CSS Southeast Asia - Mandai Nature Singapore

The Southeast Asia IUCN SSC Center for Species Survival is based in Singapore and was established through a formal collaboration between Mandai Nature and the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC). Hosted by Mandai Nature, the Center hopes to unite the expertise, facilities and programmes of Mandai Nature with the local and regional expert networks, tools and processes of the IUCN SSC to reverse the trends of species loss in Southeast Asia and beyond.

Southeast Asia is one of the world’s most biodiverse regions. It is home to three of the world’s 17 mega-diverse nations (Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines) as well as 9 per cent of endemic birds and 11 per cent of endemic mammal species that cannot be found anywhere else. Yet, an increasing number of these species are fast disappearing – there are now more than 270 land or freshwater vertebrate species found in Southeast Asia which have been identified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 
 
As the first regional Center for Species Survival of its kind in Asia, the establishment of the IUCN SSC Center for Species Survival: Southeast Asia will facilitate conservation action in the region. The Center hopes to provide a platform for all conservation practitioners to network, share best practices, as well as seek support as needed, from experts and one another, to amplify the impact of species recovery efforts. 
 
Leveraging the IUCN’s international network and scientific expertise, we will work with the IUCN SSC including other Centre for Species Survival counterparts from around the globe, the IUCN South and East Asia Regional Committee and Office, any IUCN National Committees in the region, IUCN members and other institutions and entities engaged in species conservation efforts in Southeast Asia to understand and further build on the status of assessments, conservation action plans and conservation action efforts for biodiversity across the region. 
 
The IUCN SSC Center for Species Survival: Southeast Asia is proudly hosted by Mandai Nature, a non-profit conservation organisation which aims to advance efforts for nature conservation in Asia, with a focus on protecting threatened species from extinction, protecting and restoring ecosystems and creating benefits for local communities. Mandai Nature delivers impact by supporting local organisations and experts on the ground through funding, development of capacity and skills, and linking local and global agendas. We create solutions, enable and catalyse action and help scale up conservation efforts. 
 
Mandai Nature also hosts the IUCN SSC Asian Species Action Partnership (ASAP) secretariat, as well as the IUCN SSC Conservation Planning Specialist Group (CPSG) Southeast Asia Resource Centre. We actively support and are members of multiple IUCN SSC specialist groups such as the Asian Songbird Trade Specialist Group, Hornbill Specialist Group, Helmeted Hornbill Working Group, Pangolin Specialist Group and the Conservation Translocation Specialist Group. 
Mandai Nature is the conservation arm of Mandai Wildlife Group which manages Singapore zoological parks including Singapore Zoo, River Wonders, Night Safari and Jurong Bird Park.

Supporting the Species Conservation

The Centre will further catalyse assessment, planning and action for highly threatened species in the region within the SSC Assess-Plan-Act-Network-Communication conservation approach. 

1

We will strengthen the IUCN Red Listing processes by providing training and support for species assessments in Singapore and Southeast Asia. This includes hosting Red Listing workshops for Southeast Asian species in Singapore, funding Red List assessments for Southeast Asian species, and facilitating Assess-to-Plan workshops with follow-up reports for conservation planning for threatened species. 

2

Through the Conservation Planning Specialist Group (CPSG) Southeast Asia Resource Centre and the IUCN SSC Asian Species Action Partnership (ASAP), we continue to expand on species planning efforts to align conservation needs for priority species using the One Plan Approach across in situ and ex-situ initiatives. We have facilitated and led the following initiatives: 

  • Conservation Planning workshop for the Cao Vit Gibbon, Vietnam
  • Southeast Asia Biobanking Workshop
  • Review of Singapore’s National Action Plan for the Sunda Pangolin
  • Creating Mandai’s One Plan Approach to Conservation
3

Addressing the urgent need for increased conservation action, Mandai Nature supports partnerships and activities that directly and positively impact the survival of threatened Southeast Asian species using modern and integrated conservation tools and approaches following the One Plan Approach to Conservation. 

Through the IUCN SSC Asian Species Action Partnership (ASAP), we continue to prioritise and support action for ASAP species – Critically Endangered land and freshwater vertebrate species found in Southeast Asia. This includes: 

  • Creating an enabling environment to catalyse action and increase conservation impact for ASAP species.
  • Raising funds for ASAP species conservation and managing and implementing ASAP Species Conservation Grants.
  • Strengthening capacity of ASAP’s partner networks through providing targeted learning provisions and bespoke mentoring.
  • Increasing the visibility of ASAP’s partners and the needs of ASAP species for more impactful conservation.
     

Meet our team

Sonja Luz
Sonja Luz

CEO, Mandai Nature. Sonja believes in integrated ex-situ and in-situ conservation approaches and bolstering links between zoos and conservation partners. She oversees species conservation at Mandai.

Nerissa Chao
Nerissa Chao

Director, IUCN SSC Asian Species Action Partnership (ASAP). Nerissa is a conservation biologist with nearly 20 years of experience managing and implementing conservation field programmes. She has experience in species conservation, protected area management, human-wildlife conflict and ecotourism.

Director, IUCN SSC Asian Species Action Partnership (ASAP). Nerissa is a conservation biologist with nearly 20 years of experience managing and implementing conservation field programmes. She has ...

Roopali Raghavan
Roopali Raghavan

Head, Terrestrial Species and Conservation Planning, Mandai Nature. Roopali manages local and regional research projects supported by Mandai Nature. She collaborates with conservation partners in the region to identify conservation gaps and assist with direct funding to fill these gaps.

Head, Terrestrial Species and Conservation Planning, Mandai Nature. Roopali manages local and regional research projects supported by Mandai Nature. She collaborates with conservation partners in the ...

Jessica Lee
Jessica Lee

Head, Avian Species Programmes and Partnerships, Mandai Nature. Jessica facilitates local and regional conservation research projects supported by Mandai Nature, as well as Mandai Wildlife Group, which includes building the network and capacity of conservation partners.

Head, Avian Species Programmes and Partnerships, Mandai Nature. Jessica facilitates local and regional conservation research projects supported by Mandai Nature, as well as Mandai Wildlife Group ...

Christine Pang
Christine Pang

Manager, Brand and Communications, Mandai Nature. Christine helps raise the profile of Mandai Nature and its conservation efforts, supporting media opportunities, working with Mandai Nature’s partners on stakeholder communications and developing content and assets for outreach programmes.

Manager, Brand and Communications, Mandai Nature. Christine helps raise the profile of Mandai Nature and its conservation efforts, supporting media opportunities, working with Mandai Nature’s partners ...

Mary-Ruth Low
Mary-Ruth Low

Partnerships and Communications Manager, ASAP. Mary-Ruth has eight years of field ecology and conservation research experience. She manages communications and the partnerships of over 200 organisations, raising the profile of ASAP species as well as the conservationists throughout the region.

Partnerships and Communications Manager, ASAP. Mary-Ruth has eight years of field ecology and conservation research experience. She manages communications and the partnerships of over 200 ...

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