50 Species Near Extinction per Year.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has just released the findings of their most recent survey, the first in 12 years. Sadly, some 188 species of mammals are described as critically endangered. Some 44,838, animal and plant species were assessed and found that 16,928 are under threat, an increase of as over 600 since their last survey. The conclusion to draw from this is that hundreds of species are going to be lost unless action is taken soon.

The longer this decline goes on, the more the damage that is going to be done. It is also going to be more expensive to be put right. Not that expense should really be an issue. What this survey does do is tell us where the species are threatened and which species is under threat. It is worrying to think that some 76 species have been lost to us since 1500 and that rate is increasing. The Iberian lynx is now critically endangered, while the Holdridge’s toad is now officially extinct.

But there is some hope, some animals like the African elephant are no longer classified as near threatened, and they are no longer vulnerable to extinction. But others are not so lucky; the black footed ferret is now endangered, having previously been classed as near-extinct.
The problem is not always the hunting of these near extinct animals, it is their habitat which is put under threat and that has consequences for the animal. It is the increasing decline in natural habitats which are putting most animals in danger. In Asia which has a growing population and increasing demand for agriculture, animals, like the fishing cat, have suffered badly. Some sea creatures have become vulnerable, such as the narwhals, the Irrawaddy dolphins and the Caspian seal.

Is it to be our legacy that our actions are going to result in the extinction of so many species? By destroying a natural environment we start a chain of events which results in the near extinction of a particular animal. Hunting one type to near extinction can result in another becoming extinct. The American prairie dog was seen as a threat to horses and the ability to grow crops. So they were hunted mercilessly, the end result being the black footed ferret almost went with them as the prairie dog was the black footed ferret’s favourite prey.

In some cases selective breeding programs have had some success. This is when animals are bred in captivity but then released into the wild. This option really is a last resort and many are not in favour of it. However, once in the wild animals can be monitored and in some cases the animal can be revived.