Who we are
Our organisation
© J. Murphy
Asian Vine Snake
(Ahaetulla prasina)
The IUCN/SSC Snake Specialist Group (SSG) is part of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)/Species Survival Commission (SSC); one of seven commissions within the IUCN. The SSG is a global network of herpetologists, conservationists, government and non-government representatives, and researchers working to understand and conserve snakes. The SSG’s remit includes 3353 species of snakes, including blind snakes. However, the SSG does not include vipers or elapids in the subfamily Hydrophiinae, which are covered by the IUCN SSC Viper and Sea Snake Specialist Groups, respectively. For a full list of species with the SSG remit see: http://www.reptile-database.org/db-info/taxa.html#Ser.
SSG is one of approximately one hundred and twenty Specialist Groups organised within the framework of the IUCN/SSC, an international alliance of conservationists that produce the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and a range of other conservation initiatives. The SSG advises governments and wildlife management agencies, evaluates the conservation needs of snakes, initiates research projects, conducts surveys of populations, and provides technical information and training.
Shield-snouted Brown Snake (Pseudonaja aspidorhincha)
© CNZdenek
ABOUT IUCN's Species Survival Commission
The work of the SSC (Species Survival Commission) is guided by the vision of a just world that values and conserves nature through positive action to reduce the loss of diversity of life on earth. The overriding goal of the commission is for ‘the species extinction crisis and massive loss of biodiversity [to be] universally adopted as a shared responsibility and addressed by all sectors of society taking positive conservation action and avoiding negative impacts worldwide’.
Knobloch's Mountain Kingsnake
Lampropeltis knoblochi
Our vision
A world where snakes and their habitats are conserved, thriving, and utilised sustainably.
Our mission
To provide expert opinion and scientific advice on the conservation and management of snakes and their habitats.
Bandy-bandy Snake (Vermicella annulata)
© CNZdenek
What we do...
Provide services
The SSG advises governments and wildlife management agencies, evaluates the conservation status and needs of snakes, initiates and supports research projects, conducts surveys of populations, and provides technical information and training.
History of IUCN and
the Snake Specialist Group
IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, was established on 5 October 1948 in the French town of Fontainebleau. As the first global environmental union, it brought together governments and civil society organisations with a shared goal to protect nature. Its aim was to encourage international cooperation and provide scientific knowledge and tools to guide conservation action. IUCN is a membership Union composed of both government and civil society organisations. It harnesses the experience, resources and reach of its more than 1,400 Member organisations and the input of more than 17,000 experts. This diversity and vast expertise makes IUCN the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it.
IUCN is the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network. It continues to champion nature-based solutions as key to the implementation of international agreements such as the Paris climate change agreement and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
Dr Bruno Oberle assumed office as Director General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in July 2020. Then, Dr Grethel Aguilar, born in Costa Rica, assumed office as Director General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in October 2023.
SSC (Species Survival Commission)
The SSC was established by IUCN in 1949. Since that time, the SSC has grown into a global, science-based network of thousands of volunteer experts, working together towards achieving the vision of ‘a just world that values and conserves nature through positive action to reduce the loss of diversity of life on earth’. The major role of the SSC is to:
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Provide information to IUCN and the wider world on the conservation of species and on the inherent value of species in terms of ecosystem health and functioning, the provision of ecosystem services and the provision of support to human livelihoods; and
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Promote the conservation of species, thereby leading to measurable reductions in the loss of biodiversity.
Collectively, SSC members form a highly regarded and influential network of species experts that is able to influence conservation outcomes at all levels, particularly international, through engaging with each other and collaborating in both the IUCN’s and SSC’s name. The SSC undertakes assessments of the status of species, develops species conservation action plans and strategies, prepares technical guidelines and formulates IUCN policy statements.
The work of the SSC is guided by the vision of a just world that values and conserves nature through positive action to reduce the loss of diversity of life on earth. The overriding goal of the commission is ‘the species extinction crisis and massive loss of biodiversity are universally adopted as a shared responsibility and addressed by all sectors of society taking positive conservation action and avoiding negative impacts worldwide’. Main strategic objectives include:
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Assessing and monitoring biodiversity; to assess and monitor biodiversity and inform the world about the status and trends of biodiversity, especially at the species level, thus providing measures for the health of our one and only biosphere;
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Analysing the threats to biodiversity; to analyse and communicate the threats to biodiversity and disseminate information on appropriate global conservation actions;
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Facilitating and undertaking conservation action; to facilitate and undertake action to deliver biodiversity-based solutions for halting biodiversity decline and catalyse measures to manage biodiversity sustainably and prevent species’ extinctions both in terms of policy change and action on the ground; and
Convening expertise for biodiversity conservation; to provide a forum for gathering and integrating the knowledge and experience of the world’s leading experts on species science and management and promoting the active involvement of subsequent generations of species conservationists.
The Communications Team
Communications Officers are responsible for creating communications content on behalf of the IUCN Snake Specialist Group. We made this website, write press releases, coordinate required communications, and create social media posts.