About
About the AsRSG
The Asian Rhino Specialist Group is a specialist group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission. Its mandate is to inform, guide and catalyse conservation action for all three Asian rhino species.
Mandate
The AsRSG's mandate is to inform, guide and catalyse conservation action for the greater one-horned rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis), the Sumatran rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) and the Javan rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus).
The group brings together the world's leading scientists, field practitioners, policy experts and institutional partners to arrest the decline of Asian rhinos and secure their long-term survival in the wild. Two of the three species are among the most critically endangered large mammals on earth, and the work of the AsRSG is therefore conducted with the highest sense of urgency.
Leadership Team
The Leadership Team provides strategic direction, represents the group to the IUCN SSC and external partners, and has overall accountability for the work programme.
| Role | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chair | Dr Christy Williams | Overall leadership of the AsRSG |
| Deputy Chair | Dr Bhaskar Choudhury | |
| Vice Chair – South Asia | Dr Naresh Subedi | |
| Vice Chair – SE Asia | Mrs Kurnia Khairani | |
| Red List Authority Coordinator | Deba Dutta | Responsible for IUCN Red List assessments |
Structure
The AsRSG operates through seven standing sub-committees: three organised around species-level conservation, and four around functional areas essential to the group's effectiveness. Each is chaired by an appointed member and reports collectively to the Leadership Team. Each also has a designated Leadership Focal Point — a named member of the Leadership Team who provides day-to-day guidance. The Focal Point is not a line manager; accountability remains shared across the full Leadership Team.
1 · Species Conservation
GOH Rhino Conservation PlanningFocal: Naresh Subedi (Vice Chair – South Asia) & Deba Kumar Dutta (Red List Authority)
2 · Species Conservation
Sumatran Rhino Conservation PlanningFocal: Christy Williams (Chair) & Kurnia Khairani (Vice Chair – SE Asia)
3 · Species Conservation
Javan Rhino Conservation PlanningFocal: Christy Williams (Chair) & Kurnia Khairani (Vice Chair – SE Asia)
4 · Functional
Conservation Breeding & Assisted ReproductionFocal: Bhaskar Choudhury (Deputy Chair)
5 · Functional
Partners of AsRSGFocal: Christy Williams (Chair)
6 · Functional
Communications & Knowledge ManagementFocal: Christy Williams (Chair) & Deba Kumar Dutta
7 · Functional
MembershipFocal: Bhaskar Choudhury (Deputy Chair)
Governance principles
All sub-committees operate in accordance with the following principles:
- Transparency — decisions, minutes and workplans are shared with the Leadership Team and, where appropriate, the full membership.
- Accountability — each sub-committee Chair is personally accountable to the Leadership Team for delivery of the agreed workplan.
- Inclusivity — sub-committees actively seek members from range state countries and diverse professional backgrounds.
- Scientific integrity — all recommendations must be grounded in the best available science and evidence.
- IUCN compliance — all activities must comply with applicable IUCN SSC policies.
Each sub-committee meets at least twice a year, submits an annual workplan at the start of each calendar year and an annual report by 30 November. These Terms of Reference are reviewed every three years.
History
PLACEHOLDER — a short history of the group, its founding and the milestones in Asian rhino conservation it has contributed to. The Asian Rhinosnewsletter was first launched in 1995; Numbers 1 and 2 were edited by Tom Foose and Nico van Strien, and Number 3 by Foose, van Strien and Kees Rookmaaker in March 2000. The series was revived in May 2026.
Part of the IUCN SSC
The AsRSG is one of the specialist groups of the IUCN Species Survival Commission, the world's largest volunteer conservation network.