• Email: asgpo@marwell.org.uk

Action

Action

Addax

ASG is heavily involved in efforts to save the last, tiny population of wild Addax. With funding from a IUCN SOS African Wildlife Initiative Rapid Action Grant, the ASG Co-Chairs undertook a mission to Niger in January 2020, in collaboration with the IUCN Regional Office for Central and West Africa for urgent discussions with the Government and local stakeholders. A mission report and recommendations were produced (see Resources page). Monthly calls have been held since than organised by the Global Species Programme, involving IUCN PACO), IUCN SOS, IUCN Business and Biodiversity Unit, and the staff of the IUCN China Office.

ASG worked on a major funding application with CMS and the two implanting partners for satellite collaring of a few addax to facilitate improved monitoring and anti-poaching.

addax

World Conservation Congress, Resolution 102

The Antelope Specialist Group, the Wildlife Health Specialist Group (WHSG) and the USA-based NGO EcoHealth Alliance have long been concerned about the problem of the massive expansion of livestock worldwide. ASG coordinated submission of a Motion on this issue to the IUCN World Conservation Congress in 2021. EcoHealth Alliance acted as proponent of the Motion. The content was first developed between EcoHealth Alliance, WHSG and ASG, then discussed with the 14 co-sponsors of the Motion. The Motion was officially submitted to WCC under the title: “Strengthening mutual benefits of livestock & wildlife in shared landscapes” and was accepted and passed by more than 90% of the voting IUCN members. https://www.iucncongress2020.org/motion/102/57751 

Wildlife Health

Co-Chair Phillippe Chardonnet works with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) on the Global Eradication Campaign of “Peste des Petits Ruminants” (PPR GEP) and carried out field surveys on antelope and livestock health in Chad. 

Funding Support

ASG is represented on the Taxon Advisory Groups for the IUCN SOS African Wildlife Initiative and SOS Central Asia initiative. We also provide letters of support for antelope conservation proposals to funding agencies such as Mohammed Bin Zayed Species Fund, National Geographic threatened species fund, Rufford Small Grants, Whitley Fund for Conservation, and others. 

Missions and Meetings

In recent years, ASG has undertaken missions concerning antelope conservation, and held meetings with representatives of government wildlife agencies and NGOs in Azerbaijan, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, Iran, Kenya, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia, Niger, South Africa, Senegal, Somaliland, Tanzania, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen.

We attend the annual Sahelo-Saharan Interest Group meeting (in person or remotely), and other workshops where time and funding permits.

Advice and Information

ASG responds to requests from the SSC Chair and the IUCN Secretariat, international NGOs, and others. These extend from technical advice on field projects and reintroductions, the current status of species or specific threats, peer-reviewing scientific papers, providing contact details, to commenting on the accuracy of antelope documentary film scripts.

African Buffalo

Philippe Chardonnet and three other ASG members are among the editors of the book Ecology and Management of the African Buffalo, to be published by Cambridge University Press.