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What Do We Do

The IUCN-SSC Crocodile Specialist Group (CSG) is a worldwide network of biologists, wildlife managers, government officials, independent researchers, non-government (NGO) representatives, farmers, traders, tanners, fashion leaders, and private companies actively involved in the conservation of the world's 23 living species of alligators, crocodiles, caimans and gharials in the wild.

Coming Events

Please click on read more below to find a full list of up-coming events by Crocodile Specialist Group. From time to time we will also add other interesting events happening around the world.

Latest News and Information

"World Trade in Crocodilian Skins, 2020-2022"

The latest report on "World Trade in Crocodilian Skins, 2020-2022", prepared as part of the International Alligator and Crocodile Trade Study by John Caldwell, is now available. Download.

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Proceedings of the 27th CSG Working Meeting - Now Available

Proceedings of the 27th CSG Working Meeting, held in Darwin, Australia, 15-19 April 2024, are now available. Download.

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Species of Crocodylian Currently Recognised by CSG

Kent Vliet, Matthew Shirley, Perran Ross and Igor Roberto, members of the CSG's  Taxonomy and Identification Group, provide the basis for the 26 species of crocodylian currently recognised by the CSG, in Newsletter 43(2). The article can be downloaded here.
  
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Bullying, Harassment and Discrimination Prevention Policy
for CSG-Endorsed Events
Bullying, Harassment and Discrimination Resolution Procedures
for CSG-Endorsed Events

All members of the IUCN SSC, and thus CSG members, are bound by the SSC Code of Conduct of the Members of IUCN Commissions. The CSG also adheres to the IUCN Policy on the Protection from Sexual Exploitation, Sexual Abuse, and Sexual Harassment and related Anti-harassment Policy, including bullying and sexual harassment, for IUCN Events. Regardless, since the inception of the CSG in 1971, the underlying premise upon which CSG members are expected to operate is, and always has been, “respect, understanding and tolerance”,  regardless of an individual’s characteristics.

A claim of harassment at a CSG Working Meeting (in 2018) stimulated the IUCN to formulate guidelines for handling claims of harassment, should they arise, and also resulted in a “closed” investigation on the case by the IUCN in 2022-2023. Prior to the completion of this investigation, concerns were raised by two members of the CSG Steering Committee that additional measures may be required to deal with allegations of bullying, harassment or discrimination at CSG-endorsed events, and thus ensure that events continue to provide a professional, respectful and harassment-free environment.

Accordingly, the CSG Executive Committee developed its own Policy and Procedures to address incidents of harassment, bullying or discrimination, should they occur, at CSG-endorsed events (eg working meetings, regional meetings, species meetings, virtual meetings) and other forms of communication. Draft versions of the Policy and Procedures were circulated to CSG Steering Committee members in February 2024, seeking their review and comments, and the documents (Bullying, Harassment, and Discrimination Prevention Policy for CSG-Endorsed Events and Bullying, Harassment, and Discrimination Resolution Procedures for CSG-Endorsed Events) were finalised (late-March 2024).

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United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and Crocodilian Conservation

The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by the United Nations in 2015, as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The CSG and its members play a significant role in contributing to the achievement of many of the UN's 17 SDGs. This document summarises how crocodilian conservation efforts support the SDGs (download here).

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Proceedings of Meetings Now Available

Proceedings of CSG West and Central Africa Regional Meeting (Cote d'Ivoire, December 2015) - download here.

Proceedings (Abstracts) of CSG Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Meeting (Belize, June 2019) - downloaded here.



Proceedings of 26th CSG Working Meeting (Mexico, July 2022) - download here.

Proceedings of 2nd Forum on Crocodiles in the Philippines (Philippines, March 2019) - download here.

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Traceability in Crocodylian Conservation and Management

As reported in a recent CSG Newsletter [40(3)], the CSG Executive Committee endorsed, and has now released, "Traceability in Crocodylian Conservation and Management". The report addresses  traceability, an issue that has been debated at recent CITES forums. The CSG Executive Committee thus agreed to review traceability, as it applies to crocodylians at this point in time, and to provide CSG members and others interested in the issue, with a snapshot of key points. Dr. Dan Natusch prepared an overview of traceability in reptiles in general, which comprises Chapter 3 of the report.

Download "Traceability in Crocodylian Conservation and Management"

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Resources developed by the CSG Veterinary Science Group. Including recent "Humane Euthanasia/Killing Methods for Crocodilians - An Update" (2020).

Fritz Huchzermeyer Veterinary Science Student Research Assistance Scheme

CrocFest Reports
Latest IACTS (International Alligator and Crocodile Trade Study) report, 2020-2022 (John Caldwell; UNEP-WCMC). Download.

5th Charotar Crocodile Count - Jan 2018. Download
Charotar Crocodile Count - May 2018. Download
6th Charotar Crocodile Count - Jan 2019. Download
7th Charotar Crocodile Count - Jan 2020. Download
8th Charotar Crocodile Count - Jan 2021. Download
9th Charotar Crocodile Count - Jan 2022. Download

Drone Working Group webpage, including links to Youtube videos of virtual workshops.