From The BBC | Science & Environment
More than a third of species assessed in a major international biodiversity study are threatened with extinction, scientists have warned.
Out of the 47,677 species in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 17,291 were deemed to be at serious risk.
These included 21% of mammals, 30% of amphibians, 70% of plants and 35% of invertebrates.
Conservationists warned that not enough was being done to tackle the main threats, such as habitat loss.
“The scientific evidence of a serious extinction crisis is mounting,” warned Jane Smart, director of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Biodiversity Conservation Group.
“The latest analysis… shows that the 2010 target to reduce biodiversity loss will not be met,” she added.
“It’s time for governments to start getting serious about saving species and make sure it’s high on their agendas for next year, as we are rapidly running out of time.”
The Red List, regarded as the most authoritative assessment of the state of the planet’s species, draws on the work of thousands of scientists around the globe.
Threatened Species in pictures at the BBC Picture gallery here (beautiful images).
Visit IUCN Online and find out more about the Red list.
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