Tabitha Richmond placement – IUCN Freshwater Team

From April to July 2025, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to complete a professional placement with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), working with their Freshwater Biodiversity Assessment and Knowledge Team.

My role focused on the Global Freshwater Mollusc project, which aims to expand the representation of species assessed for extinction risk on the IUCN Red List of Endangered species. Freshwater Molluscs are some of the most threatened groups on Earth yet are often overlooked in research and conservation planning. This placement felt like a great way to use my experience working with tropical freshwater mussels in a conservation context.

From my desk, I found myself “travelling” around the world, looking at tiny European pea clams smaller than a fingernail, giant invasive snails spreading across Asia and America, and rare species found only in the biodiverse region of Sundaland. These ~80 assessments were some of the first submitted as part of the ambitious target of over 4,000 species by the end of next year. A real highlight was collaborating with mollusc experts from across the globe, all incredibly passionate about their species. I also had the opportunity to help facilitate an assessment workshop working online with experts from across Russia to assess over 100 species in a week!

I especially enjoyed working in the David Attenborough Building in Cambridge, home to the Cambridge Conservation Initiative; a shared office space for conservation organisations including the University of Cambridge. Beyond the day-to-day work, I loved meeting people across different teams and getting involved in the building’s many social traditions – from conservation seminars, themed baking competitions, board game evenings, almost weekly birthday cake breaks, and of course plenty of ice-cream trips to Jack’s Gelato.

I’m extremely grateful to everyone who made my time there so memorable. It was a fantastic experience, both professionally and personally, and I’m very glad to have been part of it.