The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in partnership with the Ministry of Land and Environment (MTA), represented by the National Directorate of Environment (DINAB) under the projects “Mainstreaming Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs), piloting Blue Carbon, and Strengthening Coral Reef Fisheries in Mozambique “funded by the project SPEED and “Spatial Biodiversity Assessment, Prioritization and Planning (SBAPP)”, funded by AFD and FFEM, held between 22 and 26 May 2023 a training on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) methodology for conducting Red List of threatened species assessments. The training targeted 24 biodiversity experts from government institutions, civil society, private sector and academia, including members of the National Coordination Group for KBAs and Red List.
The training was facilitated by experts from WCS, the Mozambican Institute for Agricultural Research (IIAM) and the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) in the application of the IUCN methodology for Red Listing of threatened species and thus was focused on the fundaments of applying Red List criteria and categories to species, including the documentation of relevant information that underpins Red List assessments. During the training, the participants discussed various topics presented and laid relevant steps for identifying priority species for Red Listing to start mobilizing the associated data focusing on coastal flora and fauna species, including marine biodiversity of restricted distribution, endemic and/or near endemic and rare species.
This was the second time that WCS and DINAB promoted training for government technicians, civil society, private sector, and academia on the application of the IUCN Red List criteria. These training programs will enable Mozambican professionals to integrate regional species survival commissions under the IUCN Red List. Please find here more information about Red List in Mozambique.
Please find here more information about Red List in Mozambique.