Gland, Switzerland:The World Conservation Union (IUCN) recently released its 2007 Red List of Threatened Species. The list, widely recognized as the most reliable evaluation of the world’s species reveals the startling truth of the precarious existence of most plants and animals on the planet.
There are now 41,415 species on the IUCN Red List and 16,306 of them are threatened with extinction compared to last year’s figure of 16,118.
The total number of extinct species has reached 785 and a further 65 are only found in captivity or in cultivation.
One in four mammals, one in eight birds, one third of all amphibians and 70% of the world’s assessed plants on the 2007 IUCN Red List are in danger of extinction.
According to Julia Marton-Lefèvre, Director General, IUCN, “This year’s IUCN Red List shows that the invaluable efforts made so far to protect species are not enough. The rate of biodiversity loss is increasing and we need to act now to significantly reduce it and stave off this global extinction crisis. This can be done, but only with a concerted effort by all levels of society.”
Species in Asia
India and Nepal’s crocodile, the Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) is also facing threats from habitat degradation and has moved from Endangered to Critically Endangered. Its population has recently declined by 58%, from 436 breeding adults in 1997 to just 182 in 2006. Dams, irrigation projects,
sand mining and artificial embankments have all encroached on its habitat, reducing its domain to 2% of its former range species in Asia.
| Species | Where found | Past status | Present status | Reason |
| Yangtze River Dolphin
(Lipotes vexillifer) |
China | Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct). | Fishing, river traffic, pollution and
degradation of habitat |
|
| Gharial
(Gavialis Gangeticus) |
India and Nepal | Endangered | Critically endangered | Dams, irrigation projects,
sand mining and artificial embankments resulting in habitat loss |
This year the total number of birds on the IUCN Red List is 9,956 with 1,217 listed as threatened. Vultures in Africa and Asia have declined, with five species reclassified on the IUCN Red List. The rapid decline in the birds over the last eight years has been driven by the drug diclofenac, used to treat livestock.
In Africa, three species of vulture have been reclassified, including the White-headed Vulture (Trigonoceps occipitalis), which moved from Least Concern to Vulnerable, the White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus) and Rüppell’s Griffon (Gyps rueppellii), both moved from Least Concern to Near
Threatened. The birds’ decline has been due to a lack of food, with a reduction in wild grazing mammals, habitat loss and collision with power lines. They have also been poisoned by carcasses deliberately laced with insecticide. The bait is intended to kill livestock predators, such as
hyenas, jackals and big cats, but it also kills vultures.
| Species | Where found | Past status | Present status | Reason |
| Red-headed
Vulture (Sarcogyps calvus) |
Asia | Near Threatened | to Critically
Endangered |
Use of the drug diclofenac to treat livestock |
| Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) | Asia | Least Concern | Endangered. | Use of the drug diclofenac to treat livestock |
| White-headed Vulture (Trigonoceps occipitalis) | Africa | Least
Concern |
Vulnerable | Lack of food, reduction in wild grazing mammals, poisoning |
| White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus) | Africa | Least Concern | Near Threatened | Lack of food, reduction in wild grazing mammals, poisoning |
| Rüppell’s Griffon (Gyps rueppellii) | Africa | Least Concern | Near
Threatened |
Lack of food, reduction in wild grazing mammals, poisoning |
Great Apes
Their population has declined by more than 60% over the last 20-25 years with about one third of the total population found in protected areas killed by the Ebola virus over the last 15 years. Habitat loss is also responsible for the rapid decline in the population of apes.
| Species | Where found | Past status | Present status | Reason |
| Western Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) | Africa | Endangered | Critically Endangered | Commercial bushmeat trade and the Ebola virus |
| Western Lowland Gorilla | Africa | Population has declined by more than 60% over the last 20-25 years | Commercial bushmeat trade and the Ebola virus | |
| Sumatran Orangutan
(Pongo abelii) |
Critically Endangered | Critically Endangered | Deforestation resulting in habitat loss | |
| Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) | Endangered category | Deforestation resulting in habitat loss |
Corals
Corals have been assessed and added to the IUCN Red List for the very first time. Ten Galapagos species have entered the list, with two in the Critically Endangered category and one in the Vulnerable category.
In addition, 74 seaweeds have been added to the Red List from the Galapagos Islands. Ten species are listed as Critically Endangered, with six of those highlighted as Possibly Extinct. The cold water species are threatened by climate change and the rise in sea temperature that characterizes El Niño. The seaweeds are also indirectly affected by over-fishing, which removes predators from the food chain, resulting in an increase of sea urchins and other herbivores that overgraze these algae.
| Species | Where found | Past status | Present status | Reason |
| Wellington’s Solitary Coral (Rhizopsammia wellingtoni | Galapagos Islands | Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) | The effects of El Nino and climate change |
North American reptiles
After a major assessment of Mexican and North American reptiles, 723 were added to the IUCN Red List, taking the total to 738 reptiles listed for this region. Of these, 90 are threatened with extinction.
| Species | Where found | Past status | Present status | Reason |
| Cuatro Cienegas Slider (Trachemys taylori) | Mexico | Endangered | Habitat loss | |
| Ornate Slider (Trachemys ornata) | Mexico | Vulnerable | Habitat loss | |
| Santa Catalina Island Rattlesnake (Crotalus catalinensis) | Mexico | Critically Endangered | Poached by illegal collectors |
Plants in peril
There are now 12,043 plants on the IUCN Red List, with 8,447 listed as threatened.
| Species | Where found | Past status | Present status | Reason |
| Woolly-stalked Begonia (Begonia eiromischa) | Malaysia | Extensive searches failed to reveal any specimens in
the last 100 years |
Extinct | |
| Wild Apricot (Armeniaca vulgaris) | Central Asia | Endangered. | Exploited for wood, food and genetic
material, loss of habitat |
Fish
Overfishing continues to put pressure on many fish species, as does demand from the aquarium trade.
| Species |
Where found
|
Past status
|
Present status
|
Reason
|
|
Banggai Cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni)
|
Banggai Archipelago, Indonesia
|
Endangered
|
Over-fishing
|
These highlights from the 2007 IUCN Red List are merely a few examples of the rapid rate of biodiversity loss around the world. The disappearance of species has a direct impact on people’s lives.
Declining numbers of freshwater fish, for example, deprive rural poor communities not only of their major source of food, but of their livelihoods
as well.
Conservation action is slowing down biodiversity loss in some cases, but there are still many species that need more attention from conservationists.
Taking flight
This year, only one species has moved to a lower category of threat. The Mauritius Echo Parakeet (Psittacula eques), which was one of the world’s rarest parrots 15 years ago, has moved from Critically Endangered to Endangered. The improvement is a result of successful conservation action, including close monitoring of nesting sites and supplementary feeding combined with a captive breeding and release programme.
Jean-Christophe Vié, Deputy Head of IUCN’s Species Programme, said: “From previous experience, we know that conservation can work, but unfortunately this year we are documenting an improvement for only one species. This is really worrying in light of government commitments around the world, such as the 2010 target to slow down the rate of biodiversity loss. Clearly, this shows that much more needs to be done to support the work of thousands of enthusiastic people working everyday throughout the
world to preserve the diversity of life on this planet.”
Holly Dublin, Chair of IUCN’s Species Survival Commission, said: “Conservation networks dedicated to fighting the extinction crisis, such as the Species Survival Commission, are working effectively. But much more help and support is needed as environmentalists cannot do it alone. The challenge of the extinction crisis also requires attention and action from the general public, the private sector, overnments and policy makers to ensure that global biodiversity remains intact for generations to come.
