• Donate Now
  • Volunteer
  • Contact Us
Big Cat Rescue
  • Get Involved
  • Cub Facts
  • The Sanctuary Cats
  • FAQs
  • Contact Us
  • Shop
  • Videos
  • Donate
No Result
View All Result
  • Get Involved
  • Cub Facts
  • The Sanctuary Cats
  • FAQs
  • Contact Us
  • Shop
  • Videos
  • Donate
No Result
View All Result
Big Cat Rescue
No Result
View All Result
Home News World

Iberian lynx tops new IUCN threatened species list

BCR by BCR
October 14, 2008
in News World
0 0
0
0
SHARES
5
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare via Email
GLAND, Switzerland, October 11, 2002 (ENS) – The Iberian lynx is close to becoming the first wild cat species to go extinct for 2,000 years, according to an updated Red List of Threatened Species published by IUCN-The World Conservation Union.
 
The status of the lynx, the Saiga antelope, and the wild Bactrian camel have changed from “endangered” to “critically endangered” since the release of the last edition of the Red List in September 2000. Two endemic Mexican cactus species have been declared extinct in the wild.
 
The organization lists species as belonging to one of three categories of extinction threat – critically endangered, endangered, or vulnerable.
 
More than 400 new species assessments have been included on the updated Red List, one of the key reference points used to determine the status of the Earth’s biodiversity. Of the newly assessed species, 124 have been placed in one of the threatened categories.
There are now 11,167 species threatened with extinction, an increase of 121 since 2000.
Since 2000, two species previously assessed as extinct have been rediscovered – the Lord Howe Island stick insect, (Dryococelus australis) and the Bavarian pine vole (Microtus bavaricus).
 
IUCN Director General Achim Steiner says, “On the Red List, all species are treated with equal importance – the humble Bavarian pine vole stands alongside the African rhino. It provides the international benchmark to help guide effective biodiversity conservation, and IUCN calls on the international community to use it to advance efforts at all levels.”
The revised Red List shows critically endangered mammals have increased from 169 to 180, with the sharpest rise in mammal species seen among primates with those recorded as critically endangered increasing from 13 to 19.
 
One of the most endangered mammals, the Iberian lynx inhabits Mediterranean woodland and maquis thicket in Spain and Portugal. Habitat fragmentation by agricultural and industrial development has limited the lynx to scattered groups in the southwestern part of the Iberian peninsula.
 
The IUCN points to the introduction of myxomatosis, a type of pox virus to which rabbits are susceptible, to control the abundant rabbit population in Europe, as a factor in the lynx’s disappearance, as the rabbit is the lynx’s principal prey.
 
In an attempt to maintain the lynx population, conservationists are breeding and releasing rabbits, says the IUCN, while the wild rabbit population is developing a natural immunity to myxomatosis.
 
Lynx are injured by being caught in snares set for rabbits, and killed accidentally by speeding vehicles on the expanding road network, and by illegal shooting.
 
In addition, says carnivore conservation advocate Guillaume Chapron, a huge deforestation program is clearing the way for Europe’s largest dam in the Vale do Guadiana region of Portugal, the third most important nucleus for the country’s tiny Iberian lynx population – between 43 to 53 individuals.
 
“More than one million trees are now being felled to make way for the dam,” Chapron says. “The majority of these are old-growth holm and cork oaks, favored by female lynx for raising young.”
 
Previously assessed as conservation dependent, the Saiga antelope is now listed as critically endangered. Nomadic herds roam the open dry steppe grasslands and semi-arid deserts of Central Asia.
 
Poaching for meat and for export of horns used in traditional medicine has caused the population crash, the IUCN says. In 1993 the total population was estimated at over one million. By 2000 this had decreased to less than 200,000. Surveys for 2001-2002 indicate that less than 50,000 animals now remain in the wild.
 
Assessed as endangered in 1996, the wild Bactrian camel of China and Mongolia is now considered critically endangered. It is hunted for sport and as a competitor to domestic camels and livestock for water and grazing. Wild camel habitat is being lost through legal and illegal mining, and hybridization with domestic camels is also a threat to the wild species.
 
The Ethiopian water mouse (Nilopegamys plumbeus) enters the list as critically endangered. Only one mouse has ever been found, near the source of the Little Abbai, a tributary of the Blue Nile in northwestern Ethiopia. Its habitat may be overgrazed by livestock, the IUCN says.
 
Only recently redefined as separate species, the slender-billed vulture (Gyps tenuirostris) and Indian vulture (G. indicus) are classified as critically endangered on the updated Red List. Across the Indian subcontinent, they have suffered “extremely rapid population declines,” the IUCN says, due to disease, poisoning, pesticide use and changes in the processing of dead livestock.
 
One of the most commonly traded seahorses, prized for ornamental display, is now classified as vulnerable to extinction. The tiger tail seahorse (Hippocampus comes), is targeted by fishers for sale into the medicinal and aquarium markets. It is also accidentally caught as bycatch in other fisheries and suffers from habitat degradation.
 
In 2000, there were 5,611 plants assessed as threatened, the IUCN says. With the addition of Mexican and Brazilian cactus assessments, the figure is now 5,714, but there is much “catching up” to do in plant assessments.
 
Only about four percent of the world’s described plants have been evaluated, so “the true percentage of threatened plant species is much higher,” the IUCN warns.
Most of the plant species listed are trees, since these have been relatively thoroughly assessed.
 
As in 2000, Indonesia, India, Brazil and China are among the countries with the most threatened mammals and birds, while plant species are declining rapidly in South and Central America, Central and West Africa, and Southeast Asia.
 
“Habitat loss and degradation affect 89 percent of all threatened birds, 83 percent of mammals, and 91 percent of threatened plants assessed,” the IUCN states.
 
Lowland and mountain tropical rainforest habitat has the highest number of threatened mammals and birds. Freshwater habitats are “extremely vulnerable” with many threatened fish, reptile, amphibian and invertebrate species.
 
The 2002 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is the first of what will be an annual update of the Red List database which is housed on its own, searchable website www.redlist.org.
 
The figures will change annually as new species assessments are included, currently listed species are re-assessed, and species undergo taxonomic revisions.
 
A major analysis of the Red List will be conducted approximately every four years with the next one due in 2004.
 
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/oct2002/2002-10-11-03.asp
———
Learn more about big cats and Big Cat Rescue at http://bigcatrescue.org
 

Tags: News World
Previous Post

Two lion escapes, maulings in 2-week period in Zimbabwe

Next Post

Leopard, cougar, lion, two tigers taken from IN woman

Next Post

Leopard, cougar, lion, two tigers taken from IN woman

Leave a Reply

  • Default Comments (0)
  • Facebook Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Help Feed Big Cats

One of the best ways to help is through general donations that can be used however it is most needed at the time.To make a general donation just click the Donate Now button below.  This is the best way to give as it has the lowest credit card processing fees and is immediate help for the cats.

Give to Big Cat Rescue

If you prefer to donate via Pay Pal, please use this link: Pay Pal

Recent Articles

  • You called? Where are my snacks? Summer bobcat BigCatRescue August 12, 2022
  • Caturday swimmers! Priya and Dutchess tigers at Big Cat Rescue August 12, 2022
  • So many rolls. Aria tiger at Big Cat Rescue August 12, 2022

Recent Comments

  • Danny Swan on Relax and enjoy Florida bobcats if you see them
  • Deb Quimby on Private Group Tours
  • Winifred Colclough on Private Group Tours
  • Deb Quimby on MaryAnn
  • Dawn Sheers on MaryAnn

Save Big Cats

Donate to Big Cat Rescue

Sanctuary Cats

  • Jaguars
  • Leopards
  • Lions
  • Tigers
  • Bobcats
  • Canada Lynx
  • Cougars
  • Ocelots
  • Savannah Cats
  • Servals

More from Big Cats

  • Big Cat Rescue is Live 24/7 on Webcams
  • Rescue Missions
  • About Big Cat Rescue
  • Big Cat Rescue News
  • Reviews
  • Our Recent Work
  • Sanctuary FAQs
  • Big Cat TV
You called? Where are my snacks? Summer bobcat BigCatRescue

You called? Where are my snacks? Summer bobcat BigCatRescue

August 12, 2022
Caturday swimmers! Priya and Dutchess tigers at Big Cat Rescue

Caturday swimmers! Priya and Dutchess tigers at Big Cat Rescue

August 12, 2022
So many rolls. Aria tiger at Big Cat Rescue

So many rolls. Aria tiger at Big Cat Rescue

August 12, 2022
  • Donate Now
  • Volunteer
  • Contact Us

© Copyright 2022 BigCatRescue.Org. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • 2018 Appeal
  • About BCR
  • About our Cookies
  • Account
  • BCR in the Media
  • Big Cat NFTS
  • Big Cat Rescue Caring for Cats and Ending the Trade
  • Big Cat Rescuers
  • Big Cat Times
  • Blog
  • Board of Directors
  • Browse Submissions
  • Connections
  • Contact Us
  • Cookie Policy
  • Credentials
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
  • Donate Crypto
  • Embed Link
  • Followers
  • Following
  • GET THE REAL TRUTH ABOUT CUB PETTING
  • Global Big Cat News
  • Intern Program
  • Join Us
    • Registration
  • Kids
  • Latest from Big Cat Rescue
  • Licensing
  • Login
  • Login
  • Logout
  • Logout
  • Malaya Bobcat
  • Map
  • Map of Big Cat Owners
  • Member Directory
  • Members
  • My Profile
    • Edit Profile
  • Netflix
  • News about Big Cats
  • News Gallery
  • News@BCR
  • Our Live Feeds
  • Password Reset
  • PressRoom
  • Privacy Policy
  • Register
  • Register
  • Register
    • Edit Your Profile
    • Update Billing Card
    • Welcome
    • Your Membership
  • Rescues
  • Search result
  • Series Archive – Default header
  • Shop
  • SnowLeopard
  • Social Stream
  • Staff
  • Submission Confirmed
  • Teachers
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Terms of Use
  • User
  • USFWS
  • Vets
  • Videos archive
  • Get Involved
    • Automatic
    • Sponsorships
    • Volunteer
      • AdvoCats
      • Click to Feed
      • Intern
    • Legacy
    • Roar! Speak Out for Big Cats
    • Ink
  • Finances
  • How We Started
  • Abuse Issues
    • Issues
      • Exhibitions
      • Private Ownership of Big Cats
      • Zoos
      • White Tigers
      • Circus
      • Fur
      • Trophy Hunting
      • Canned Hunting
      • Why Regulations Don’t Work
  • Our Evolution
  • Photos & Facts
  • Videos
  • Our Volunteers
  • Your Privacy
  • Donate
  • Site Map
  • Field Trips

© Copyright 2022 BigCatRescue.Org. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist