The IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group is the leading authority on the status and conservation of the world’s antelopes. It provides scientific and practical advice and expertise on all aspects of the conservation, management, monitoring, and study of antelopes. Our members include practitioners (in situ and ex situ), planners, protected area managers, academic researchers, government agency representatives, and others.
ASG is one of 160 IUCN Species Survival Commission Specialist Groups, Red List Authorities and Task Forces. The SSC’s global network contains more than 10,000 volunteer experts who commit their time and expertise to conserving the world’s species.
ASG was established in 1978 by Dr Richard Estes, who served as Chair until 2004. From 2004 to 2026 Dr Phillippe Chardonnet and Dr David Mallon served as ASG’s Co-Chairs.
In 2026 Violeta Barrios and Dr Robert Aruho were appointed as ASG’s new Co-Chairs. Violeta is a conservation biologist with over 15 years of experience; she formerly worked for the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation in Spain before joining Sahara Conservation where she now serves as Chief Operating Officer. Robert is a vet and began his career with the Uganda Wildlife Authority where he served as the Senior Wildlife Veterinarian and Head of Species Programs for more than 10 years. He is now Head of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy leading the reintroduction of mountain bongo in Kenya.
Marwell Wildlife hosts the ASG Programme Office and supports a Programme Officer, Sophie Whitemore. Sophie also serves as the ASG Red List Authority Coordinator.
Our Mission
The mission of ASG is to promote the conservation of the world’s antelope diversity and to contribute to the mission of SSC.
Our Goal
The Goal of ASG is to ensure the long-term survival all antelope species by maintaining as many viable populations as possible of each species in as wide a range of habitats as practical and to restore antelope populations and communities where feasible.
Who we work with
ASG works with many partners worldwide, either directly or through individual members, including the SSC Chair’s Office and IUCN Secretariat, other SSC specialist groups, intergovernmental organizations, international and national NGOs, government wildlife agencies, ex situ institutions, and research facilities.
In addition to the partnership with Marwell Wildlife, ASG has a formal agreement with the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland to collaborate on antelope genetics and planning issues. ASG is conservation advisor to the Antelope and Giraffe Taxon Advisory Group of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria.
Recent collaborations include those with the IUCN Office for Mediterranean Cooperation, the Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, the Government of Niger, and the World Organisation for Animal health.
How we work
ASG currently has 94 volunteer members, working across 59+ countries. Members include field biologists, academics, wildlife managers, ex situ specialists, government officials, NGO staff, and others from diverse and inter-related fields. All ASG members are actively involved in antelope conservation, research or management. Membership is reviewed and reappointed every 4 years.
