Fifth of vertebrates may soon be extinct
Source: Agencies |
October 28, 2010, Thursday
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ABOUT a fifth of the world's vertebrates are threatened with extinction, a major review has found, highlighting the plight of nature that is the focus of global environment talks under way in Japan.
The study by more than 170 scientists across the globe used data for 25,000 species from the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of threatened species and examined the status of the world's mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fishes.
The authors found, on average, 50 species of mammals, birds and amphibians move closer to extinction each year because of expansion of farms and plantations, logging and over-hunting.
But the study, published in the journal Science, also found that conservation efforts had curbed the overall rate of loss.
It highlighted 64 mammal, bird and amphibian species that have improved in status, including three species that were extinct in the wild and have been re-introduced: the California Condor, the black-footed ferret in the United States and Przewalski's horse in Mongolia.
Delegates from nearly 200 countries are holding two weeks of talks in the Japanese city of Nagoya to set new 2020 targets to protect plant and animal species.
The study by more than 170 scientists across the globe used data for 25,000 species from the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of threatened species and examined the status of the world's mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fishes.
The authors found, on average, 50 species of mammals, birds and amphibians move closer to extinction each year because of expansion of farms and plantations, logging and over-hunting.
But the study, published in the journal Science, also found that conservation efforts had curbed the overall rate of loss.
It highlighted 64 mammal, bird and amphibian species that have improved in status, including three species that were extinct in the wild and have been re-introduced: the California Condor, the black-footed ferret in the United States and Przewalski's horse in Mongolia.
Delegates from nearly 200 countries are holding two weeks of talks in the Japanese city of Nagoya to set new 2020 targets to protect plant and animal species.
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