INVASIONS BULLETIN
Events and Meetings
To accelerate conservation action, the Indianapolis Zoo partnered with the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) to establish the Global Center for Species Survival, designed to strengthen SSC Specialist Groups and advancing conservation solutions that are both globally informed and locally grounded. Under this role, the Global Center Invertebrate Conservation Coordinator, Sérgio Henriques, recently facilitated collaboration between the SSC Ant Specialist Group, the SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group and invasive ant experts in Okinawa, fostering dialogue to address shared challenges and promote coordinated action.
Developed with the leadership of the SSC Ant Specialist Group, the round table focused on invasive ants in Okinawa as a case study for global action, convening scientists, consultants, educators and U.S. military environmental division, to exchange lessons learned. This event was also an opportunity to engage local stakeholders from the Japanese Ministry of Environment and the Okinawan Prefecture Nature Conservation Division around this urgent topic. This milestone event underscores the Global Center’s growing role in supporting SSC Specialist Groups through strategic network events and targeted knowledge exchange.
Hosted at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, the Invasive Ants Round Table marked the Global Center's first independently organized in-person event abroad.
Invasive Ants Round Table