As a speciose group with a cosmopolitan distribution, a suite of conservation issues threaten the group (e.g. habitat loss, invasive species, climate change). Given this global distribution of skinks, the SSG plans to work directly with the government, non-government, and the corporate sector across the world to achieve positive conservation outcomes. At present, one of the primary challenges that the SSG faces is a lack of knowledge, in terms of the true species diversity that exists, and of the biology, ecology, distribution and conservation status of species.
Conservation
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is the most comprehensive database of the conservation status of the world’s biodiversity. The Red List provides information on species biology, distribution, habitat use, threats, and required conservation actions. This information is used to evaluate each species against a defined set of criteria to determine its extinction risk and assign an appropriate threat category.
One of the key roles of the IUCN SSC Skink Specialist Group (SSG) is to complete Red List assessments, and re-assessments, of skink species globally.
Thus, in order to facilitate the rapid Red Listing of newly described species skinks, the SSG recommends that the following information be included in every skink species description:
Many species have yet to be assessed against Red List criteria, and many of those that have are considered Data Deficient. Adding to the task at hand is the description of ~20 new skink species each year.
The key conservation-related activities for the SSG are to:
1. Complete Red List assessments for all described skink species in order to identify species with high extinction risk.
2. Determine the factors underlying high extinction risk in skinks.
3. Determine strategies to manage risk and enhance the status of threatened skink species.
4. Co-ordinate conservation management for threatened skink species worldwide.
5. Encourage research on the biology, ecology, and conservation of the world’s threatened, near threatened and data deficient skink species.
6. Foster collaboration and communication among skink researchers and conservation managers worldwide.
As a speciose group with a cosmopolitan distribution,
a suite of conservation issues threaten the group
(e.g. habitat loss, invasive species, climate change).
Given this global distribution of skinks, the SSG
plans to work directly with the government,
non-government, and the corporate sector
across the world to achieve positive
conservation outcomes. At present, one of
the primary challenges that the SSG faces
is a lack of knowledge, in terms of the true
species diversity that exists, and of the
biology, ecology, distribution and
conservation status of species.
Photo: Aurelien Miralles
Photo: M. Hutchinson
Photo: Aurelien Miralles
Photo: Aurelien Miralles
