Posted by | Posted in Animal Protection | Posted on 20-09-2011
Tags: endangered species, IUCN Red list, Red Data Book, Threatened Species
The IUCN Red list of Threatened Species was founded in the year 1963. It aim at assessing the conservation status of species, subspecies, varieties, and even selected subpopulations on a global scale in order to highlight endangered species or taxa threatened with extinction, so that their conservation can be promoted. The IUCN Red List works all around the globe to evaluate the extinction risk of thousands of species and subspecies and to help increase the number of species that are listed as endangered species.
The IUCN Red List maintains a database known as Species Information Service, in which information about the status of all species across an increasing number of taxonomic groups is stored. It has distributed the species according to their status under a number of categories, namely extinct, extinct in wild, critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable, near threatened, least concern, data deficient and not evaluated. All the species under each and every category is re-evaluated for their status every five or six years.
The Red Data Book has enlisted 5566 species as endangered from animalia, fungi, plantae and protista taxanomy found in terrestrial, freshwater or marine biomies.
The list contains data about 3036 endangered animal species. According to recent stats there are only 85 Asian Lion surviving in captivity in the Indian Gir Forest whereas once this ferocious animal could be found in Southeast Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and India. Same is the case with the Black Footed Ferret which is surviving only in few places of Western United States. Chimpanzees because of their intelligence have been used for various experiments by the scientific researchers and they are highly demanded in zoos. This has led to a significant decline in their population.
If we talk about marine animals the situation is worst. Human activities have put the world ocean and the animals that inhabit them in trouble. The ever growing population has increased the demand for food which has led to over hunting and over fishing of marine animals to extinction. Whales, Dolphins, Turtles, Fish species, Porpoises and Seals are under great danger of extinction
Plant species are at great risk too. About 2528 plant species have been identified as endangered by the Red Data Book. To name a few endangered plants the first that tops the list is the Bois Dentelle. There are only two Bois Dentelle trees that exist located in the cloud forest of Mauritius. Another increasingly endangered tree is the Baobob tree found only in the equatorial Africa and India. Due to habitat destruction, the baseball plant once considered to be a popular house plant is now virtually extinct.
The Red Data Book has enlisted 5566 species as endangered from animalia, fungi, plantae and protista taxanomy found in terrestrial, freshwater or marine biomies.
The list contains data about 3036 endangered animal species. According to recent stats there are only 85 Asian Lion surviving in captivity in the Indian Gir Forest whereas once this ferocious animal could be found in Southeast Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and India. Same is the case with the Black Footed Ferret which is surviving only in few places of Western United States. Chimpanzees because of their intelligence have been used for various experiments by the scientific researchers and they are highly demanded in zoos. This has led to a significant decline in their population.
If we talk about marine animals the situation is worst. Human activities have put the world ocean and the animals that inhabit them in trouble. The ever growing population has increased the demand for food which has led to over hunting and over fishing of marine animals to extinction. Whales, Dolphins, Turtles, Fish species, Porpoises and Seals are under great danger of extinction
Plant species are at great risk too. About 2528 plant species have been identified as endangered by the Red Data Book. To name a few endangered plants the first that tops the list is the Bois Dentelle. There are only two Bois Dentelle trees that exist located in the cloud forest of Mauritius. Another increasingly endangered tree is the Baobob tree found only in the equatorial Africa and India. Due to habitat destruction, the baseball plant once considered to be a popular house plant is now virtually extinct.