abigazzard

Innsbruck / Garmisch-Partenkirchen, March 2025 — A new cross-border initiative has been launched to protect one of Europe’s rarest mammals, the Bavarian Pine Vole (Microtus bavaricus). The Alpenzoo Innsbruck-Tirol (Austria) and the Bavarian Environment Agency (Germany) have officially joined forces in a landmark conservation project to secure the future of this species. During a ceremonial event, the two partner institutions signed an agreement for a transboundary initiative dedicated to protecting this vole.

The Bavarian Pine Vole was first discovered in 1962 near Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Bavaria, Germany). Considered extinct after decades of absence, it was rediscovered in Mittenwald in 2023 by the Bird Protection Agency Garmisch-Partenkirchen at the Bavarian Environment Agency. Until then, the only known population occurred in North Tyrol (Austria), near the Alpenzoo. With an extremely limited range and very small population, the species is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) on the Austrian Red List and as Extinct / Lost on the German Red List.

At the heart of the conservation effort is the EUREGIO Zugspitze-Wetterstein-Karwendel region, which includes vital habitats for the vole. Funded 75% by the EU’s Interreg Bavaria-Austria 2021–2027 program, with additional support from the Alpenzoo, the project’s measures to protect the Bavarian Pine Vole include:

• monitoring of populations in Bavaria and Tyrol,
• conservation of the species and preservation and management of its habitats, and
• public awareness campaigns and environmental education about this unique alpine species.

The project also contributes to establishing an IUCN Centre for Species Survival at the Alpenzoo to ensure long-term preservation of endangered small mammals and alpine species. This aspect is implemented in collaboration with the IUCN Small Mammal Specialist Group.

The Alpenzoo and the Bavarian Environment Agency are jointly committed to preserving this rare species. Dr. André Stadler, Director of the Alpenzoo, emphasized the importance of cross-border cooperation:

“This project is a prime example of species and habitat conservation across borders. Together, we can save an endangered species that hardly anyone knows about—but is a vital part of our alpine biodiversity.”

Sabrina Blandau, Managing Director of EUREGIO Zugspitze-Wetterstein-Karwendel, added:

“We are proud to support this unique project through the Interreg program. It’s a meaningful way to contribute to species and nature conservation in the European Alps.”

This agreement signals a hopeful future for the Bavarian Pine Vole—and a stronger commitment to biodiversity conservation in Europe’s alpine region.

Persons present at the event:

Günther Platter, President of the Alpenzoo Innsbruck-Tirol Association

Dr. André Stadler, Direktor of the Alpenzoo Innsbruck-Tirol

Dr. Nora Weyer, Conservation Officer at the Alpenzoo’s Centre for Species Survival

Dr. Simon Ripperger, Scientific Expert, Bavarian Environment Agency

Sabrina Blandau, CEO of EUREGIO Zugspitze – Wetterstein – Karwendel (EZWK)

Simon Damerow, Regional Management of EZWK Innsbruck-Land

Today, 4th April, is World Rat Day, so what better day to celebrate some of the world’s most diverse and fascinating mammals? 

The first thing that springs to mind with the word “rat” might be the widespread and recognisable Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus). In actual fact, “rat” is a broad term that has been used to describe hundreds of species of muroid rodents. The name “rat” typically covers the true rats of the Rattini tribe (including, for example, species of the Rattus genus), but has also been used in common names for groups such as the kangaroo, mosaic-tailed, spiny, mole and rabbit rats.  

Native rats play key roles in ecosystems everywhere. They are scatter-hoarders, scavengers, burrowers, predators, and prey. However, lacking the obvious characteristics of larger flagship mammals, most rats are completely overlooked and underrepresented in the media, as well as in funding, conservation and research.  

Below, we are spotlighting some of these remarkable yet at-risk rats. 

Yesterday, we reported on the IUCN Red List’s first update of the year (27th March 2025) and some of the small mammal Red List assessments it included. Today, we are highlighting the four Green Status of Species assessments also included in this latest update. The IUCN Green Status of Species complements the Red List by providing a tool for assessing the recovery of species’ populations and measuring their conservation success. Green Status assessments are published on the Red List website, and provide insight into how current and future actions could contribute to species’ conservation.

Menzbier’s Marmot (Marmota menzbieri) – Critically Depleted 

Restricted to the western part of the Tien Shan Mountains in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, Menzbier’s Marmot was assessed as Vulnerable on the Red List in 2023. The Red List team for this species – comprising species experts Ormon E. Sultangaziev, Elena Bykova and Aleksandr Esipov, and the SMSG’s Programme Officer Abi Gazzard – then decided to embark of the Green Status assessment process. In the assessments, we report that Menzbier’s Marmot is threatened by the rapid loss of alpine and subalpine meadow habitats, livestock herders’ dogs, poaching, mining, quarrying and climate change. Unfortunately, its Green Status assessment shows a low Species Recovery Score of 13% (Critically Depleted). This is because the species is recorded as Critically Endangered and Endangered in two of its distinct populations, and absent in the third unit of its former range. Human population growth, and increased infrastructure and livestock to support it, is expected to soon impact higher elevations, where the species’ range has begun to shift in response to climate change.

Bykova, E., Esipov, A., Gazzard, A., Plakhov, K. & Sultangaziev, O.E. 2024. Marmota menzbieri (Green Status assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2024: e.T12827A1282720251.

Calabrian Black Squirrel (Sciurus meridionalis) – Moderately Depleted

The Calabrian Black Squirrel was assessed as Near Threatened as part of the European Red List Pulse project in 2024. Now, in the latest update, its Green Status assessment shows a score of 52%, placing it in the Moderately Depleted category. In the long-term, reforestation efforts combined with enhanced habitat management, restoration of habitat connectivity, and captive breeding to improve genetic variation have the potential to move the species into the Slightly Depleted category, reflecting a Medium Recovery Potential. This assessment was coordinated by Durrell intern Salomé, who worked closely with Assessors Giovanni Amori and Gaetano Aloise, following Giovanni’s efforts on the 2024 Red List assessment.

Amori, G. & Aloise, G. 2024. Sciurus meridionalis (Green Status assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2024: e.T221730662A22173066220251.

North American Beaver (Castor canadensis) – Slightly Depleted

The SMSG’S Deputy Chair for Eulipotyphla, Alexis Mychajliw, has co-assessed two North American native species in recent months. First up is the North American Beaver which, whilst Least Concern on the Red List, is reported as Slightly Depleted on the Green Status of Species with a species recovery score of 83%. It is considered fully Functional in three of the six spatial units within its indigenous range, and Viable (but not Functional) in the remaining three. Trapping regulations and translocations have helped conserve this species and, without these interventions, it is estimated that the Recovery Score would be as low as 44%. This is a great example of how Green Status assessments can capture the impact that past interventions have had.

Snyderman, L.S., Mychajliw, A. & Hofman, C.A. 2024. Castor canadensis (Green Status assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2024: e.T4003A400320251.

Common Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) – Moderately Depleted

Last is the Common Muskrat, prepared by the same team as above. This is a Least Concern species, yet its Green Status assessment highlights how the status of existing populations is somewhat reliant on trapping regulations. The removal of these regulations would be detrimental to the species. Improvements in habitat quality and connectivity could further increase its species recovery score in the long-term, which currently stands at 67%.

Snyderman, L.S., Mychajliw, A. & Hofman, C.A. 2024. Ondatra zibethicus (Green Status assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2024: e.T15324A1532420251

Alpenzoo and the IUCN SSC Small Mammal Specialist Group (SMSG) – who have collaborated to create a Centre for Species Survival – are pleased to welcome Nora Weyer to the team. Nora is based at Alpenzoo in Austria and will be working closely with the SMSG on lots of small mammal Red List work. Hear more from Nora below.

“I am a passionate conservation biologist with over a decade of experience in wildlife research, conservation planning, and international collaboration. I hold a Ph.D. in Biology, specializing in the ecophysiology of large and small mammals, with extensive fieldwork in southern Africa.

As the Conservation Officer at Alpenzoo Innsbruck, I coordinate the 19th IUCN Centre for Species Survival and lead conservation programs focused on small mammals worldwide and alpine species in the region, including the Bavarian pine vole. I work closely with the IUCN SSC Small Mammal Specialist Group, the Conservation Planning Specialist Group (CPSG), governments, and NGOs to drive impactful conservation initiatives.

Before joining Alpenzoo, I worked with the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). My background in wildlife conservation physiology includes extensive research on wild animal species in southern Africa. For my Ph.D., I studied the impacts of climate change on free-living aardvarks in the Kalahari semi-desert, while my M.Sc. research focused on torpor patterns in the African woodland dormouse. I have also contributed to research on other wild species, including marine turtles and pangolins.

In addition to my role with the IUCN SSC Small Mammal Specialist Group, I am an active member of the IUCN SSC Afrotheria Specialist Group.

I have played a key role in species conservation action plans and assessments, international policy frameworks, and ecological research. I am dedicated to bridging science, policy, and conservation practice, contributing to species survival through evidence-based strategies and collaboration.”

Last autumn, we — a group of Middlebury College students working with IUCN SMSG deputy chair Dr. Alexis Mychajliw— had the wonderful opportunity to attend BeaverCon in Boulder, CO. BeaverCon is a biennial conference hosted by the Beaver Institute that promotes beaver conservation, restoration ecology, and community engagement. With funding from Middlebury College and the Conservation Paleobiology Network, six of us students were able to attend all three days of the conference.

North American beavers (Castor canadensis) once inhabited wetlands across the entirety of North America. They are keystone critters that provide essential benefits to ecosystems by building their dams and lodges. By blocking up streams, beavers create new wetland habitat to support additional wildlife and store water in the water table. This can build resilience in ecosystems against wildfires and droughts. However, beavers are also considered a nuisance for many communities by interfering with manmade infrastructure, and many states lack comprehensive human-beaver coexistence management programs. Beavers are currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List because of their wide range, yet little is known about just how ecologically functional they are relative to pre-Fur Trade population sizes and distributions. As a result, researchers are now investigating beavers through time as part of an NSF grant (DISES 2109168) and conducting the first IUCN Green Status assessment for this species, which will better take into account historical baselines.

Welcome to BeaverCon! BeaverCon had a bring-your-own-shirt system that encouraged people to reuse shirts for on-site screenprinting their logo. Photos by Alexis Mychajliw.

At BeaverCon, we had the opportunity to attend dozens of informative talks on a wide range of subjects. We learned about the role of beavers in fire ecology, GIS tools that identify beaver wetlands, human-beaver coexistence projects in urban areas, and more. We had the opportunity to converse with scientists, community leaders, ranchers, policy analysts, and artists from across the country that were passionate about beavers. We even had the privilege of hearing Jared Polis, the governor of Colorado, talk about his efforts to protect beavers and the ecosystems they support!

We were able to add to this conversation and practice our data synthesis and presentation skills to a general audience. We presented a project we completed this spring in Dr. Alexis Mychajliw’s Conservation Biology class of an ArcGIS StoryMap about the conservation of beavers in the southeast. We took data from a variety of open databases to create interactive media, crafting a story about the history and challenges that arise with human-beaver cohabitation in the southeast, as well as the benefits that beaver conservation provides to disadvantaged communities. We then adapted this presentation for BeaverCon to show audience members the applicability of ArcGIS StoryMaps for their organization, as it can be a key tool for science communication and education outreach.

Left: Middlebury College students (left to right: Lucy Day, Haydn Suske-Funk, Kendall Schilling, Helen Vaughn, Claire Ellerbrook, Samuel Medina) at BeaverCon, hosted at the University of Colorado, Boulder in October 2024. Right: the students being interviewed about their experience at BeaverCon for national television. Photos by Alexis Mychajliw.

We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have attended BeaverCon 2024. We gained experience in presenting, acquired a breathtaking array of beaver knowledge, and made important connections in the environmental field. Thank you to all our supporters who allowed us to develop foundational skills for conservation scientists!

Authors: Haydn Suske-Funk and Helen Vaughan

See the students’ TV appearance here!

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has just published its second update of the year (28th October 2024), including reassessments for hundreds of small mammal species submitted by the Small Mammal Specialist Group (SMSG). Unfortunately, the most significant changes concern a worsening in Red List categories. Read more about some of these assessments below. 

Admiralty Rat (Rattus detentus) – Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct)

Formally described only as recently as 2016 from Manus Island of Papua New Guinea, this species has only ever been recorded a handful of times. Unfortunately, hope for this species is slim, as multiple surveys undertaken between 1962 and 2014 have failed to record it. Local hunters in 2014 considered it too rare to be worth hunting, and targeted surveys and ethnographic questionnaires since then have failed to find evidence of the species. It is possible that is has already disappeared.

Applying the IUCN’s recommended extinction assessment framework, we estimated the probability that the species is extinct to be 0.76. The Admiralty Rat now joins the 15 other rodent species that are already listed as Possibly Extinct.

Bahaman Hutia (Geocapromys ingrahami) – Critically Endangered

Populations of this hutia have already been extirpated from parts of the Bahamas due to a hunting, predation by dogs and possibly cats, and competition with other invasive mammals. This species is now only thought to occur on three cays, though persistence on one of these is uncertain.

Since this species has such a small, restricted distribution, it is only found in a few locations, and there is ongoing decline, it has reached the status of Critically Endangered. A Species Action Plan which considers future reintroduction options is urgently needed.

Heath Mouse (Pseudomys shortridgei) – Endangered 

The Heath Mouse is found in parts of South and Western Australia, where lack of success in targeted surveying has raised cause for concern. It’s thought that climate change, wildfires, habitat loss and degradation, as well as predation by cats and foxes, have been driving a decline in numbers. Now, based on its small area of occupancy, low number of locations, and continuing decline, this species is Endangered.

Seram Orange Melomys (Melomys fulgens) – Vulnerable 

This species – previously unrecorded since 1920 and assessed as Data Deficient – was recently documented as surviving on the island of Seram in Indonesia, in research led by SMSG Deputy Chair for Conservation Actions, Prof. Sam Turvey.

Whilst this “rediscovery” is incredibly promising for the species, its recent Red List assessment highlights that we must take action to continue survey work. It has been listed as Vulnerable based on its small distribution and threats to its lowland forest habitat (logging and agriculture).

Western European Hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) – Near Threatened

A well-recognised and widely-loved small mammal, the Western European Hedgehog is nowadays facing a multitude of threats. Roads, agricultural intensification and urban growth have likely affected populations across its range. With evidence indicating local and national declines thar are approaching, and in some areas, exceeding 30% over a decade, this hedgehog has been moved from the category of Least Concern to Near Threatened.

Have you ever heard of a muskrat island? On the rocky Isles of Shoals in Maine and New Hampshire, in an environment that should, in theory, be poorly matched to muskrats, these rodents are thriving.

Undergraduate researcher Max Zeltsar, supervised by our Deputy Chair for Eulipotyphla, Dr Alexis Mychajliw, has been studying these island populations to help us understand how they are surviving. Hear more from Max about his project, below:

Hello, my name is Max Zeltsar and I am a student and undergraduate researcher at Middlebury College in Vermont. Over this past summer, I have been working in collaboration with the Shoals Marine Laboratory and my advisor, Dr. Alexis Mychajliw (Middlebury College), to study an incredibly unique population of muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus) that live on the Isles of Shoals in Maine and New Hampshire. While most people remember these islands for the many gulls and seals that call them home, us mammalogists affectionately call them the “muskrat islands” on account of the successful muskrat population.

Muskrats were introduced to the islands sometime between the late 1800s and early 1900s. Currently, there is no documentation explaining why they were introduced, but given the timing, it is possible that humans brought them to the islands to supplement the fur trade. Regardless of the reason for the introduction, muskrats have thrived on the Isles of Shoals since their arrival to the archipelago.

The ongoing survival of these muskrats raises many interesting questions about our understanding of the species. Muskrats are semi-aquatic mammals and inhabit wetland and stream ecosystems. While they can live in saline and freshwater environments, they are reliant on aquatic plants, a network of permanent or longstanding waterways, and soft workable mud for shelter, food, and safety. The Isles of Shoals are primarily composed of rocky coastal zones and patches of scrub brush and exposed grass. Freshwater sources are largely driven by the presence of rain and most large bodies of water can dry up within a couple of days. Although most of their traditional predators don’t live on the islands, gulls that inhabit the islands during their breeding season will predate muskrats as well as chase them away from their nesting sites. In other words, the Isles of Shoals should be virtually uninhabitable for muskrats and yet they continue to survive in remarkably high densities.

Despite how incredible and bizarre the ongoing presence of muskrats on Shoals is, there has been very little research to understand their ecology. The goal of my research is to understand how muskrats are surviving on the Isles of Shoals. By answering questions about their habitat selection, behaviour, and diet we can understand what may or may not be limiting their populations. Investigating these topics required a range of approaches. From June to August, an 8-week-long camera trap survey was implemented to observe their distribution and study their activity patterns. Scat transects were also used to monitor changes in activity and to understand what environmental factors (e.g. ground cover, exposure, presence of territorial gulls) influenced the density of that activity. Lastly, stable isotope analysis is being conducted to understand what the muskrats are consuming and how flexible their diets may be.Through a combination of these various techniques, we can gain a deeper understanding of the ecology of Shoals muskrats. Given their status as an introduced species, it is particularly important to understand how these muskrats are interacting with the Shoals ecosystem. The Isles of Shoals provide important nesting habitat for many globally important species of seabirds and learning how muskrats may or may not be impacting that habitat is essential for proper management and conservation. Furthermore, learning how muskrats are living on the Isles of Shoals can contribute to our broader understanding of the species. Muskrats are declining across their endemic range and their traditional wetland habitat is becoming increasingly threatened by anthropogenic development. Studying how muskrats are surviving on the Shoals archipelago could contribute to broader conservation efforts and help us understand how adaptable or resilient the species may be. Lastly, this research contributes to the theory of island biogeography and our concept of what happens genetically, morphologically, and behaviourally to various species and taxa when they become isolated. Whilst this population of muskrats may seem like a very specific research topic, the knowledge that can be gained from them has the potential to be incredibly far-reaching. In other words, the Shoals muskrats are small mammals with big impacts!

Max’s project is funded by the Middlebury College Undergraduate Research Office. Find out more about small mammal research in the HEDGE lab here: https://insectivora.org/our-research/, and the Shoals Marine Lab here: https://www.shoalsmarinelaboratory.org/

Thank you to Dan Bowen who joined our SMSG team on a summer internship! Dan has recently completed his placement, during which he focused on bringing a number of Japanese endemic small mammal Red List assessments up to date. We were delighted to have Dan working on spiny rats, moles, shrews and more! Hear from Dan, below:

“I’m Dan and I undertook an internship with the IUCN Small Mammal Specialist Group drafting Red List reassessments for some Japanese endemic species. I grew up in Shropshire, attending state schools and volunteering at my local wildlife trust in my spare time. Despite being from a working-class background, I worked hard and made it to the University of Oxford. I am studying Biology, and am on my final year doing my Masters in Biology research project, which I hope will support me in my career in ecology and conservation.

At university, I have been very fortunate to have access to a wide range of internship opportunities, including this one with the IUCN SMSG. My internship involved performing literature research for Japanese endemic species, researching if there had been any changes in distribution or population trends. If so, I would add this new information to the current species distribution map and update the running species information sheet, preparing the drafts for review by species experts.

During my internship, I have learned new insights into conservation and developed my researching skills. I have a better understanding of the process behind the IUCN Red List system, and a greater appreciation for the work that goes on behind the scenes in ensuring this information is available to the public.

I wanted to say thanks to the IUCN SMSG, and especially my supervisors Abi and Ros, who have all been very welcoming and supportive throughout my internship. I look forward to see the work I have been performing with the group contribute to the current understanding we have around these rare species.”

A Tokudaia (spiny rat) species. Source: Daderot, Wiki.

Texas A&M University is pleased to continue their involvement with the Small Mammal Specialist Group (SMSG) through the appointment of new members Maria Alejandra Hurtado Materon, a PhD student in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Program, and Dr Michelle Lawing, Associate Professor at Texas A&M in the Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology. They will work closely with Emeritus Professor Thomas Lacher (Co-Chair of the SMSG), as he will serve as advisor to the team while they focus on coordinating the next round of Red Listing for small mammals in the Americas.

Find out more about Michelle and Maria below:

Michelle and Maria

Maria Alejandra Hurtado Materon is a Ph.D. student in the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Texas A&M University. Her research focuses on the ecological and evolutionary processes that drive current and historical biodiversity patterns. She uses an integrative approach that combines functional traits, biogeography, phylogenetic comparative methods, and modeling techniques. Additionally, she is developing a periodic table of niches for mammals. Since Spring 2024, Maria has been working as a research assistant in the TAMU-Red List Partnership.

A. Michelle Lawing is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology (lawinglab.org). Her research is focused on how biodiversity responds to climate and environmental change and her approach involves interdisciplinary work at the nexus of conservation biology, ecology, evolution, and paleontology. She is particularly interested in functional traits of mammals and reptiles and how they are aligned with environments in the Anthropocene, Late Pleistocene, and throughout the Miocene to present.

The Texas A&M team will be involving undergraduate students in Red List assessing and drafting species updates before seeking input from species experts. Equally, this work will spread awareness of the Red List process and help to build new skills earlier in the training process of the conservation workforce. Undergraduate students at Texas A&M will have the opportunity to participate in assessments by joining a year-long Aggie Research Program and becoming certified Red List and Green Status assessors.

Maria Alejandra and the Texas A&M team have also been working to develop an R script to assist assessors in the mapping stages. This script includes tools for occurrence cleaning, map modification, and the calculation of AOO (Area of Occupancy) and EOO (Extent of Occurrence) metrics in accordance with IUCN requirements. Moreover, there are plans to explore a broader assessment process; we have started to work on select Green Status assessments through the help of the SMSG’s current intern, Salomé.

The SMSG is thrilled to have the Texas A&M team in place and look forward to bringing you more assessment updates.