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South Asian Reptile Network (SARN)
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 There
are more than 650 reptiles in South
Asia. Although a great deal is
known about some charismatic and
well-studied reptile species,
considering the total number of reptiles
there are, knowledge is very little on
reptile biology, status and distribution
for this mega-rich region.
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In
1997 and 1998 Conservation Assessment
and Management Plan (CAMP) workshops
were conducted for reptiles in India and
Sri Lanka. Out of 450 species for
India 100 were Data Deficient and of 175
for Sri Lanka 23 were Data Deficient.
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At
the workshop however it was apparent
that the people involved in reptile
studies in India, apart from a few
prominent ones, were more scattered than
the amphibian researchers.
Generally people did not know what
studies were going on among the reptile
researchers and institutes specializing
in reptiles. There was not even a
complete checklist. There was a
gross difference between the number of
species of reptiles, the amount of
knowledge available and the number of
people working on them.
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It
seemed timely to initiate a Network with
the objectives of networking of Reptile
field researchers in South Asia and
compiling a directory of Reptile
Researchers and publishing biannual
newsletter so that the reptile
researchers of the whole of South Asian
can become more of a community.
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The
success of a Network can be measured
only by the amount of interaction there
is between the members, which leads
directly to conservation action.
There are about 100 members listed in
the network already and more are
expected. For improved
conservation planning and action for
such a large and widely disbursed group
of organisms, more and more people /
actively involved, conservationists,
lobbyists and others with an interest in
reptile conservation and a contribution
to make towards the great knowledge of
reptiles to become members of the
Reptile Network.
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Individuals
can be affiliated to any Organisation /
governmental or non-governmental,
research institute, university,
etc. The way networks grow is that
members tell other reptile researchers
about the network and also inform us of
professional and amateur reptile
workers. There is no fee to become
a member , just interest and commitment
to reptile conservation, and a
willingness to share some of your
knowledge with the network as a while.
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The
network has some activities. The CAMP
workshop spawned some obvious tasks, some
of which are going on now (Data Deficient
Project). Also, after a successful
hands-on training for amphibian field
biologists, a similar exercise is
envisioned for reptile biologists.
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Objectives |
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To
encourage and promote the study of
Reptiles of South Asia, by organizing
and running a network of Reptile
specialists, and to provide them useful
services.
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To
maintain a check list and data base --
as complete and correct as possible --
of Reptiles of South Asia providing
local, national and regional information
to be shared with important national and
international agencies and
organisations
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To
catalyse, organize, conduct and
follow-up conservation assessment and
other workshops and training exercises
for Reptile specialists of South Asia
and public education projects as
appropriate, nationally or regionally
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Click
on these links below to view the reports
of the Reptile CAMPs
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Report
of BCCP CAMP on Reptiles of India,
published in 1998, edited by S. Molur
and S. Walker.
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To
follow up such workshops with
recommendations to local, state,
national and regional wildlife
authorities for protection for
threatened species of Reptiles and
promotion of further studies of Data
Deficient species (ongoing but
much needs to be done)
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To
undertake a set of specific tasks
utilising the information from the 2002
Reptile CAMP workshop to further enhance
our knowledge of Reptile status in South
Asia
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To
research and disseminate information
about funding sources for field surveys
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To
bring out a newsletter of current
reptile conservation, research,
education news (several issues have been
brought out and can be found on our
website)
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to
find the current Reptile
Rap newsletter
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To
prepare a Directory of Reptile
specialists of South Asia for
distribution to all network members
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to
see the directory of Reptile
Special Interest Group Members
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To
prepare educational materials on
Reptiles at different levels on for
conveying to policy makers, politicians,
and the public / all ages and languages.
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to
view the
Reports of some of these education
programmes
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To
involve researchers in public education
on Reptiles by providing printed
material and guidelines.
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| ©2017
Zoo Outreach Organization |
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