International Year of Biodiversity & Species of the Day

The UN declared 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity (IYB). Throughout the year countless initiatives will be organized to disseminate information, promote the protection of biodiversity and encourage organizations, institutions, companies and individuals to take direct action to reduce the constant loss of biological diversity worldwide.

IUCN’s work on biodiversity includes comprehensive research on the status of species; action to protect threatened species; the management and restoration of natural areas, national parks and other protected areas; and promotion of the sustainable use of natural resources. Governments, community organisations, the UN and more and more businesses actively seek guidance from IUCN on all of these areas. Biodiversity is the backbone of all life on Earth and the core of what IUCN does. To coincide with the IYB, IUCN will be launching The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species ™ “Species of the Day” in January.

Each day in 2010, a different species will be featured on a range of websites and through other media
channels. The species will be selected from the entire range of groups, representing all regions and
detailing the threats to their existence. This is a joint project of the IUCN Species Programme and the
Species Survival Commission (SSC). It has been made possible through the support of UNEP and ARKive.
For more information, please contact Kathryn Pintus or Rachel Roberts of the IUCN or visit the IUCN's website.

Article originally from the IUCN SEE e-Bulletin, issue 22, December 2009.