The Saola Working Group (SWG)
The SWG is an active network of members and implementing partners committed to saving Saola. The SWG members are drawn from a range of government partners and conservation organisations working in the Saola’s range. SWG members are among the most experienced conservationists and biologists at work in Southeast Asia. This experience and their close collaboration are the SWG’s central strengths. Our implementing partners include many local and international NGOs carrying out Saola detection, as well as zoos and universities. Their commitment to find and save Saola and the resources and field teams they can mobilise to implement the work are essential to this collaborative approach.
SWG has two National Coordinators, one for each range country, Lao PDR and Vietnam, and hosted by IUCN Lao and WWF Vietnam. The Coordinators work closely with in-country implementing partners to better enable them to contribute to Saola detection work. The National Coordinators can also support their efforts where needed.
The SWG’s strategic oversight is provided by the Governance Body that represent the conservation interests of both countries and the global ex situ and donor community. The SWG Fundraising Group works with National Coordinators and implementing partners to provide support where it is most needed. A technical advisory group, working closely with the National Coordinators, provides input to strategy as well as field skills to implementing partners. IUCN offices in both countries provide strong liaison with relevant offices in both governments.
SWG Members
The Saola Working Group is made up of members, reviewed every four years, that are experts in their field and who contribute to Saola conservation. For the period 2017-2020 SWG has more than 30 members, listed below.
We thank these individuals for their generous contribution of time and knowledge towards saving Saola.
Rob Timmins
Nick Lindsay
Minh Nguyen
Bousa Anita
Jeff Holland
Douglas Richardson
Dr Hannah O’Kelly, ASIAN ARKS
Dr. Simon Hedges, ASIAN ARKS
Terry Hornsey, BANHAM ZOO / AFRICA ALIVE!
Bouaphanh Phanthavong, DEPARTMENT OF FOREST RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (LAO PDR)
Outhai Vongsa, DEPARTMENT OF FOREST RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (LAO PDR)
Dr. Barney Long, GLOBAL WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
Dr Andrew Tilker, GLOBAL WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
Dr. Nguyen Xuan Dang, INSTITUTE OF ECOLOGY AND BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES (VIETNAM)
Alex McWilliam, IUCN ASIA
Will Duckworth, IUCN
Nguyen Duc Tu, IUCN VIETNAM PROGRAMME
Dr. Camille Coudrat, PROJECT ANOULAK
Andy Blue, SAN DIEGO SAFARI PARK
Chanthasone Phommachanh, SAOLA FOUNDATION
Dr Lorraine Scotson, SAOLA FOUNDATION
Bounthavy phommachanh, SAOLA WORKING GROUP
Dr. Pierre Comizzoli, SMITHSONIAN CONSERVATION BIOLOGY INSTITUTE
Nicholas Wilkinson, UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
Le Trong Trai, VIET NATURE
Dr. Cao Tien Trung, VINH UNIVERSITY
Dr. Pat Thomas, WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY / BRONX ZOO
Dr. Chanthavy Vongkhamheng, WILDLIFE CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION (LAOS)
Dr. Scott Roberton, WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY VIETNAM PROGRAM
David Lety, WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY LAO PDR PROGRAM
Xaysompheng Sengkhamyong, WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY LAO PDR PROGRAM
Radosław Ratajszczak, WROCLAW ZOO
Thinh Van Ngoc, WWF VIETNAM
Ben Rawson, WWF VIETNAM
Crispian Barlow, WWF GREATER MEKONG PROGRAMME
Yoganand Kandasamy, WWF GREATER MEKONG PROGRAMME
Eric Bairrão Ruivo, ZOOPARC DE BEAUVAL