Understanding the need and similarity in the vision with CBD Aichi 2020 Target 12, the Alliance for Zero Extinction organized a side event titled “Seven Wonders of Conservation” at Convention of Parties 1, Hyderabad on 17 October 2012, to present this concept and invite other NGOs to be a part of this network. The purpose of this event will be to raise awareness of some of the globe’s most threatened species.

Olivier Langrand of Island Conservation and AZE Steering Committee member introduced the programme, AZE concept and about the Seven Wonders of Conservation, an initiative to identify, through social networking, worlds top seven AZE species/sites. Along with him two other AZE Steering Committee members, Dr. Russ Mittermeier of Conservation International and Dr. Sanjay Molur of Zoo Outreach Organization were part of this side event along with other speakers and supporters, Jane Smart and Aban Marker Kabraji of IUCN, and Nick Holmes of Island Conservation. Russ Mittermeier spoke about the Alliance and its impacts thus far including the effects, objectives had influenced Target 12 and new initiative of Friends of Target 12. Jane Smart indicated her and IUCN’s support to AZE and indicated that AZE was a natural progression to assessments conducted by IUCN’s famous Red List of Threatened Species. Aban Marker Kabraji spoke about IUCN’s Asia Regional Office being in full support of activities of AZE and need to identify more national AZEs within the region. Nick Holmes presented insights into links between Island Conservation and AZE and mutual support. Sanjay Molur made a presentation about Indian AZE with special emphasis on the Periyar Lake - Stream System (PLSS) case study initiated by Conservation Research Group of Kochi, member of Indian AZE.

The event was concluded with an interesting interactive session with participation from people belonging to different parts of the world. There were questions pertaining to protection awarded to freshwater groups in India and also sharing of case studies speaking of success stories and complications involved in conservation.

A poster on Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE)