News from the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC)

Header photo: Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)
Credits: Family in Kziranga National Park, India by Dr Sandeep Kr Tiwari

On the 6th day of the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi, IUCN Members elected Vivek Menon FLS as the new Chair of the IUCN SSC for the 2025-2029 quadrennium. Rima Jabado will remain in her role as IUCN SSC Deputy Chair and, to the date, 20 Steering Committee members have been appointed as part of the IUCN SSC leadership for this new quadrennium. Visit the SSC website to know their profiles.

The newly appointed SSC Chair’s Office staff are a mix of known and new faces working at various international locations. They will be led by Dr. Prajna Paramita Panda, IUCN SSC Chief of Staff and Director Network.

Displaced organisms are a potential source of candidates for responsible releases to benefit species and ecosystem conservation. Beyond conservation potential, additional opportunities exist to encourage and improve responsible translocations of displaced organisms that maximise their well-being while preventing serious risks to wild organisms, ecosystems, and humans. This publication aims to improve decision-making, planning, and management of displaced organisms.

The SSC Network Coordination is helping the Chair appoint leaders for 210 groups. 1:1 meetings are underway; with over 100 interviews already completed in just eight weeks. We are on track to build a leadership team that reflects our global reach. Central to this effort is the promotion of Co-Chair roles, which brings increased technical expertise and geographical diversity to our governance.