The IUCN Mammal Red Data Book Part 1, Thornback & Jenkins: 1982: H/B: Signed

By Jane Thornback & Martin Jenkins.

Published by IUCN, Switzerland, 1982. Hardback cover with dustjacket (unclipped), 516 pages. Inscription to front free end paper signed by both authors/compilers.

CONDITION
Overall good condition - see photos. Some wear to dustjacket around edges/corners. Fading to spine. Foxing to head. Some grubby marks to fore and bottom edges. Otherwise a good clean copy. No names or writing.

lUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Matural Resources) is a network of governments, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), scientists and other conservation experts, joined together to promote the protection and sustainable use of living resources. Founded in 1948, lUCN has more than 450 member governments and NGOs in over 100 countries. Its six Commissions consist of more than 700 experts on threatened species, protected areas, ecology, environmental planning, environmental policy, law and administration, and environmental education. lUCN monitors the status of ecosystems and species throughout the world; plans conservation action, both at the strategic level through the World Conservation Strategy and the programme level through its programme of conservation for sustainable development; promotes such action by governments, intergovernmental bodies and nongovernmental organizations; provides assistance and advice necessary for "the achievement of such action.

Foreword:

"lUCN has always had as one of its principal functions the gathering of data on species and habitats under threat, so that action can be taken. It has, over the years, initiated and solicited information throughout the world. For species, this has been mainly through the Specialist Groups of the Species Survival Commission (SSC) or particular contracted individuals. It was recognised some while ago that to handle and put to best advantage the amount of data being received, together with the requirement to present information in many different ways and to insure that action programmes be developed rapidly, there was a need for a full-time Monitoring Centre to be set up. This has now been possible with the moral and financial support of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), for which I am most grateful. It has been my pleasure and privilege to help create this Centre and watch it quickly grow. It is now coming to the production stage, having had to collate sufficiently all the previous scattered information. This, as all researchers know, is a most frustrating task; working hard but having little to show for one's efforts. We now see the beginnings of not just a whole new generation of the Red Data Books, but a computer-held data base with much wider information available. In time this will allow many different outputs for many different purposes as well as updated information on single or groups of sheets; either geographic or taxonomically arranged as needed. The present work is the result of this activity, involving the sustained attention of the compiler, support from the Centre's administrative staff and guidance from the Species Survival Commission's Specialist Group members and consultants. As will be evident from the Introduction, we rely heavily on the assistance and support of our own expert associates to ensure that our data is of the highest quality. May I count on your help? I would like to express my thanks and congratulations to all those who have contributed towards this work; in particular Jane Thornback who has compiled it, Martin Jenkins who assisted her, Carol Hovenden who was responsible for handling the text storage and processing equipment, and Tony Mence, the Centre's manager." G. LI. Lucas, Chairman, Species Survival Commission.

(Bindery shelves B2)