International Union For Conservation of Nature

International Union For Conservation of Nature and Climate Change and Impact.

1. ECOLOGY
AND
ENVIRONMENT
INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR
CONSERVATION OF NATURE
(IUCN)
JAYAKRISHNA

2. The International Union for Conservation
of Nature (IUCN)

IUCN is a membership Union composed of both government and civil society organisations.
It harnesses the experience, resources and reach of its more than 1,300 Member
organisations and the input of more than 15,000 experts. This diversity and vast expertise
makes IUCN the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures
needed to safeguard it.
IUCN is a democratic Union that brings together the world’s most influential organisations
and top experts in a combined effort to conserve nature and accelerate the transition to
sustainable development.

IUCN's headquarters are located in Gland, Switzerland, in one of Europe's greenest office buildings:
the IUCN Conservation Centre.
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3. The Commissions focus on :
driving change through leading communication, learning and knowledge
⇒ CEC – Commission on Education and Communication
promoting ecosystem-based approaches for the management of landscapes and seascapes,
⇒ CEM – Commission on Ecosystem Management
harmonising nature conservation and the critical social, cultural, environmental, and economic
justice concerns of human societies.
⇒ CEESP- Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy
influencing, encouraging and assisting societies to conserve biodiversity by building knowledge
on the status and threats to species
⇒ SSC – Species Survival Commission
advancing environmental law to strengthen the legal foundations of conservation of nature and
sustainable development
⇒ WCEL – World Commission on Environmental Law
developing knowledge based policy, advice and guidance on the full suite of issues surrounding
protected areas
⇒ WCPA – World Commission on Protected Areas
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4. IUCN World Conservation Congress
It’s the worlds largest congregation of Scientists, more than 10000 scientists all over the
world will attend the meeting every four years.

postponed

In light of the on going COVID-19 pandemic, the International Union for Conservation of
Nature (IUCN) and the Government of France have decided to postpone the IUCN World
Conservation Congress 2020 in Marseille to 3-11 September 2021 from its original date of
11-19 June.


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5. JAYAKRISHNA
List of critically endangered species in India as per IUCN Red List 2019-2022

The list of critically endangered species in India from various categories are given
below:

Critically Endangered Mammals
Pygmy Hog
Andaman White-toothed Shrew
Jenkin’s Andaman Spiny Shrew
Nicobar White-tailed Shrew
Kondana Rat
Large Rock Rat or Elvira Rat
Namdapha Flying Squirrel
Malabar Civet
Sumatran Rhinoceros
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Critically Endangered Birds
Aythya Baeri
Forest Owlet
Great Indian Bustard
Bengal Florican
Siberian Crane
Spoon-billed Sandpiper
Sociable Lapwing
Jerdon’s Courser
White-backed Vulture
Red-headed Vulture
White-bellied Heron
Slender-billed Vulture
Indian Vulture
Pink-headed Duck
Himalayan Quail
Critically Endangered Reptiles
Gharial
Hawksbill Turtle
River Terrapin
Bengal Roof Turtle
Sispara day gecko
Critically Endangered Fishes
Pondicherry Shark
Ganges Shark
Knife-tooth Sawfish
Large-tooth Sawfish
Narrow-snout Sawfish
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7. JAYAKRISHNA


IUCN Conservation Plan


The strategy for the conservation of nature by IUCN is as follows:

Assess – Focus on monitoring species and informing the world about the status and trends of biodiversity,
thus providing measures for the protection of our biosphere.

Plan – Aims to enhance collaborative and science-based strategies to ensure the most effective species
conservation actions.

Act – Improve the status of biodiversity, by mobilizing actions involving governments, educational
institutions, civil society, and the private sector.

Communicate – The effectiveness of IUCN’s species conservation work is enhanced through strategic and
targeted communications. Only for [email protected]

8. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
                                 The IUCN Red List of Threatened Specie is the
world's most comprehensive inventory of the global
conservation status of plant and animal species. It uses a set
of quantitative criteria to evaluate the extinction risk of
thousands of species. These criteria are relevant to most
species and all regions of the world. With its strong scientific
base, The IUCN Red List is recognized as the most authoritative
guide to the status of biological diversity.
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10. THREATENED SPECIES OF INDIA

Critically Endangered

Himalayan Brown/Red Bear
• Distribution: Nepal, Tibet, north India,
and north Pakistan.

• Threats: loss of suitable habitat and
Persecution by humans.
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11. Pygmy Hog

Is the world’s smallest wild pig. This
species constructs a nest throughout the
year.

• Habitat: Relatively undisturbed, tall
‘terai’ grasslands.

• Distribution: Previously spread across
India, Nepal, and Bhutan. Now only
found in Assam
(Manas Wildlife Sanctuary and its buffer
reserves).
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12. Namdapha Flying Squirrel

• It is a unique flying squirrel that is
restricted to a valley in the Namdapha National
park and Wild life sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh.

• Distribution: Found only in
Namdapha Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh.

• Threats: Hunted for food
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13. Malabar Civet

• It is endemic to India and was first reported
from Travancore, Kerala.

• It is nocturnal in nature and found
exclusively in the Western Ghats.

• Habitat: Wooded plains and hill slopes of
evergreen rainforests.

• Habitat/distribution: Western Ghats.

• Threats: Deforestation and commercial
plantations are major threats.
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14. Sumatran Rhinoceros

• It is the smallest and most endangered
of the five rhinoceros species. It is now
thought to be regionally extinct in India,
though it once occurred in the foothills
of the Himalayas & north-east India.

•The other Rhino species are:
Javan Rhinos
African White Rhinos
Indian One horned Rhinos
African Rhinos.

• Threat: Poaching, loss of habitat.

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15. Kashmir stag/ Hangul

• It subspecies of Red Deer which is native to
India.

Habitat: Dense riverine forests, high valleys, and
mountains of the Kashmir valley and
Chamba district in Himachal Pradesh.

• State animal of Jammu and Kashmir.

• Threat: habitat destruction, over-grazing by
domestic livestock, and poaching.
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16. Peacock Tarantula
It is also called as Gooty sapphire ornamental,
is an Old World species of tarantula.

It is the only blue species of the genus
Poecilotheria.
Like others in its genus it exhibits an intricate
fractal-like pattern on the abdomen.

The species' natural habitat is deciduous forest
in Andhra Pradesh, in central southern India.

The Habitation is the Nallamala forest area.

It has been classified as Critically endangered by
the IUCN.
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17. The Jerdon’s Courser

• It is a nocturnal bird found only in the state of Andhra Pradesh in
peninsular India Sri Lankamaleswara Wildlife Sanctuary.
Sri Lankamalleswara Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary headquartered in Kadapa,
Andhra Pradesh, India. It is the only habitat in the world which provides home for the
Jerdon's courser, a highly endangered bird species

• Habitat: Undisturbed scrub jungle with open areas.

• Distribution: Jerdon’s Courser is endemic to Andhra Pradesh.

• Threats: Clearing of scrub jungle, creation of new pastures, growing of dry land crops,
Illegal trapping of birds, plantations of exotic trees,
quarrying and the construction of the River Canals.
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18. White-bellied Heron

Distribution: Extremely rare bird found in five
or six sites in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh,
one or two sites in Bhutan, and a few in
Myanmar.

• Habitat: Rivers with sand or gravel bars or
inland lakes.

• Threats: Loss and degradation of lowland
forests and wetlands through direct exploitation and
disturbance by humans.
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19. Endangered Species
Indian Wild ass
• Distribution: Mostly occurs in Rann of Kutch
region.

• Population steadily increasing.

• Today, its last refuge lies in the Indian Wild Ass
Sanctuary, Little Rann of Kutch.

• Threat – Diseases, habitat degradation due to salt
activities, Invasive species Prosopis juliflora shrub,
and encroachment and grazing by the Maldhari.

•Breeding is done in captivity
at Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Tamil Nadu.
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20. Indian Pangolin
Of the eight species of pangolin, the Indian
Pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) and (Chinese
Pangolin M. pentadactyla) occur in India.
• Indian Pangolin is a large anteater covered
dorsally by 11-13 rows of scales.
• The species is understood to occur in various
types of tropical forests as well as open land,
grasslands and degraded habitats, including in
close proximity to villages.
• Indian Pangolin is widely distributed in India,
except the arid region, high Himalayas and the
North-East.
• It can be found at elevation up to 2500 m.
• The species also occurs in Bangladesh,
Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
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21. JAYAKRISHNA
• Major threats to pangolins in India are hunting and poaching for local consumptive use
(e.g. as a protein source and traditional medicine) and international trade, for its meat
and scales in East and South East Asian countries, particularly China and Vietnam.

Every year the third Saturday of February month is celebrated as World Pangolin Day. The
Tenth World Pangolin Day is being celebrated on February 15, 2021.
The numbers of Pangolin is rapidly declining in Asia and Africa. This is mainly because
Pangolin scales are rich in medicinal properties.

Recently, China had found that Pangolin scales can be used to treat Corona Virus
infections. As Pangolins numbers are declining greatly, the Madhya Pradesh Forest
Department has radio-tagged Indian Pangolins for the first time to learn their ecology. Only for [email protected]

22. Red Panda
• Status: Moved from Vulnerable to
Endangered recently.

• Red panda is endemic to the
temperate forests of the Himalayas.

• Habitat: Sikkim and Assam, northern
Arunachal Pradesh.
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23. Lion-tailed macaque


Endemic to the Western Ghats.
• Avoid human presence and they do not live,
feed or travel through plantations.

• Habitat: Evergreen forests in the Western
Ghats range.

• Threat: Habitat fragmentation due to
spread of agriculture and tea, coffee, teak
and cinchona, construction of water
reservoirs and human settlements to support
such activities.
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24. Nilgiri Tahr

• The Nilgiri tahr is the largest of
the three tahr species, inhabit
montane grasslands of Western
Ghats.

It is the state animal of Tamilnadu.

• Threats: Habitat loss,
overgrazing, illegal
hunting.
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25. Vulnerable Species
Indian One Horned Rhinocers

Habitat: Found only in the tall grasslands and
forests in the foothills of the Himalayas [Terai
region].
• National Parks: Kaziranga National Park,
Pabitora wildlife sanctuary, Manas National
Park, Assam.
• Status in the Wild: Moved from Endangered
to Vulnerable.
• Threat – Oriental belief that its horn, among
other parts, has medicinal properties, habitat
loss, habitat fragmentation.
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26. Dugong

Threat: hunting (meat and oil), habitat
degradation, and fishing-related fatalities
• Dugong belongs to manatees species.
• Habitat: India seas near shore waters of
Gulf of Mannar, Gulf of Kachchh and
Andaman and
Nicobar Islands, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of
Mexico, the Amazon Basin, and West Africa
• Threat: Coastal development, red tide,
hunting.
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27. CITES
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora,
also known as the Washington Convention is a multilateral treaty to protect endangered
plants and animals. It was drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting
of members of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The convention was opened for signature in 1973 and CITES entered into force on 1 July
1975. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants
does not threaten the survival of the species in the wild, and it accords varying degrees of
protection to more than 35,000 species of animals and plants.

To undertake scientific and technical studies, concerning norms for appropriate preparation
and shipment of living specimens and means of identifying specimens. CITES works by
subjecting international trade in specimens of selected species to certain controls. All import,
export, re-export and introduction from the sea of species covered by the Convention has to
be authorized through a licensing system.
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28. Functions:

To distribute information which will facilitate identification of specimens of species
included in the appendices;
Information relevant to several or all parties
Proposal to amend appendices
Reference material or news of a new parties.
To coordinate and service the working of the convention.
To arrange meeting on the conference of the parties and service those meeting
To assist in the fields of legislation, enforcement, science and training.

CITES vision statement

Conserves biodiversity and contributes to its sustainable use, by ensuring that there is no
wild fauna or flora that becomes or remains subject to unsustainable exploitation through
international trade, so contributing to a significant reduction in the rate of loss of
biodiversity.
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29. APPENDICES I, II AND III

Animal and plant species threatened with extinction have been subdivided into the
Convention, which is based on the assessment of the biological situation of animal and
plant species, in three categories and listed in three "Appendices".

• Appendix I includes heavily threatened species of extinction for which trade is
strictly prohibited. It includes numerous species of animals and plants, from the
African elephant to the anthropomorphic monkeys, from sea turtles to numerous birds
of prey.

• Appendix II includes species whose trade is regulated to avoid exploitation
incompatible with their survival.

• Appendix III includes species protected by individual states to regulate exports from
their territories
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30. CITES Strategic Vision:2008-2020

General introduction The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
(CITES) was concluded on 3 March 1973. It entered into force after ratification or accession by 10 States, on 1
July 1975.
Conference of the Parties Capable of adapting to changing circumstances Adoption of Resolutions and Decisions
Solution to increasingly complex wildlife trade and conservation problems.
In 1994 Commissioned a review of the convention’s effectiveness
• Identify deficiencies and requirements necessary to strengthen the Convention
• Help plan for the future
In 1997 Action Plan for implementing findings and recommendations of the review, adopted in 2000 with
Strategic Vision through 2005 His validities were extended to the 2020 Included amendments to contribute to
the achievement of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity, 2011-2020.
2016 Adopted amendments to contribute to the achievement of the agenda 2030 sustainable Development
Goals.
Takes into account issues as Contributing to the UN Millennium Development Goals Conservation of wildlife
Strategic plan biodiversity 2011-2020 Involve civil society in the development of conservation policies and
practices Agree coherent, international and scientific approach To protect any species from unsustainable
international trade Cultural, social, economic factors Play in producer and consumer countries
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31. JAYAKRISHNA
CURRENT AFFAIRS

The recent Conference of Parties COP 18 held in August 2019 at Geneva, Switzerland. India,
being a CITES Party, actively prohibits the international trade of endangered wild species and
several measures are in place to control threats from invasive alien species.

India has proposed to remove Rosewood (Dalbergia sissoo) VU from Appendix II of CITES.
The species grows at a very fast rate and has the capacity to become naturalised outside its
native range, it is invasive in other parts of the world as well.

India has also proposed to transfer 0

small clawed otters (Aonyx cinereus), VU
smooth coated otters (Lutrogale perspicillata), VU
Indian Star Tortoise (Geochelone elegans) VU

from Appendix II to Appendix I, thereby giving more protection to the species. Only for [email protected]

32. JAYAKRISHNA
The proposal also includes inclusion of

Gekko gecko (LC)and Wedgefish (Rhinidae) (CR) in Appendix II of
CITES.

The Gekko gecko is traded highly for Chinese traditional medicine.



The government of Panama has offered to host the 19
th
Meeting
of the Conference of the Parties to CITES (CoP 19) in Panama City
in November 2022.
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33. JAYAKRISHNA
TRAFFIC

The Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network, is the leading non-governmental organisation
working globally on the trade of wild animals and plants in the context of both biodiversity
and sustainable development. It was founded in 1976 as a strategic alliance of the World Wide
Fund for Nature (WWF) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The organisation's aim is to ‘ensure that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to the
conservation of nature’. It states that through research, analysis, guidance and influence, it
promotes sustainable wildlife trade ( green stream work) and combats wildlife crime and
trafficking (the red stream work).
•Founded in 1979, TRAFFIC's headquarters are located in Cambridge, United Kingdom, with
offices located in 15 strategically important locations in Africa, Asia,
the Americas, Europe and Oceania. Operations are supported over the globe in countries
ranging from Madagascar and Japan to Iceland through collaboration projects with other
non-profit organisations and governments. Only for [email protected]

34. JAYAKRISHNA
TRAFFIC

Wildlife trade is one of the world's most pressing conservation challenges, affecting
hundreds of millions of people and thousands of wildlife species.

The mission is to ensure that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to the
conservation of nature

TRAFFIC is a leading non-governmental organisation working globally on trade in wild
animals and plants in the context of both biodiversity conservation and sustainable
development.

TRAFFIC's work involves research, publication of influential reports, projects, education,
outreach and advocacy on the issue of wildlife trade. TRAFFIC focuses on leveraging
resources, expertise and awareness of the latest globally urgent species trade issues. Only for [email protected]

35. JAYAKRISHNA
TRAFFIC India’s on-going projects include study on Leopard and Tiger poaching and trade in
India, peacock feather trade, owl trade, dynamics of hunting community, trade in medicinal
plants, bird trade and more.
Awareness generation:

“Don’t Buy Trouble” is one of TRAFFIC India’s first consumer awareness
campaign that advises tourists to be careful of what they buy as souvenirs during their
travels.

The campaign has been running successfully since 2008 at airports, Tiger
reserves, national parks, wildlife resorts/hotels, travel agencies, schools, colleges and
other prominent locations. Only for [email protected]

36. JAYAKRISHNA
TRAFFIC’s latest campaign is the WANTED ALIVE series on the four Asian big cats- Tiger,
Leopard, Snow Leopard and Clouded Leopard—all of them threatened by illegal trade in
their body parts.
Encouraging international collaborations to fight wildlife crime:

TRAFFIC played a key role in bringing together the South Asian countries to form the
South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN).

SAWEN was formally established at an inter-governmental meeting hosted in Paro (a
town in Bhutan) by the Royal Government of Bhutan, in January 2011.
The main aim of this initiative is to have the countries collaborate and cooperate to
fight wildlife crime in the region Only for [email protected]