IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group

More about the Specialist Group

Amphibians declines and extinctions have been an ongoing concern for decades, but it wasn’t until 2004 that we got a much clearer picture of the extent of the issue, when the Global Amphibian Assessment (GAA) provided the first comprehensive overview of amphibian extinction risk in the world. The results that emerged were nothing short of alarming, with one in every three amphibian species threatened with extinction and one in every four species with insufficient data to be adequately assessed. Following the GAA, the ASG was established in 2005 from the amalgamation of the Declining Amphibian Population Task Force (DAPTF) and the Global Amphibian Specialist Group (GASG).

The ASG has a global secretariat and relies on four pillars to advance its remit:

• Amphibian Red List Authority (ARLA): The ARLA is responsible for the update and maintenance of the amphibian database on the IUCN Red List. It is composed of the ARLA Coordinator and a small core team who work with volunteer ASG regional assessment coordinators around the world. The ARLA are currently working on the third Global Amphibian Assessment (GAA3).
• Regional Groups: These are the geographically-scoped groups of the ASG. There are currently 43 different regional groups which have been historically defined based on a combination of amphibian biodiversity and capacity in-region. Regional groups are very diverse and have different strengths and challenges. Each regional group is led by 1-2 chairs, who lead on the identification of priorities and organize their respective groups.
• ACAP Thematic Working Groups: Thematic Working Groups oversee the development and update of the Amphibian Conservation Action Plan (ACAP) and provide technical advice in their respective subject areas, which include aspects that range from threats to approaches to amphibian conservation. Led by 1-3 chairs, Thematic Working Groups act as ASG’s authorities in their specific thematic remit.
• Task Forces: These are groups of ASG members that have a specific taxonomic or thematic focus (different from ACAP-focused Working Groups) that aim to consolidate efforts and build knowledge to advance their respective study groups or themes. They are led by 1-2 coordinators.