Bogor, Indonesia – 17 November 2025 – The freshwater mollusc’s extinction risk at the Sundaland biodiversity hotspot will be under assessment by leading conservation biologists and taxonomists in a workshop to be held in the Royal Hotel, Bogor, Nov 17 thru 21, 2025.
The workshop is jointly organized by PILI Green Network, the Directorate of Genetic Species Conservation (KSDAE) of Forestry Ministry, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Indonesia Species Specialist Group (IdSSG), and Indonesia Mollusc Society (MMI).
The workshop aims to verify the conservation status of dozens of native snail and mussel species, many of which are facing severe threats from human activities.
Sundaland, a region encompassing Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei, is renowned for its rich biodiversity. Its freshwater ecosystems—including rivers, lakes, and streams—harbor a unique array of molluscs found nowhere else on Earth. However, these often-overlooked species are under increasing pressure from habitat destruction, water pollution, agricultural runoff, infrastructure development, and climate change.
This IUCN Red List Assessment workshop is a vital step towards their conservation. The assessments will determine the global conservation status of each species—classifying them as Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered—on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the world’s most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species.
This activity aligns with government programs outlined in the 2025-2029 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN) and the 2025-2045 IBSAP. Over the next few years, Indonesia is committed to conducting a national red list assessment for all species. This national-level assessment is expected to provide a clearer picture of the condition of species in Indonesia, enabling more concrete and targeted strategies, said Nunu Anugerah, Director of Genetic-Species Conservation.
“Freshwater molluscs are among the most threatened yet least documented groups of animals. They are the ‘unsung heroes’ of our rivers, playing a crucial role in water filtration, nutrient cycling, and as a part of the aquatic food web. This workshop is essential to sound the alarm for these silent victims of the biodiversity crisis and to direct conservation attention where it is most needed,” said Iwan Setiawan-Director of PILI Green Network.
As the global authority on species assessment, IUCN provides the scientific framework and rigorous methodology for the workshop. “The IUCN Red List is a critical tool for guiding conservation action. By bringing together the world’s leading experts on Sundaland’s freshwater molluscs, we can consolidate the latest scientific data to understand the true scale of the threat facing Sundaland’s freshwater molluscs with targeting 176 species. The outcomes of this workshop will provide the scientific foundation for targeted conservation strategies and inform policy decisions to protect these vital freshwater ecosystems,” explained Eresha Fernando, Eresha Fernando, Lead – Freshwater Biodiversity, IUCN Biodiversity Assessment and Knowledge Team, a key facilitator of the workshop.
Key Outcomes and implications of the workshop include: 1) Scientific Baseline: The workshop will establish a scientifically robust baseline for the conservation status of Sundaland’s freshwater molluscs, 2) Informing Policy: The resulting Red List assessments will be a critical resource for governments in developing environmental policies, protected area management, and integrating biodiversity safeguards into development planning, 3) Capacity Building: The event strengthens the capacity of local and regional scientists in the rigorous process of IUCN Red List assessment, and 4) Conservation Roadmap: The process will identify major threats and pinpoint priority conservation actions for the most endangered species.
The final assessments from the workshop will be processed for inclusion in the official IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, a publicly accessible database used by governments, NGOs, and researchers worldwide to guide conservation efforts.
About IUCN:
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is a membership union composed of both government and civil society organisations. It harnesses the experience, resources and reach of its more than 1,400 Member organisations and the input of some 15,000 experts. IUCN is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it. Its Species Survival Commission (SSC) is a science-based network of thousands of volunteer experts from almost every country of the world.
About PILI Green Network:
PILI Green Network is an Indonesian non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening biodiversity conservation and sustainable natural resource management through scientific approaches, capacity building, and multi-stakeholder collaboration.
Media Contact:
1. Dr. rer. nat. Ayu Savitri Nurinsiyah, Researcher at National Research and Innovation Agency
Email: ayu_nurinsiyah@yahoo.com
+62 821-2303-7904
2. Erisha Nur Fatimah, Media Officer, PILI Green Network
Email: erishanurfa68@gmail.com
+62 896-2921-1539