Putting reptiles on the map: ZSL Science for reptilian conservation

Join us to hear about the fascinating, yet threatened, world of reptiles and efforts to shine a spotlight on reptile conservation.

Reptiles – lizards, snakes, turtles and crocodilians – comprise almost one third of all land vertebrate species on Earth, and also occur in marine and freshwater systems.

Despite their amazing diversity, reptiles remain underrepresented in conservation research and action compared to mammals, birds and even amphibians.

For example, the world’s protected areas do not represent reptiles as effectively as they do birds or mammals, and our knowledge of the extinction risk of reptile species has traditionally lagged behind that of amphibians, birds and mammals.

But this is changing, as global efforts to put reptiles on the conservation map have increased extensively over recent years.

ZSL has led several advances in reptile conservation research, and continues to engage with key collaborators in this field.

Through advances in IUCN Red List assessments, the publication of the first Living Planet Index for reptiles, highlighting and protecting the most evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered (EDGE) reptiles, and supporting reintroductions of threatened turtles, ZSL has been pushing the global conservation agenda for reptiles.

Speakers:

• Dr Monika Böhm, Research Fellow in the Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London: "Assess, publish, repeat: building the scientific knowledge base for reptile conservation"

• Rikki Gumbs, EDGE Postdoctoral Research Scientist, Zoological Society of London and Imperial College London: "Reptiles on the EDGE: conservation priorities for the reptilian Tree of Life"

• Emmanuel Amoah, Threatened Species Conservation Alliance (THRESCOAL): "Protecting a sacred river: community-led conservation of the West African slender-snouted crocodile"

• Benjamin Tapley, Head of the Reptile Team, Zoological Society of London: "Developing release strategies for confiscated and Endangered big-headed turtles in Vietnam"