Story | 28 Jul, 2014
Rising murder toll of park rangers calls for tougher laws
With poachers responsible for more than half of ranger deaths over the past two years, IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and the International Ranger Federation (IRF) call for a toughened stance against wildlife crime globally, marking World Ranger Day celebrated across…
Story | 09 Jul, 2014
SOS Marine: Collaboration key to saving Bangladesh’s cetaceans from gillnets
The lives of Bangladesh's fishermen and its coastal cetaceans are intertwined. Regarded as their brethren at sea, fishermen often lament the death of these top predators through entanglement in gillnets. Finding mutually beneficial solutions, Brian Smith and colleague Rubaiyat Mowgli Mansur,…
Press release | 26 May, 2014
Bangkok, Thailand: A new portfolio of grants to protect the highly threatened biodiversity of the Indo-Burma region was announced today by IUCN and the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) to mark International Biodiversity Day on May 22, 2014.
Publication | 2014
Assessment of python breeding farms supplying the international high-end leather industry
This report is the first one delivered under the Python Conservation Partnership. Established in November 2013, the Partnership aims to contribute to the improved sustainability of the python skin trade and to help facilitate industry-wide change. The present report provides information on how…
Press release | 21 Mar, 2014
Assessing countries’ true land restoration potential now possible, says IUCN
The largest landscape restoration initiative in history gained further momentum today - the International Day of Forests - as IUCN and other partners provide the world’s nations with new guidance on assessing their national restoration potential.
Story | 20 Mar, 2014
Supporting our forest guardians
Almost exactly a year ago, on the 14th of March 2013, 33-year old Thaweesak Chomyong, a ranger working in Thailand’s Pang Sida National Park was fatally shot when a group of poachers fired upon his patrol team before fleeing the scene. This was not an isolated incident. The neighbouring Thap Lan…
Story | 23 Feb, 2014
(Un)protected Areas: Rosewood Poaching in Thailand’s Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai World Heritage Site
The Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex encompasses some of the most pristine forests and wildlife habitats in Thailand and is globally important for its biodiversity; that is why it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. However, in recent years, the four national parks and…
Story | 06 Jan, 2014
IUCN World Parks Congress - a video preview
They provide inspiration and adventure, supply food and water, offer natural defences against climate change and support the livelihoods of millions of people.
Story | 14 Nov, 2013
Scientists identify the world’s most irreplaceable protected areas
A new scientific study has identified the protected areas most critical to preventing extinctions of the world’s mammals, birds and amphibians. Resulting from an international collaboration, this analysis provides practical advice for improving the effectiveness of protected areas in conserving…
Story | 06 Nov, 2013
Key Biodiversity Areas - governance workshop underway in Brasilia
This week, a number of conservationists are meeting with representatives from Mexico, India and Brazil to discuss the identification and governance of Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) - places recognised for their important fauna and flora. The process for identifying KBAs is the focus of a project…