Mission statement

The Boa and Python Specialist Group (BPSG) mission is to provide expert opinion and scien-tific advice to IUCN and other conservation organisations, government and non-govern-ment agencies, applicable to the conservation of boas and pythons and snakes in general.

Projected impact for the 2017-2020

quadrennium

By the end of 2020, we envision: (1) an improved knowledge of the trade of South-east Asian reptiles; (2) a change in the supply chain of skins from Southeast Asian reptiles due to a better interaction with traders and local governments; (3) a substantial advance in CITES provisions related to snake trade; (4) a better knowledge on the status of several threat-ened species but particularly of the Endangered Cropani’s Boa (Corallus cropanii); (5) a signif-icant advance in Red List assessments of the species in our remit; and (6) a more integrated and communicated group which will redound in more effective conservation actions worldwide.

Targets for the 2017-2020 quadrennium

Assess

Red List: complete assessment of Boidae and Pythonidae species.

Research activities: (1) develop a standard refer-ence for BPSG species taxonomy; (2) improve knowledge and status of Cropani’s Boa; (3) develop research programmes on priorities established under Southeast Asian Reptile Conservation Alliance (SARCA) cooperation.

Plan

Planning: develop BPSG Strategy Planning.

Proposal development and funding: increase number of grants delivered.

Network

Capacity building: train two BPSG members in Red List assessments.

Membership: increase BPSG membership in species’ range countries.

Synergy: (1) keep participating in international forums (e.g. CITES); (2) attend Southeast Asian Reptile Conservation Alliance (SARCA) Steering Committee meetings.

Communicate

Communication: (1) increase frequency of Serpens newsletter to twice a year; (2) publish scientific and technical reports.

Membership: improve communication with membership.

Scientific meetings: organise the first BPSG global members meeting.

Activities and results 2019

Assess

Red List

i. By the end of 2019, most of the species in our remit (ca. 200 species) were already assessed under the IUCN Global Reptile Assessment process, with the follow up of the BPSG Red List Authority Mark Auliya. A short list of 34 species with outstanding issues were moved forward and the full BPSG remit of species is estimated to be completed by early 2020. (KSR #1)

Research activities

i. Bruno Rocha continued with the project “Building a Conservation Strategy for the Cropani’s Boa (Corallus cropanii)”. The main project activities in 2019 were public awareness and environmental education. Bruno expects that education and awareness will increase the probability of detecting new specimens of this elusive snake. (KSR #12)

IUCN SSC

Boa and Python

Specialist Group

Tomás Waller

2019 Report

Chair

Tomás Waller (1)

Red List Authority Coordinator

Mark Auliya (2)

Location/Affiliation(1) Fundación Biodiversidad, Buenos Aires, Argentina (2) Department of Conservation Biology Helm-holtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Germany; Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Number of members

91

Social networks

Facebook: IUCN Boa & Python Specialist Group

ii. Biological data collection continues under the SARCA Initiative for python species harvested in Indonesia and Malaysia. Several peer reviewed scientific articles were published on different aspects of the sustainability of the trade on pythons from Southeast Asia, as a result of the research being conducted by BPSG members and led by Daniel Natusch. (KSR #32)

iii. The taxonomy of boas, pythons and their allies is very dynamic and attempting to have a standard reference seems yet premature. Discrepancies (e.g. in Red List assessments) are being solved on a case-by-case basis. (KSR #4)

Network

Capacity building

i. At least one additional BPSG member completed the Red List assessment training in 2019.

Membership

i. Three new members were incorporated into the BPSG in 2019.

Synergy

i. In 2019, Daniel Natusch, as part of the IUCN delegation, represented the BPSG at CITES-re-lated meetings, including the 18th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties held in Geneva, 17–28 August 2019. (KSR #29)

ii. Daniel Natusch represented the BPSG at different Southeast Asian Reptile Conservation Alliance (SARCA) meetings during 2019, both in person and remotely through Webex, as well at the SARCA Side Event at the 18th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES held in Geneva, 17–28 August 2019. (KSR #29)

Communicate

Communication

i. A new issue of the BPSG newsletter Serpens, Volume 7, Issue 1, was published and dissemi-nated in April 2019. (KSR #28)

ii. Different scientific papers and reports were produced by the membership in 2019, which cannot be enumerated here. As a BPSG product, we highlight the document Harvest monitoring of snakes in trade. A guide to wildlife managers, authored by several BPSG members under the auspices of BPSG and SARCA, that was published as Occasional Paper 65 of the IUCN Species Survival Commission. A humane treatment guidance was produced by SARCA together with the Swiss Veterinary Office where four BPSG members participated as authors and the BPSG participated in the review: Welfare Principles for Snakes and Monitor Lizards in the Southeast Asian Skin Trade–a guide for stake-holders. (KSR #43)

Acknowledgements

We thank the following entities for supporting the work of the BPSG during 2019: IUCN Species Survival Commission, Fundación Biodiversidad, CITES Secretariat, BSR and the Southeast Asian Reptile Conservation Alliance (SARCA) member-ship. Thanks to Phil Bowles and Mark Auliya, who did extraordinary work under the Global Reptile Assessment initiative and reviewing the assessments on behalf of the BPSG, respec-tively. Thanks to Victoria Lichtschein, Daniel Natusch and Jess Lyons for their dedicated service to the progress of the Group.

Summary of activities 2019

Components of Species Conservation Cycle: 3/5

Assess 4 ||||

Network 4 ||||

Communicate 2 ||

Main KSRs addressed: 1, 4, 12, 28, 29, 32, 43 KSR: Key Species Result

Boa constrictor occidentalis, Argentina Photo: Tomas Waller

Silver Boa, Chilabothrus argentum, Bahamas Conception Bank Photo: Graham Reynolds

Mariano Barros and Juan Draque with Yellow Anaconda, Eunectes notaeus, Argentina Photo: Tomas Waller