1. SSC Chairs’ Meeting, Abu Dhabi, February 2008 Chair: Anders G.J. Rhodin I am affiliated with Chelonian Research Foundation (CRF) TFTSG Steering Committee and Red List Authority: Anders G.J. Rhodin, Chair Peter Paul van Dijk, Deputy Chair Russell A. Mittermeier, EC Peter C.H. Pritchard, EC Harry V. Andrews Ernst H.W. Baard Kristin H. Berry Kurt A. Buhlmann Indraneil Das Arthur Georges J. Whitfield Gibbons Douglas B. Hendrie Rick Hudson (Co-Chair TSA) John B. Iverson Gerald Kuchling Michael Lau Dwight P. Lawson (Co-Chair TSA) Jeffrey E. Lovich Luca Luiselli Edward O. Moll Vivian P. Páez Hans-Dieter Philippen Hugh R. Quinn (Co-Chair TCF) H. Bradley Shaffer Dionysius S.K. Sharma Shi Haitao Richard C. Vogt TFTSG Executive Committee We are involved in: Identifying and documenting threats for the 300+ species of tortoises and freshwater turtles worldwide, including providing new and updated Red List assessments. Helping to organize and provide leadership in focused Workshops for Red Listing and/or Conservation Action Plans for threatened turtles and tortoises; with special focus to date on Madagascar, Mexico, India, the Mediterranean region, and Asia. Helping to catalyze needed conservation action for turtles and tortoises worldwide, including funding support through the TCF for priority conservation research and action. Helping to provide oversight support for the TSA in its mission, including co- organizing TSA’s Annual Symposium on Conservation and Biology of Turtles and Tortoises. Helping to produce the scientific journals Chelonian Conservation and Biology and Chelonian Research Monographs, and the Turtle and Tortoise Newsletter, all published by CRF in association with the TFTSG, as well as the Turtle Survival Alliance Newsletter published by the TSA. SUCCESS STORIES We are most proud of… Our co-leadership role in the identification, documentation, and action-focused implementation of a broad-based conservation strategy to respond to the Asian Turtle Crisis, including integral involvement in CITES processes. Our central role in establishing the IUCN Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA), a highly successful Task Force of the TFTSG, focused on captive management and prevention of turtle extinctions through range- country and international captive breeding programs. Our co-leadership role in establishing the Turtle Conservation Fund (TCF), a partnership initiative of the TFTSG, the TSA, Conservation International, and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, that identifies and funds priority turtle conservation projects. To date (2002-07) we have supported 41 critical turtle projects in 30 nations. Lessons learned… The critical importance of (1) an open exchange of ideas, opinions, and data-driven science within the TFTSG and TSA network, through a combination of turtle-focused symposia, workshops, peer-reviewed journals, newsletters, websites, and listserves; and (2) partnerships to help identify, fund, and implement turtle conservation priorities worldwide. The recognition that turtles are percentage-wise one of the most severely threatened groups of vertebrates, and an ecosystem component most vulnerable to exploitation, with very slow recovery potential. Where we are going… We will continue to develop, foster, and implement effective shared strategies and collaborative partnerships within the international turtle conservation community to identify and address priority turtle conservation needs and to prevent any further turtle extinctions worldwide. Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group Our Biggest Challenge… To generate enough funding support to enable our broad vision of developing increasingly effective conservation efforts for endangered turtles worldwide, and to more effectively mobilize our resources and members to more adequately address the conservation concerns for all 300+ species (450+ taxa) of freshwater turtles and tortoises worldwide. The TFTSG has 238 members from 42 nations who focus their work in 91 nations [www.iucn-tftsg.org]