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2004 Red List: 3,300 New Threatened Species
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2004 Red List: 3,300 New Threatened Species |
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Mistletoe Angel 
since 2000-12-17
Posts 32816Portland, Oregon |
Today, the World Conservation Union, a coalition of leading conservation groups who study the world's biodiversity, released its annual "Red List" which they have called, "the most comprehensive evaluation ever undertaken of the status of the world's biodiversity." The 2004 report reveals startling results, including 15 new species going extinct, bringing the total of documented extinctions since AD 1500 to 784, with the new updates revealing an alarming acceleration of extinction rates more than a hundred times as quickly as the "natural" rate. The report concludes that humans are the #1 reason for most species declines. They add, "Habitat destruction and degradation are the leading threats, but other significant pressures include over-exploitation, introduced species, pollution, and disease. Climate change is increasingly recognized as a serious threat." The following is also mentioned: * 15,589 species (7,266 animal species and 8,323 plant and lichen species) are now considered at risk of extinction, which is an increase of 3,330 species since the 2003 Red List. * One in three amphibians and almost half of turtles and tortoises are known to be threatened with extinction, along with one in four mammals, one in five sharks and rays, and one in eight birds. * Australia, Brazil, China, Indonesia and Mexico hold particularly large numbers of threatened species * Most threatened birds, mammals and amphibians are found in the tropical areas of Central and South America, Africa south of the Sahara, and tropical South and Southeast Asia. * While the vast majority of extinctions since AD 1500 have occurred on islands, over the past 20 years continental extinctions have become as common as island extinctions. ****************************************** So now, where do we go from here? What must be done, as Russ Mittermeier, the head of Conservation International, proposes for nations and international groups to step forward and help in particular these regions of the world most affected by the decrease of biodiversity? I feel first things first. Our administration needs to be environmentally responsible (which I don't see happening anytime soon unfortunately) for cleaning up begins at home. Sincerely, Noah Eaton "You'll find something that's enough to keep you |
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| © Copyright 2004 Nadia Lockheart - All Rights Reserved | |||
Midnitesun
since 2001-05-18
Posts 28647Gaia |
http://www.conservation.org/xp/news/press_releases/2004/111704.xml Thanks, Noah. And the above link will take anyone interested to the report. Peace. And to visit an important article from Nature Conservancy: http://nature.org/aboutus/howwework/about/ |
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Mark Bohannan Member Rara Avis
since 2000-06-21
Posts 7269In the winds of Cherokee song |
Noah - My good man, this is a wonderful post you have decided to bring to light. I hold a very dear respect for conservation and have studied quite abit in this area including majoring in forestry in college. There are many programs that have been successful in stopping alot of this but it seems when we make progress in one then ten more make the list. The "world" needs to see this as a problem and I wish I were more optimistic about that happening. I would also like to thank Kacy for the links as well. I could go on and on but seriously I just wanted to say thank you for posting this as I think any reminder on this topic is well deserved. Now before I get on the soap box and start my two day 300 page rant on this I will just say GOOD MAN. |
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