We at ASG released the updated Amphibian Conservation Action Plan (ACAP) Status Review in July 2024.
This release is the first of two complementary documents that will make up the 2024 ACAP. This ‘status review’ document, conceived and edited by the IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group, is authored by over 100 experts from more than 25 countries, most of them ASG members. It synthesises developments over the last 15 years in major themes relevant for amphibian conservation. For each of those themes the authors identify key knowledge gaps and conservation priorities. After two introductory chapters, the document is divided into three sections focused on different aspects of conservation: Threats, Informing decision-making, and Species management.
Coordination of the ACAP update is being led by ASG Program Officers Sally Wren and Ruth Marcec-Greaves with support from the ASG Secretariat.
Since the digital publication of ACAP in 2015 and with its current update process there have been several changes to the ASG Thematic Working Groups, which led drafting of their relevant ACAP chapters. The Working Groups and their leadership are now as follows:
Habitat Protection & Management – Jeanne Tarrant and Nicolás Urbina-Cardona
Climate Change – Guin Wogan and David Bickford
Infectious Diseases – Molly Bletz and Brian Gratwicke
Overharvesting & Trade – Jonathan Kolby
Ecotoxicology – Jessica Hua and Michelle Boone
Conservation Breeding – Ben Tapley and Kevin Johnson
Reintroductions – Jen Germano and Gemma Harding
Genomics – Lauren O’Connell
Assisted Reproductive Technologies and Gamete Biobanking (formerly Biobanking) – Gina Della Togna and Natalie Calatayud
Species Conservation Planning – Anne Baker and Sally Wren
Surveys & Monitoring – Justin Nowakowski, Jessica Deichmann and Grant Connette
Communications & Education – Candace Hansen and Andrés Valenzuela-Sánchez
We are extremely thankful to these leaders for spearheading the development of the new ACAP!