Lillian Kortlandt

October 19, 2008

At their World Conservation Congress in Barcelona earlier this month, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) released their latest comprehensive assessment of the world's mammals. Known in the field as the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™, or simply the "Red List", this month's study is the first of its magnitude in over twelve years. The new findings are alarming.

Of the 5,487 species of mammals, 1,141 are now known to be threatened with extinction. Since the year 1500, seventy-six mammals have been confirmed extinct, primarily due to human activities. More disturbing, is the uncertainty surrounding the 836 mammals classified as "Data Deficient." Not enough data was collected to accurately estimate the total populations of these animals. This missing data could greatly increase the number of species that are close to extinction. Jan Schipper, of Conservation International stated, "The reality is that the number of threatened mammals could be as high as 36%."

With nearly a quarter of the mammals coming closer to total extinction, the situation seems pretty dire for the world's animals. But not all of the news is bad. The African Elephant (Loxodonta Africana) has been downgraded from its previous status of "Vulnerable" to "Near Threatened," primarily because of population increases in small portions of Southern and Eastern Africa. Additionally, the Black-footed Ferret (Mustela nigripes) and the Wild Horse (Equus ferus) have both moved from the "Extinct in the Wild" list to the "Critically Endangered" list after successful reintroduction programs.

While the Black-footed Ferret and the Wild Horse make their way toward recovery, 188 other species of mammals also listed as "Critically Endangered," are likely heading in the other direction. Among those species is the Iberian Lynx (Lynx paridus), which could number as few as 84-143 adults left in the wild.

Habitat loss is still the number one reason for the sharp decline in biodiversity, but experts are concerned that climate change and increased pollution are now speeding up this seemingly unstoppable process.

Sources:

Press Release, IUCN, IUCN Red List reveals world's mammals in crisis (Oct. 6, 2008) (available at http://www.iucn.org/news_events/events/congress/index.cfm?uNewsID=1695).

Al Goodman, Study: 1 in 4 mammals at risk of extinction, CNN, Oct. 6, 2004,

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/10/06/endangered.mammals/index.html?eref=edition_technology.

Stephanie Kennedy, Quarter of world's mammals facing extinction, ABC, Oct. 7, 2008,

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/10/07/2383652.htm.