The Species Survival Commission is a science-based network of thousands of volunteer experts from almost every country in the world, all working together toward achieving the vision of "a just world that values and conserves nature through positive action to both prevent the loss and aid recovery of the diversity of life on earth."
With over 11,000 volunteer experts, the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) work independently and with the different IUCN Units to build knowledge on the status of species and threats to them and to provide advice, develop policies and guidelines and facilitate conservation planning. Through this work, SSC catalyses conservation action and enables IUCN to influence policy and assist societies in biodiversity conservation.
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groups in 186 countries comprise the SSC Network, distributed in Red List Authorities, Task Forces, Action Partnerships, Conservation Committees and Specialist Groups.
172,600+
species have been assessed. Red List Partnership and SSC Network delivered key indicators through the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
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Centers for Species Survival. The SSC Chair’s Office is partnered with leading species conservation organisations to leverage the Network capacity.
SSC members provide scientific advice to conservation organisations, government agencies and other IUCN members, and support the implementation of multilateral environmental agreements.
The IUCN Species Strategic Plan encompasses the joint work of the Species Survival Commission as well as a number of partnerships. This 2021-2025 IUCN Species Strategic Plan collect high-level goals of the Species Conservation Cycle, and Key Species Results (KSR) determined by the SSC network.
High-level interventions address conservation issues of serious and urgent concern, through letters to governments or private companies which highlight the threat(s) to species and /or their habitats, using SSC expert advice, proposing suitable action to influence decision-making and therefore helping to avoid or reduce any adverse impacts on biodiversity.
The creation of the SSC DATA Information System in 2021 was fundamental in simplifying the monitoring and evaluation process of the SSC Network results. By moving beyond manual Excel spreadsheets, the system now provides a multi-module platform that streamlines report production and links directly to broader SSC Network initiatives.
Committing to REVERSE the current negative trends in THE RED list status of species, Reverse the Red aims to ignite optimism and collaborative action to guarantee the survival of all species we share this planet with, and the ecosystems they live in.
Aimed to support the mission of SSC by empowering and accompanying the network, providing leadership, boosting impact, helping build capacity, keeping efforts on track, and building partnerships.
Chair. Vivek Menon is a globally respected wildlife conservationist and a leading voice in species recovery, especially for the Asian elephant. As Councillor of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Deputy Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC), and Chair of the IUCN SSC Asian Elephant Specialist Group, he brings over 35 years of international conservation expertise. At the national level in India, Vivek has led transformative wildlife initiatives through the Wildlife Trust of India, including the identification and protection of critical elephant corridors, large-scale anti-poaching training, and species-specific recovery programs. His deep engagement in global conservation policy and grounded leadership in India’s species recovery efforts offer rich insights and practical lessons in biodiversity conservation and species management.
Chair. Vivek Menon is a globally respected wildlife conservationist and a leading voice in species recovery, especially for the Asian elephant. As Councillor of the International Union for ...
My goal is to strengthen the SSC into a more resilient, inclusive, and globally impactful network that drives action and shapes policy. I believe in the power of this global network of over 11,000 experts, united by a shared passion for life on Earth, and as Chair, I will lead it with integrity, transparency, and dedication.
Deputy Chair
Dr Rima Jabado is the Deputy Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) and Chair of the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group. As a scientist and conservationist, she has spent over 20 years developing and leading conservation initiatives globally. Her work focuses on bridging the gap between science and policy to ensure issues such as bycatch, threatened species conservation, and illegal trade are effectively addressed through national and international policy and management frameworks. Her research has directly informed fisheries management, wildlife trade regulation, and multilateral environmental agreements for the protection of threatened species. She currently leads the Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRA) project, a global initiative designed to integrate sharks, rays, and chimaeras into area-based management and spatial planning worldwide.
She is co-Chair of the IUCN Marine Conservation Committee, serves as the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) Appointed Scientific Councillor for Marine Fish, and sits on the Advisory Committee for the CMS Sharks Memorandum of Understanding as the representative of the Asia region. In parallel, she founded the Elasmo Project, a non-profit initiative that encourages and supports work in data-poor regions, with a particular focus on understanding and addressing shark and ray fisheries and trade.
Deputy Chair
Dr Rima Jabado is the Deputy Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) and Chair of the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group. As a scientist and conservationist, she has spent over 20 ...
Chief of Staff & Network Director
Prajna has deep experience from across Asia’s conservation landscape, bringing to the SSC leadership team her strong academic credentials in wildlife science and conservation management, and many years’ experience at the intersection of research, policy, and practice. Most recently, as Programme Manager for the SSC’s Asian Elephant Specialist Group, she coordinated multi-country initiatives on human–elephant conflict, habitat connectivity, and stakeholder engagement across the region.
Chief of Staff & Network Director
Prajna has deep experience from across Asia’s conservation landscape, bringing to the SSC leadership team her strong academic credentials in wildlife science and ...
