Establishment of the IUCN SSC Penguin Specialist Group

GARCÍA BORBOROGLU, PABLO; BOERSMA, DEE; CHIARADIA, ANDRE; ELLIS, S., SEDDON, P., SIMEONE, A., TRATHAN, P., WELLER, L. WIENECKE, B.

Cape Town

Congreso; II World Seabird Congress; 2015

World Seabird Union

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission (SSC) has recently approved the establishment of a Penguin Specialist Group (PSG). This group arose because a core of enthusiastic experts from around the world, active in penguin conservation and research, were keen to contribute their ecological and biological knowledge to further the conservation of all 18 species. The Global Penguin Society (GPS) fostered the initiative by engaging individuals and organizations to promote its establishment. Simon Stuart, Chair of the SSC, appointed Dee Boersma and Pablo Borboroglu (Popi) to serve as Co-Chairs for the group. Globally thousands of species are on the edge of extinction and threats to biodiversity are rapidly escalating. Penguins are amongst the most endangered taxa with 2/3 of penguin species on the IUCN red list, making the PSG very timely. The PSG seeks to address international conservation issues (e.g., the illegal traffic of penguins, oil pollution, and negative interactions with fisheries in national and international waters). The PSG synthesizes information on penguin biology to inform conservation actions. It will assist BirdLife International in the revised Red Listing of penguins. The GPS provides financial support and is seeking further support from other national and international organisations involved in penguin conservation, research and/or advocacy. The group hopes to foster stronger global collaboration from all sectors of society in the conservation of penguins.