end of 2014 is well over 4,400. This high number is due to the 10-year
lifespan of IUCN assessments, and most amphibian assessments were published in the 2004 Global
Amphibian Assessment initiative. In addition, over 800 newly described species also need to be
assessed for the first time.
 Habitat Protection
A consortium of partners including the Amphibian Survival Alliance, Rainforest Trust (RT), Global
Wildlife Conservation (GWC) and the American Bird Conservancy (ABC) came together to enable
local partner Fundación Jocotoco to purchase 6,100 acres of critical wildlife habitat in Antisana,
Ecuador. Previously, Fundación Jocotoco had purchased Sunfohuayco, an adjoining property of close
to 6000 acres. The mammoth property acquisition will create a permanent refuge for three
threatened species of frogs from the genus Pristimantis found nowhere else and the largest
population of Andean Condors in the Northern Andes.
The 6,100 acre property, called Hacienda Antisanilla, was acquired to complete a project by the
Ministry of Natural Resources of Ecuador, Fundación Jocotoco, the Municipality of Quito, and the
Quito Water Authority that will both protect endangered species and secure an important source of
drinking water for Ecuador’s capital city. The total protected area by this group amounts to
approximately 270,000 acres.
Antisana is of critical global importance for biodiversity and highlighted as an Alliance for Zero
Extinction site due to the presence of no less than three species of threatened frogs – Pristimantis
acerus, Pristimantis ignicolor, and Pristimantis lividus - found nowhere else. Sadly, the Jambato Toad
(Atelopus ignescens), once common in Antisana, has already gone extinct.
Another notable conservation success for amphibians is the Sierra Caral of Guatemala. In May of
this year, Guatemala’s National Congress created the Sierra Caral National Protected Area, making it
the nation’s first federally protected area to be established in seven years. The core of the new
47,000-acre protected area is the Sierra Caral Amphibian Conservation Reserve.
The Sierra Caral, an isolated mountain range near Guatemala’s Caribbean coast, is not only home to
many endemic species, but is also a natural corridor and meeting place for many North and South
American species.
The protected area provides habitat for a dozen globally threatened amphibians – five found
nowhere else in the world – and three species of threatened birds. Scientific explorations in the
Sierra Caral have resulted in discoveries of new beetle, salamander, frog, and snake species.
A consortium of more than twenty international conservation groups, led by GWC, partnered with
FUNDAECO to raise the funds needed to purchase the original amphibian reserve. Critical support
also came from the Amphibian Survival Alliance, Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act,
Rainforest Trust, International Conservation Fund of Canada (ICFC), American Bird Conservancy, and
Conservation International, among others.
 Important Amphibian Areas
The goal of Important Amphibian Areas (IAAs) is to identify, protect and manage a global network of
sites important for the long-term persistence of amphibian populations across their natural ranges.
It is a systematic approach to identify those sites that contribute significantly to the maintenance of
amphibian diversity, and for which a site-based approach is appropriate - similar to BirdLife’s
successful IBA program. The sites are a subset of Key Biodiversity Areas and follow the same
methodology, only restricted exclusively to amphibian species.
We are developing the IAA concept together with IUCN, which is developing new standards for KBA
definition, and BirdLife, which currently curates the existing KBA-IBA database. We have discussed
with AmphibiaWeb the possibility of using their mapping skills to set up an online IAA catalogue,
aided by the California Academy of Sciences and the University of Trier.
Bern Convention (Council of Europe)
In the framework of its Programme of Activities for 2013-2014 the Convention on the Conservation
of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern Convention) has carried out a series of activities
targeted at assisting its 51 Contracting Parties in their work towards reaching Aichi Target 12, and
namely:
 Combating wild-bird crimes through prevention, investigation and prosecution of illegal
killing, trapping and trade of wild birds
Illegal killing, trapping and trade of wild birds are among the main causes of human-driven mortality
of migratory birds. Concerned by the extent and negative trends of these activities in the European
continent, in 2011 the Bern Convention promoted the organisation of the first "European
Conference on illegal killing of birds" (Larnaca, Cyprus), delivering the so-called “Larnaca
Declaration” to promote a “Zero tolerance approach toward illegal killing of birds” - as well as
Recommendation No. 155 (2011) on the illegal killing, trapping and trade of wild birds.
In order to move forward from the “vision” set in Larnaca to the “Action” and concrete
implementation, the Parties to the Bern Convention met again in Tunis, in 2013, and prepared the
“Tunis Action Plan for the eradication of illegal killing, trapping and trade of wild birds, 2013-2020”.
The Tunis Action Plan has been then adopted by the Standing Committee through Recommandation
No 164 (2013) on the implementation of the Tunis Action Plan 2013-2020 for the eradication of
illegal killing, trapping and trade of wild birds. The Action Plan foresees the setting-up of concrete
tools in the field of enforcement of legislation, biological matters, institutional aspects, and
awareness and education. The implementation of the Action Plan started already this year with,
among others, the setting-up of a European Network of Special Focal Points for illegal killing,
trapping and trade of birds in charge of sharing experiences and knowledge, ensuring synergies at
national and international level among all relevant bodies, identify the most suitable interlocutors
and experts for each of the specific issues related to wild-bird crimes. The Action Plan receives the
support and contribution of other Multilateral Environmental Agreements, the European Union,
INTERPOL, BirdLife International and the European Federation of Association for Hunting and
Conservation (FACE). The progress in the eradication progress is monitored by the Bern Convention’s
Group of Experts on the Conservation of birds. More information:
http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/cultureheritage/Nature/Bern/Meeting_072011_en.asp
 International Species Action Plans: European Action Plan for the recovery of the Osprey
(Pandion haliaetus)
Following the conclusions of an international “Workshop on the recovery and reintroductions of the
Osprey in Europe” (France, 2013), and noting that the species already disappeared as a breeding bird
from over fifteen European countries, the Standing Committee to the Bern Convention
commissioned this year the drafting of An action Plan for the recovery of the Osprey. The Action
Plan will mainly focus on the recovery of the species but will also consider the opportunity of
reintroductions based on careful studies, depending on the situation of the species in given
countries. The final aim of the Action Plan will be to improve the conservation status of this flagship
species. The Action Plan will be presented to next Standing Committee meeting (Strasbourg, France,
2-5 December 2014)
 Conservation of native plants and animals
The Bern Convention continues to be actively involved in the work towards preventing, minimising
and arresting the negative impacts of invasive alien species (IAS) on Europe’s native flora and fauna.
In the past five years the Standing Committee to the Bern Convention has commissioned and
endorsed a number of targeted Codes of Conduct, IAS and activities such as Horticulture, Zoos and
Aquaria, Botanic Gardens, Hunting, or Pets.
The Convention is now working on other pathways related namely to recreational fishing as well as
to management of protected areas and IAS. These codes of conduct are a useful tool for increasing
awareness on the impact of IAS and federating the efforts of a wide range of stakeholders (including
the business sector) through voluntary, sound and specific measures.
More information: http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/cultureheritage/nature/bern/IAS/default_en.asp
 Guidance on Fungi-gathering and biodiversity
The European Charter on Fungi-Gathering and Biodiversity was prepared in cooperation with IUCN
Sustainable Use and Livelihoods Specialist Group to address recreational and commercial gathering
of wild and indigenous fungi in Europe, in accordance with the inspiring principles of the Bern
Convention. The Charter contains a non-binding set of principles and guidelines based on common
principles and good practices for sustainable gathering of fungi species in Europe. The Standing
Committee to the Bern Convention has adopted the Charter at its 33rd meeting (3-6 December 2013)
through its Recommendation No. 168 (2013) on the European Charter on Fungi-Gathering and
Biodiversity.
BirdLife International
Over 1,300 (one in eight) bird species are threatened with extinction, including 197 Critically
Endangered species. BirdLife’s Preventing Extinctions Programme was launched in 2008 in response
to this crisis, to deliver conservation action – underpinned by science – where it is most needed. The
development of two communities plays a central part in the Programme: BirdLife Species Guardians
– experts who take the lead in conserving threatened species in their country; and BirdLife Species
Champions – organisations or individuals who raise awareness of and fund the vital conservation
that is so urgently required.
In its first six years, the Programme has already begun to turn the tide by taking action for 40% of all
threatened species and 67% of all Critically Endangered species with known populations. Nearly all
of BirdLife’s 122 national Partners have implemented projects to improve the fortunes of threatened
bird species, with 85 BirdLife Species Champions committing their support, and 46 BirdLife Species
Guardians so far appointed to lead efforts to save 59 Critically Endangered and 11 Endangered
species.
Of the 115 Critically Endangered species with known populations for which BirdLife has taken action
since 2008, 80% are judged to have benefited. Of those benefiting, 20% are judged to have improved
in status, and 63% are considered to be declining less rapidly; for the remaining 17%, their status is
unchanged, but would have deteriorated without action. For example: habitat restoration has led to
an increase in the population size of Azores Bullfinch; Asian vultures are benefiting from a ban on
veterinary use of the drug diclofenac; Tahiti Monarch has benefited from the control of invasive
alien rats; encroaching scrub has been cleared from grasslands supporting Liben Lark in Ethiopia; and
a State Park has been designated in Brazil, protecting almost the entire population of Restinga
Antwren.
BirdLife reassessed the status of all bird species (more than 10,000) for the 2012 IUCN Red List, and
will do so again in 2016.
The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA)
The reported annual financial contribution of BIAZA members to biodiversity conservation has risen
to nearly £13 million based on our latest calculations. However we expect this to be an
underestimate that doesn’t fully account for the zoo ex situ conservation spending, for which we are
now making revised estimates. This funding contributed to at least 733 projects in collaboration with
371 partner organisations during the most recent year of available data. Activities carried out
between these projects included biodiversity conservation research/monitoring, education, habitat
conservation, livelihood development, reserve management, conservation breeding, animal
reintroduction, engagement with policymakers, and environmental sustainability.
Guidelines have also been produced for all BIAZA zoos on species and habitat management,
sustainability, site management for native species and biodiversity action planning for native
wildlife.
BIAZA zoos also reached more than 21 million annual visitors and more than 1.3 million school
children, through information signage, talks, shows and social media, and national curriculum-based
taught sessions.
In addition, a number of parliamentary events in 2014 will strengthen relationships with MPs and
policy makers, and BIAZA continues to be a strong voice in legislative decisions relating to
biodiversity.
Chico Mendes Institute for Conservation of Biodiversity, Ministry of
Environment of Brazil (ICMBio)
Brazil has more than 13% of the world's biota (Lewinsohn & Prado 2005), a characteristic that
inspired the conception of a megadiverse country (Mittermeier et al.1997). To promote the
conservation of biodiversity and work towards Aichi Target 12 (T12); the Ministry of Environment
mandates to the Chico Mendes Institute for Conservation of the Biodiversity (ICMBio) to promote
and execute programs of research, protection, preservation and conservation of the biodiversity,
especially endangered species.
Understanding the conservation status of biodiversity is the basic starting point for a robust planning
of measures that must be taken to reduce the extinction risk of species and ensure their survival.
The assessment led by the ICMBio, covers all vertebrate animals and a number of invertebrates,
considering their ecological, economic and social importance, following IUCN guidelines.
 Partial Results
Until 2014, the extinction risk of 7,647 taxa of the Brazilian fauna was validated, being 6,809
vertebrate and 838 invertebrates. To reach this number, 55 assessment workshops and two
validation workshops were performed, with the participation of 929 researchers. The remaining
vertebrate species and other groups of invertebrates are currently being assessed and the results
will be published in the coming years.
Among the invertebrates, species from five taxonomic groups have been assessed and by the end of
2014, individuals from 15 other groups will have been assessed. The assessment of all vertebrate
groups is currently in progress and will be complete by the end of 2014.
Among the 7,647 taxa, 131 were identified as non-eligible for the Brazilian assessment, being
categorized as Not Applicable (NA) because they occur marginally in the national territory or present
occasional records.
The larger part of the assessed taxa (71.74%) is not in any category of threat, being categorized as
Least Concern (LC). The taxa which were categorized in any category of threat correspond to 11.58%
of the total assessed, and a small fraction (3.1%) qualifies as Near Threatened (NT).
With the result of this evaluation there is the indication that 1051 species are threatened in Brazil.
This total includes the 886 species assessed as threatened by ICMBio and the 165 taxa of the official
list of threatened species which did not have their status reviewed by ICMBio.
 Species Conservation
The Brazilian strategy to achieve T12 involves the proposal to have all threatened species under a
“protected regime”, meaning it is either present in a protected area and/or has action plans in place.
From the 1,051 threatened taxa, 472 are contemplated or predicted to be included in a PAN, and
636 have been recorded in at least one Protected Area. Several taxa occur in Protected Areas and
also have an action plan. In total, 769 have a conservation strategy. The 282 species which do not
currently have a defined conservation strategy must be a priority in the near future, with the
implementation of at least one of the protection measures. The categories of extinction risk indicate
which species require urgent action.
IUCN SSC - Antelope Specialist Group
The IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group co-organised, facilitated or participated in strategic planning
workshops for four Critically Endangered antelopes; worked with government departments in Eritrea
and Iran on planning for antelope conservation; provided project / grant support for two Critically
Endangered antelopes and several less threatened species; carry out reassessments of the status of
120 antelope taxa for The IUCN Red List (ongoing).

Worked with Department of Environment (Iran) on status assessment, conservation
planning for antelopes in Iran.

Worked with Forestry and Wildlife Authority (Eritrea) on status assessment, conservation
planning for antelopes in Eritrea.

Co-organised conservation strategy workshop for Western Derby Eland Tragelaphus
derbianus derbianus (Critically Endangered), Senegal.

Co-organised conservation strategy workshop for Dama Gazelle Nanger dama (Critically
Endangered).

Facilitated planning workshop on Mountain Bongo Tragelaphs eurycerus isaaci (Critically
Endangered).

Participated in CMS workshop on Saiga antelope Saiga tatarica (Critically Endangered),
Kazakhstan.

Provided project and/or grant application support for Hirola Beatragus hunteri (Critically
Endangered) and Giant Sable Hippotragus niger vardoni (Critically Endangered).

Reassessing the status of 120 antelope taxa for The IUCN Red List (ongoing).
IUCN SSC - Grasshopper Specialist Group

268 Red List assessments for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ from 2012-2014

Successful intervention concerning a planned project of the French Armée to build new
weapon storages in the habitat of the Crau Plain Grasshopper (CR species)

Strategic Conservation Planning Workshop for the Crau Plain Grasshopper

Research on the ecology of Red-List Orthoptera on the Canary Islands and Seychelles

Successful translocation of the Mercury Islands Tusked Weta (CR species – possibly EW)
The Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network (WFEN)
The Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network has made significant progress in its commitment to Friends
of Target 12 by signing on Stella McCartney Ltd as a Founding Corporate Member of WFEN. Stella
McCartney is the first global fashion brand to support the development of Wildlife Friendly®
products helping both people and the planet.
WFEN Corporate Members are committed to creating beautiful products that are made in a manner
that respects the producers, land, and wildlife. In addition, WFEN and its members work to empower
and educate consumers to create change on the ground by providing a market incentive for farmers,
ranchers, artisans and local communities to improve their production practices for threatened and
endangered wildlife around the world.
WFEN and its Certified Wildlife Friendly® and Predator Friendly® certification programs represent
grassroots conservation heroes from around the world including two World Bank Development
Marketplace Award winners, a U.N. Equator Prize winner, leadership in the world’s marketplace for
REDD+ Carbon Offsets, a Time Hero for the Planet, and a National Geographic Big Cats Initiative
grantee. Certified Wildlife Friendly® products contribute to the conservation of over twelve million
hectares of diverse wetlands, forests, and grasslands; protect keystone endangered species in Asia,
Africa, and Latin and North America, including the Snow Leopard, Elephant, Cheetah, Spectacled
Bear, and Wolf; and benefit over 200,000 people through increased food security, income and
employment. For more information visit: www.wildlifefriendly.org
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
 The IUCN Sampled Red List Index for Plants
Plants are poorly represented on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Only approximately 6% of
the estimated 380,000 vascular plant species have been assessed globally making a response to Aichi
Biodiversity Target 12 a challenge. In the absence of this comprehensive assessment, an alternative
approach is to take a random sample of plants and undertake repeat assessments of the sample
over time to detect changes in threat status. Through this approach we can provide an overall view
on whether threatened plants are moving closer to extinction of whether conservation interventions
are causing an improvement in status. In a collaborative effort between the Royal Botanic Gardens,
Kew and the Natural History Museum, London, the IUCN Sampled Red List Index (SRLI) for Plants
project gives, for the first time, an accurate view of how plants are threatened across the world.
Species assessed for the CBD meeting in 2010 are now published on the global IUCN Red List
website, with the headline figure of 1 in 5 species of plants threatened. Several scientific articles are
in press or being submitted for publication in 2015 and this will establish an important baseline from
which changes can be measured.
 Where do we go from here?
Ongoing research and data collection will reveal even more information on the status and trends of
the world’s plants. For the Convention on Biological Diversity ‘Aichi’ Biodiversity Targets of 2020, we
aim to reassess the SRLI species as part of an ongoing global monitoring effort, so threats and trends
can be understood. An extensive global network of botanists, academics and conservationists needs
to be mobilised to establish an international monitoring scheme. Species will be reassessed in the
field as part of ongoing monitoring efforts so threats to plant survival can be understood and
documented as well as the overall trend in the status of plants over time.
 The Global Strategy for Plant Conservation Target 2 - An assessment of the conservation
status of all known plant species, as far as possible, to guide conservation action
The Global Strategy for Plant Conservation is a CBD process acting in parallel with the Aichi targets
and many are aligned. Target 2 of the GSPC to be delivered by 2020 is closely aligned with Aichi
Target 12 and any progress on one target will be mutually beneficial to the other. Kew is coordinating a baseline response to Target II by compiling conservation assessments from existing
datasets. This will be followed by a triage approach to identify a subset of species that are classified
as ‘Threatened’ or ‘Possibly Threatened’ so that they may be prioritised for full Red List assessments.
 Other Red Listing activities
Kew is also actively involved in other regional or taxonomically focussed projects aiming to generate
baseline Red List assessments for example in the UK Overseas Territories, Peru drylands, Cameroon
and Guinea, the Palms in Madagascar and UK Fungi.
Technology to expedite the process of Red Listing plants is much needed and Kew has led on
developments such as GeoCAT, a web-based tool for rapid, data driven Red List assessments. Also,
Kew initiated a project to deal with batch transfer of assessments from external systems to the IUCN
SIS system, the completion of which should help achieve a spike in global plant assessments as many
assessments presently exist in other systems.
Kew is helping to build a strong foundation of Red List knowledge by supporting Red List training,
hosting at least one course annually and often undertaking courses in partner countries, helping to
strengthen Red Listing capacity.
San Diego Zoo Global
San Diego Zoo Global is committed to saving species worldwide by uniting our expertise in animal
care and conservation science with our dedication to inspiring passion for nature. We are helping to
lead the fight against extinction, one species at a time. Outlined below are some key examples of
the progress that we have made in the past year toward achievement of Target 12: “by 2020 the
extinction of known threatened species has been prevented and their conservation status,
particularly those most in decline, has been improved and sustained.”
 Mountain yellow-legged frog recovered after wildfires.
In 2002, fewer than 200 mountain yellow-legged frogs were left in the streams of Southern
California's mountains. Four years later, a group of tadpoles was rescued from fire-damaged habitat
and brought to the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research. A team from San Diego Zoo
Global, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Forest Service and
California Department of Fish and Wildlife worked together to reintroduce and re-establish a wild
population in the San Jacinto Mountains. Reintroduced males are now beginning to show signs of
breeding behaviour and scientists hope to see wild-hatched frogs in this area for the first time in 20
years.
 Tecate cypress preserved for the future.
San Diego Zoo Global partnered with The Nature Conservancy, the Bureau of Land Management,
and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to preserve the Tecate cypress, a conifer found in
Southern California and parts of Baja California, Mexico. Numbers of this noble tree have declined
rapidly in the past decade. Plant ecologists collected seeds from one of the last remaining cypress
stands in California and established a nursery to produce seedlings. Thousands of seeds were frozen
and placed in the Native Plant Gene Bank at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, protecting the species
from loss by wildfires in the future and providing a critical resource for future restoration efforts.
 Wild-hatched condors now in Baja California, Mexico.
Overall, the California Condor Recovery Program now produces 12 to 15 chicks produced annually in
the wild. Combined with birds raised in managed care, over 50 condors join the species count each
year. In Baja California, Mexico, where San Diego Zoo Global is leading the recovery effort, the first
released condors have become parents, with two chicks successfully fledged last year. As more wild
condors transfer to natural foods and lead poisoning becomes better controlled, a full recovery of
this iconic species could be achieved over the next decade.
 Baby pocket mice born.
In an emergency rescue effort, 30 Pacific pocket mice founders were brought to the San Diego Zoo
Safari Park. Housed and monitored at an off-exhibit area, this endangered species, an important
seed disperser in its habitat, bred for the first time in 2013 and produced 16 offspring, which are
now part of 2014 breeding efforts. Eventually, these young mice will be released into coastal habitat
to bolster the remaining critically endangered wild population.
 Island iguana population growing.
Twenty years ago, Anegada iguanas were declining and in serious danger of extinction due to the
heavy predation of juvenile iguanas by feral cats. Scientists from the San Diego Zoo Institute for
Conservation Research partnered with the Fort Worth Zoo and the British Virgin Islands National
Parks Trust in 1997 to begin raising hatchlings on Anegada Island until the juveniles were large
enough to survive in the wild. To date, 179 headstarted iguanas have been released on Anegada
Island, nearly doubling the size of the wild population.
 Gorillas protected in the wild.
Ebo Gorillas were identified in 2002 by San Diego Zoo Global researchers in Cameroon's Ebo forest.
Numbering less than 25 animals, the gorillas are isolated from the 2 currently recognized western
gorilla subspecies and may represent a unique form of gorilla. In 2012, the San Diego Zoo's Central
Africa Program established the Clubs des Amis des Gorilles (Gorilla Guardian Clubs) in two villages
located less than two miles from the gorillas' habitat. The groups actively work to monitor and
protect the rare population.
 First captive breeding of mangrove finch.
The mangrove finch is the most threatened bird in the Galápagos Islands. Threats to the remaining
60 to 80 birds include introduced rats, cats, and disease, with the most deadly hazard being botfly
larvae, which infest nests, overtaking and eventually killing chicks. San Diego Zoo Global is partnering
with the Charles Darwin Foundation and the Galápagos National Park to employ hands-on
techniques to nurture eggs and then chicks until they are large enough to avoid botfly infestations.
To date, 15 chicks have been raised and released into the mangrove forest on Isabela Island.
 Rare Hawaiian bird ready for reintroduction.
In 1994, the ‘alala (or Hawaiian crow) population dipped to just 20 birds and the species is extinct in
the wild. San Diego Zoo Global's Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program has been working
with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Hawaii Division of Forestry and Wildlife to turn the
tide for this last corvid in the Hawaiian Islands. Thanks to the successful breeding program at our
Keauhou and Maui Bird Conservation Centers, the alala population has now increased to 108 birds
and there is now the possibility of releasing alala back into the wild in coming years.
 Little Green Guards Program expanded to Vietnam and Madagascar.
Founded in 2011, the Little Green Guards is a conservation education and outreach program for
children. In China, our focus has been in Guizhou province in the Fanjingshan and Mayanghe nature
reserve areas. Each reserve hosts a unique assemblage of flora and fauna. Fanjingshan is home to
the world’s only population of Guizhou snub-nosed monkeys, with fewer than 700 individuals
remaining. In Mayanghe, the main target for protection is the Francois langur. The existing
population of 400 represents about 60% of the entire global population. Because monkeys are wellliked by children, the Little Green Guards program is using primates as conservation ambassadors to
raise children’s awareness of wildlife and habitats. Over 800 primary school children and 1,800
families had benefited from our program. Starting this year, the program is being developed in
Vietnam for the protection of the endangered red-shanked douc langur, as well as in Madagascar for
the protection of the endangered indri and 12 other lemur species.
 San Diego Zoo Global joined the worldwide movement to promote sustainable palm oil.
As stewards dedicated to the conservation of wildlife around the world, San Diego Zoo Global
recognizes the devastating impact the palm oil industry is having on tropical forests worldwide. In
2013, San Diego Zoo Global joined the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). The RSPO was
formed in 2004 via the combined efforts of conservation organizations with the objective of
promoting the growth and use of sustainable oil palm. In joining the Roundtable, SDZG stands
alongside other conservation NGOs in helping to educate the broader community about the impacts
of palm oil on rare plants and wildlife. As only the second RSPO member with accreditation from the
Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), we are working with other organizations to foster an
awareness of environmental responsibility and conservation of natural resources in areas where
palm oil production has an impact.
 New translocation guidelines were developed to streamline the return of desert tortoises
to their native habitat.
Mojave Desert tortoises are facing many threats today, making recovery of this threatened species
especially challenging. Massive solar energy developments going up across the desert are just one of
the latest threats. The only way to save tortoises that are in the path of these developments is to
translocate them to other areas with suitable habitat, but concern over the possibility that these
translocations could result in the spread of disease has made it difficult to move the animals in a
timely manner. As a result, scientists at the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research
organized a disease risk analysis workshop to facilitate these desert tortoise translocations. A group
of experts was assembled by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Desert Tortoise Recovery Office to assess the
disease risks associated with these urgently needed translocations. The outcome is a new set of
recommendations that will significantly streamline the health screening process prior to any animal
movement. As a result, future tortoise translocations will be able to move forward quickly,
efficiently, and most importantly, safely, providing a brighter future for this threatened species.
 Camera trapping studies revealed the highest densities of jaguars ever documented in the
wild.
Seldom seen, jaguars specialize in hiding from prey and attacking by ambush. Until recently,
scientists were uncertain about how many remained. Camera traps have provided a window into
their world, rendering informative pictures of this shy, reclusive species in the wild. Scientists from
the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research tested various patterns of camera trap
deployment and discovered that previous studies of jaguars had greatly overestimated the number
of individuals present. We are currently using these new, improved methods to compare jaguar
densities in landscapes with different human use patterns. Thanks to methodological improvements
in camera trapping, we now have the tools to understand which human activities are compatible
with wildlife and which are not. Most exciting of all, we have found that the southwest Amazon in
Peru has the highest densities of jaguars yet documented.
World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA)
Aichi Biodiversity Target 12 of the United Nations Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020 states
that “by 2020 the extinction of known threatened species has been prevented and their
conservation status, particularly of those most in decline, has been improved and sustained”. Here, a
short overview is provided of the progress made by zoos and aquariums towards the achievement of
Target 12.
There were 68 species that underwent an improvement in conservation status according to an
assessment of the status of the world’s vertebrates on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
(Hoffmann et al. 2010; Science 330: 1503–1509), all but four due to conservation measures. For
these 64 species, conservation breeding was implemented as a major or minor conservation action
that led to an improvement during the period of change in 16 and three species, respectively.
Therefore, according to Hoffmann et al. (2010), 19 of the 64 species showing genuine improvement
in IUCN Red List status due to conservation measures benefitted from conservation breeding.
These figures were subsequently contested (Balmford et al. 2011; Science 332: 1149–1150) and
updated (Conde et al. 2011; Science 332: 1150–1151): there were 13 instead of 16 species identified
for which conservation breeding was implemented as a major conservation action. According to
Conde et al. (2011), for at least nine of these 13 species, zoos and aquariums also provided
substantial logistical, technical and/or financial support. Overall, it seems that conservation breeding
in zoos and aquariums has played a role in the recovery of one-quarter of those vertebrate species
whose threat status was reduced according to the IUCN Red List.
Breeding animals in human care followed by reintroducing them back into the wild was one of the
most frequently cited conservation actions that led to improvements in IUCN Red List status
(Hoffmann et al. 2010). For birds, conservation breeding and reintroduction helped prevent the
extinction of six out of 16 species that would probably have gone extinct in the absence of
conservation measures (Butchart et al. 2006; Oryx 40: 266–278). For mammals, conservation
breeding and reintroduction were more successful in improving conservation status than other
conservation actions (Hayward 2011; Biodivers. Conserv. 20: 2563–2573) and contributed to the
genuine improvement in IUCN Red List status of nine species (Hoffmann et al. 2011; Phil. Trans. R.
Soc. B 366: 2598–2610).
According to the above-mentioned evaluation (Hoffmann et al. 2010, 2011; Conde et al. 2011),
species previously classified as Extinct in the Wild that have improved in IUCN Red List status thanks
to the reintroduction of captive-bred animals include the Przewalski’s horse (Equus ferus
przewalskii), black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) and California condor (Gymnogyps californianus).
Thanks to the same conservation actions, the threat status of the Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx),
European bison (Bison bonasus) and red wolf (Canis rufus) was reduced from Extinct in the Wild
already before the time period considered.
There are 32 animal species currently classified as Extinct in the Wild on the IUCN Red List. Examples
include the scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah), Père David’s deer (Elaphurus davidianus), Guam
rail (Gallirallus owstoni), Wyoming toad (Anaxyrus baxteri), Yarqon bleak (Acanthobrama
telavivensis) and Socorro isopod (Thermosphaeroma thermophilum). Thirty-one of these species are
actively bred in zoos, aquariums and other animal propagation facilities, which prevent their outright
extinction; 17 species are managed in a studbook-based breeding programme. Zoological institutions
are uniquely placed to contribute to the conservation of species that are no longer found in the wild,
with reintroduction efforts using captive-bred animals already being implemented for those six
species classified as Extinct in the Wild mentioned above.
For more information on how zoos and aquariums are fighting extinction: Gusset, M. & Dick, G. (eds)
(2012) WAZA Magazine 13: Fighting Extinction. Gland: WAZA Executive Office, 41 pp.
Zoos Victoria
Native Species Recovery:
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Eastern Barred Bandicoot, Perameles gunnii (IUCN-EN) – 47 animals bred at Melbourne &
Werribee Zoos released at Woodlands Reserve, close to Melbourne. Zoos Victoria allocated
$800,000 to protect habitat and employ program management officer, significantly boosting
likelihood of recovery of this species in the wild.
Southern Corroboree Frog, Pseudophryne corroboree (IUCN-CR) – 387 eggs produced at
Melbourne Zoo and Healesville Sanctuary released at sites in Mt Kosiuszko National Park.
Together with Taronga Zoo in Sydney, these releases are critical to ensuring wild survival of
this species. Captive breeding success with this species was published in Amphibian-Reptile
Conservation at http://www.amphibian-reptile-conservation.org/
Northern Corroboree Frog, Pseudophryne pengilleyi (IUCN-EN) – 109 frogs bred at
Healesville Sanctuary transferred to Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve (Australian Capital Territory)
for release.
Orange-bellied Parrot, Neophema chrysogaster (IUCN-CR): 24 parrots bred at Healesville
Sanctuary released in south-west Tasmania, with post-release monitoring provided by ZV.
This release has increased the known wild population by more than 10%.
Tasmanian Devil, Sarcophilus harrisii (IUCN-EN): 8 devils bred at Healesville Sanctuary
released on Maria Island, Tasmania.
Baw Baw Frog, Philoria frosti (IUCN-CR): two egg masses collected on Mt Baw Baw and
raised at Melbourne Zoo. Tadpoles successfully metamorphosed and 60 young frogs
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developing well. This action is delivering a key objective in the Recovery Plan and already
adding to our knowledge of the behaviour of this cryptic and poorly-known species.
Helmeted Honeyeater, Lichenostomus melanops cassidix (IUCN-CR): 12 birds bred at
Healesville Sanctuary were released into Yellingbo Nature Reserve, Victoria, increasing the
wild population by almost 10%. ZV staff also contribute to ongoing monitoring of released
and wild birds.
Mountain Pygmy Possum, Burramys parvus (IUCN-CR): 13 possums bred at Healesville
Sanctuary released at Mt Buller, Victoria, one of only three remaining wild populations. The
release has boosted the wild population at that site by approximately 15%. Post-release
monitoring and ongoing captive research is provided by ZV staff.
Community Engagement:
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“Seal the Loop” community conservation campaign: 182 collection bins in place along the
Victorian coastline, with 59 Victorian communities coordinating collection of 10km of fishing
line per year (reducing impacts on marine wildlife). See http://www.zoo.org.au/getinvolved/act-for-wildlife/seal-the-loop
“Beads for Wildlife” community campaign: more than 900 north Kenyan families are being
supported through sales of bead products through Zoos Victoria (see
http://www.zoo.org.au/get-involved/act-for-wildlife/beads-for-wildlife ). This is benefitting
protection of wildlife and habitat, with Zoos Victoria also undertaking collaborative research
to quantify social and wildlife outcomes.
International Conservation Partnerships:
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Philippine Crocodile Recovery, Crocodylus mindorensis (IUCN-CR): Zoo Victoria collaborated
with field partner, Mabuwaya Foundation, to release 16 head-started crocodiles in
community-managed crocodile sanctuaries in Isabela Province, northern Philippines. Zoos
Victoria staff also worked with Mabuwaya to improve husbandry at the rearing station.
Deputy Director of the Mabuwaya Foundation, Marites Gatan-Balbas, received a Whitley
Fund for Nature Award at the 2014 awards ceremony in London in April - see
http://whitleyaward.org/winners/taking-local-action-to-save-the-worlds-rarest-crocodile/
“Kicking Goals for Wildlife”: as part of the partnership between Zoos Victoria and the
Northern Rangelands Trust in northern Kenya, ZV is working with people across the NRT’s
Melako Community Conservancy to roll-out an eco-social program designed to engage the
Conservancy’s warriors in conservation through sport - http://www.zoo.org.au/news/zoosvictoria-launch-kicking-goals-for-wildlife . The program is being launched to coincide with
the World Cup and will have measurable outcomes for people and wildlife, including Grevy’s
Zebra.