The_world's_100_most_threatened_species

The world's 100 most threatened species

The world's 100 most threatened species

2012 report by IUCN SSC

The World's 100 most threatened species[1] is a compilation of the most threatened animals, plants, and fungi in the world. It was the result of a collaboration between over 8,000 scientists from the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission (IUCN SSC), along with the Zoological Society of London.[2] The report was published by the Zoological Society of London in 2012 as the book, Priceless or Worthless?[3]

Silky sifaka (Propithecus candidus), fewer than 1,000 still alive

While all the species on the list are threatened with extinction, the scientists who chose them had another criterion: all the species have no obvious benefit for humans and therefore humans have no vested interests trying to save them. Iconic and charismatic species, such as tigers and pandas—along with economically important species—have many defenders, while these apparently "worthless" species had none. The title of the report, "Priceless or Worthless?", is based on that shared quality of the species.[4] The report's co-author, Ellen Butcher, stated one of the guiding principles of the list, "If we take immediate action we can give them a fighting chance for survival. But this requires society to support the moral and ethical position that all species have an inherent right to exist."[1][5]

The report was released in Jeju, South Korea, on September 11, 2012, at the quadrennial meeting of IUCN, the World Conservation Congress. At the Congress, it was reported that scientists are finding it more and more common to have to justify funding for protection of species by showing what the human benefits would be. Jonathan Baillie, of the Zoological Society of London and co-author of the report, stated that, "The donor community and conservation movement are increasingly leaning towards a 'what can nature do for us?' approach, where species and wild habitats are valued and prioritised according to these services they provided for people. This has made it increasingly difficult for conservationists to protect the most threatened species on the planet."[4]

Some of the threatened species are down to only a handful of surviving members. Santa Catarina's guinea pig, native to a single island in Brazil, is down to its last 40–60 individuals, reduced by hunting and habitat disturbance. The great Indian bustard is threatened by habitat loss resulting from agriculture and human development, and is down to the last 50–249 individuals.[6] Elaeocarpus bojeri, a flowering plant found only on the island of Mauritius, has fewer than 10 surviving individuals, because of loss of habitat. The Baishan fir (Abies beshanzuensis), native to China, is down to five surviving mature individuals. "Priceless or Worthless?" describes the threats that each species is facing, along with measures that would aid their survival.[3]

Species list

More information Species, Common name ...

See also

References

  1. [1]
    "Report lists world's 100 most threatened species, urges action". The Globe and Mail. 11 September 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
  2. [2]
    "The 100 most threatened species". ZSL Living Conservation. The Zoological Society of London. Archived from the original on 14 September 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
  3. [3]
    Baillie, Jonathan E M; Ellen R Butcher (2012). Priceless or Worthless? (PDF). Zoological Society of London. ISBN 978-0-900881-67-1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-10-21.
  4. [4]
    Harvey, Fiona (10 September 2012). "The expendables? World's 100 most endangered species listed". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
  5. [5]
    Kew Magazine stated that, "A strong and consistent moral and ethical stance needs to be taken, they (the authors of The List) argue, that all species have a right to exist." Harrison, Christina. "Every species counts". Kew Magazine Blog. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 19 September 2012.
  6. [6]
    "The Best Argument for Saving Threatened Species That Do Not Benefit Humans". Smithsonian.com. Smithsonian Institution. 12 September 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
  7. [7]
    Hoffner, Erik. "Only 12 vaquita porpoises remain, watchdog group reports". Mongabay. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
Share this article:

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article The_world's_100_most_threatened_species, and is written by contributors. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.