More about the Specialist Group

The TFTSG provides expertise and science-based recommendations with conservation relevance covering all species of freshwater and terrestrial turtles and tortoises. The TFTSG is the recognized global authority and official IUCN Red List Authority for the determination of global threat levels for these species. The TFTSG works closely with the IUCN Red List Programme to assess, evaluate, and determine appropriate threat level categorizations for tortoises and freshwater turtles on the IUCN Red List, providing new and updated determinations on a constant basis. 

The TFTSG also works closely with and assists CITES in matters regarding international trade of tortoises and freshwater turtles, including helping to determine trade levels, evaluating the impacts of international trade, reviewing proposals to change turtle species inclusions on the CITES Appendices, and assisting CITES implementation by the responsible national authorities by providing expertise regarding turtle identification, distribution, biology, and overall conservation threats.