“Naturen bliver i stigende grad sårbar”, advarer IUCNs danske generaldirektør siden 1. januar 2015, Inger Andersen.
Mere om hende på
http://u-landsnyt.dk/nyhed/16-10-14/ny-version-dansker-i-spidsen-verdens-st-rste-gr-nn
Unionen er verdens ældste og største globale miljøorganisation og støttes årligt fra dansk hold med 25 mio. kr. fra u-landsmidlerne.
Indsamling af planter til alternativ medicin betyder, at stadig flere arter ender på listen som udrydningstruede.
Indiske medicinplanter
På IUCNs Rødliste står 44 indiske planter øverst. De anvendes alle til medicin. Det gælder bl.a. Indiens hvide lilje, der bl.a. kan anvendes mod åndedrætssygdomme, men i dag er på randen af udryddelse.
Det går tilbage for mange af de truede arter på grund af tab af levesteder som følge af skovrydning til fordel for landbrug og infrastruktur.
I Vestafrika, hvor der engang var flest løver, er det store rovdyr i overhængende fare for at forsvinde på grund af tab af levesteder og stadig større konkurrence fra mennesker og andre dyr
Der er dog også succes-historier. Guadalupe-pelssælen langs Californiens kyst og på Guadalupe-øerne i Mexico findes nu i ca. 20.000 eksemplarer mod kun 2.500 i 1950erne.
Nationalparker et effektivt værktøj
DR online har bedt to danske biologiprofessorer, Jens-Christian Svenning fra Institut for Bioscience på Aarhus Universitet og Carsten Rahbek fra Center for Makroøkologi, Evolution og Klima på Københavns Universitet, om deres bud på, hvordan udviklingen vendes.
Carsten Rahbek peger på, hvordan forvaltning af naturen andre steder i verden kan være enormt effektiv: “Ikke mindst har nationalparker vist sig at være meget effektive værktøjer”, forklarer han.
Jens-Christian Svenning siger, at der er mange muligheder for at skabe bedre plads til naturen, uden det nødvendigvis skal gå udover menneskelig udfoldelse.
Han ser gerne, at vi konsekvent arbejder med at afsætte mere plads til natur og koncentrere landbruget endnu bedre.
Og hvor det er muligt, bør man se på hvordan naturen kan inddrages langt bedre i jordbruget, mener han.
Danskernes manglende kendskab til naturen
I FN’s 20 delmål for biologisk mangfoldighed i dette årti – de såkaldte Nagoya-mål – indledes med delmålet om at menigmand senest i 2020 er bekendt med hvad biologisk mangfoldighed er.
Det er et globalt problem, at vi ikke forstår vigtigheden af naturhistorie, siger Jens-Christian Svenning, der peger på hvordan den naturhistoriske forståelse bliver dårligere og dårligere i de europæiske lande.
En undersøgelse af Europas borgeres forhold til biodiversitet i 2013, sendte danskerne helt i bund, blot undergået af befolkningerne i Slovakiet og Ungarn.
Selv om klimaforandringer indtil videre ikke har haft direkte konsekvenser for særligt mange arter, kan det i fremtiden vise sig at blive ganske anderledes, mener Jens-Christian Svenning.
Det ændrede klima kan tvinge befolkninger til at flytte sig og dermed igen påvirke naturen, siger han til DR online.
Meget mere om Den Røde Liste
IUCN skriver uddybende om den seneste Rød Liste i en pressemeddelelse:
The update shows that over-collection and habitat destruction are placing enormous pressure on many medicinal plants.
The IUCN Red List now includes 77,340 assessed species, of which 22,784 are threatened with extinction. The loss and degradation of habitat are identified as the main threat to 85% of all species described on the IUCN Red List, with illegal trade and invasive species also being key drivers of population decline.
“This update is a wake-up call, reminding us that our natural world is becoming increasingly vulnerable. The international community must urgently step up conservation efforts if we want to secure this fascinating diversity of life that sustains, inspires and amazes us every day.”
According to the update, several mammals (pattedyr) are facing increased threats from hunting and habitat loss. The extremely reclusive African Golden Cat (Caracal aurata) has moved from Near Threatened to Vulnerable due to population decline.
Assessments of all 84 species of tropical Asian slipper orchid – some of the most beautiful ornamental plants – show that 99% of the species are threatened with extinction, primarily due to over-collection for horticultural purposes and habitat loss.
All international commercial trade in this species is prohibited under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). However, highly damaging illegal trade continues due to a lack of adequate enforcement at national levels.
Although these species are mostly represented in cultivated collections, their loss in the wild will have major impacts on their genetic diversity and the species’ continued existence. For example, the Purple Paphiopedilum (Paphiopedilum purpuratum), a rare species found in Viet Nam, China and Hong Kong, is listed as Critically Endangered.
Threats include habitat fragmentation and degradation, and ruthless collection in the wild for the regional and international horticultural trade.
Forty-four Indian species of medicinal plant have been added to the IUCN Red List in this update. All are threatened with extinction, mainly due to over-collection and habitat loss.
Aconitum chasmanthum, a highly toxic plant endemic to the Himalayan region of India and Pakistan, is listed as Critically Endangered due to unsustainable collection of tubers and roots, as well as habitat loss from avalanches and the construction of high-altitude roads.
The roots and tubers (knolde), which contain alkaloids, are used in Ayurvedic and homeopathic medicine and are collected in huge quantities.
Two species of crab, Karstama balicum and Karstama emdi, have been listed as Critically Endangered as their only known habitat – Bali’s Giri Putri Cave – is threatened by increasing tourism and religious ceremonies carried out in the cave. Studies of the crabs are being carried out in order to identify appropriate conservation strategies.
Of the 143 species of goby (kutling) assessed in the Caribbean region, 19 are threatened with extinction mainly due to a 59% decline in coral reef habitat between 1979 and 2011, and the invasive Lionfish (Pterois volitans). Gobies are one of the largest families of marine fish.
They comprise more than 2,000 species, including some of the smallest vertebrates in the world, such as the Critically Endangered Dwarf Pygmy Goby (Pandaka pygmaea), which is only 1 to 1.5 cm long.
The Peppermint Goby (Coryphopterus lipernes), which grows to a maximum of 3 cm, has been listed as Vulnerable. Previously listed as Least Concern, the Glass Goby (Coryphopterus hyalinus) is now Vulnerable due to increased threat from the invasive Lionfish.
Whilst no new species have been listed as Extinct, 14 species have been assessed as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct). These include the evergreen Magnolia ea tree endemic to Haiti, which has suffered from an estimated 97% reduction of its forest habitat during the last century.
Ten species of orchid endemic to Madagascar, such as the white flowering Angraecum mahavavense, have also entered The IUCN Red List as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) primarily due to loss of forest habitat and illegal collection.
“It is encouraging to see several species improve in status due to conservation action,” says Jane Smart, Director, IUCN’s Global Species Programme.
“However, this update shows that we are still seeing devastating losses in species populations. The IUCN Red List is the voice of biodiversity telling us where we need to focus our attention most urgently – this voice is clearly telling us that we must act now to develop stronger policy and on-the-ground conservation programmes to protect species and halt their declines.”
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species contributes to the achievement of Target 12 of the 2011 to 2020 Strategic Plan for Biodiversity. Target 12: By 2020 the extinction of known threatened species has been prevented and their conservation status, particularly of those most in decline, has been improved and sustained.
Global figures for the 2015 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species:
TOTAL SPECIES ASSESSED = 77,340
(Total threatened species =22,784)
Extinct = 830
Extinct in the Wild = 69
Critically Endangered = 4,735
Endangered = 7,124
Vulnerable = 10,925
Near Threatened = 5,130
Although not all of the world’s species have been assessed, The IUCN Red List provides a useful snapshot of what is happening to species today and highlights the urgent need forconservation action.
The IUCN Red List threat categories are as follows, in descending order of threat:
Extinct or Extinct in the Wild
Critically Endangered, Endangered and Vulnerable: species threatened with global extinction;
Near Threatened: species close to the threatened thresholds or that would be threatened without ongoing specific conservation measures;
Least Concern: species evaluated with a lower risk of extinction;
Data Deficient: no assessment because of insufficient data.
Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct): this is not a new Red List category, but is a flag developed to identify those Critically Endangered species that are in all probability already Extinct but for which confirmation is required, for example, through more extensive surveys being carried out and failing to find any individuals.
Highlights from the 2015.2 update
Below are a few examples of species that have been up-listed, down-listed or appear for the first time on The IUCN Red List.
Examples of other species that have been added in this update
Tropical Asian Slipper Orchids
Callus Paphiopedilum (Paphiopedilum callosum) – Endangered. Native to Viet Nam, Cambodia, Lao PRD, Malaysia and Thailand, this species occurs as severely fragmented populations.
Threats include ecological disturbance and degradation of the habitats through logging of forest for wood (timber, fuel), deforestation, random cutting, soil erosion, irregular fires, trampling and exploitation for horticultural purposes, and ruthless collection for regional and international trade.
Giant-leaf Paphiopedilum (Paphiopedilum gigantifolium) – Critically Endangered. Endemic to Sulawesi (Indonesia), the population of this very rare species has been significantly reduced in recent decades.
It has numerous threats, especially ruthless collection for regional and international trade, exploitation for horticultural purposes and hybridization, deforestation, logging, fires and habitat destruction.
Medicinal Plants
Lilium polyphyllum – Critically Endangered. Found in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, this species is harvested for its roots and bulbs. During collection the whole plants is uprooted and disturbed.
The species is one of the most important medicinal plants of India. It has sizeable market demand on account of its commercial use as a drug and the level of exploitation is high. The bulb is traded at local, regional and national markets.
Due to the high volume of trade and demand, the species is collected from the wild in an indiscriminate way. This has a severe impact on its natural regeneration. Although it is distributed from Himalayan region of Afghanistan and Pakistan to the Indian Western Himalaya, the majority of its geographical distribution (80%) is in India.
Ehrenberg’s Marjoram (Origanum ehrenbergii) – Endangered. This herb is endemic to Lebanon. Dried and ground leaves and flowers of this plant are locally added to or substituted for O. syriacum as a principal ingredient of Za’atar, a topping for traditional breads (Mankousheh).
Fresh shoots are used in salads (Fattouch) or as a fresh topping on baked breads (Ftyreh). It is also used as a seasoning in traditional cuisine and in household remedies in Lebanon. In traditional medicine this species is not differentiated from co-occurring species of Origanum, Thymbra, and Thymus, known collectively as Za’atar in Lebanon.
These species are traditionally used to stimulate memory, as analgesics and sedatives, and as remedies for cold, flu and cough, respiratory problems, hypotension, and a wide range of stomach and intestinal problems. These species are also used externally as emollients and antiseptic ointments. Trade in local markets has been observed, but wider use and trade has not been documented.
Tea species
Of the 17 species from the tea plant family assessed, nine are threatened with extinction due to habitat destruction and over-collection. Most of these species are used for tea, ornamental plants, medicinal use or firewood.
Camellia impressinervis – Critically Endangered due to over-collection and habitat destruction. Endemic to China there are only around 45 individuals remaining in the wild. It is cultivated as an ornamental garden plant, but also collected from the wild for the horticultural trade.
Camellia chrysanthoides – Endangered. Endemic to China less than 100 mature plants remain in the wild and it is declining. Reportedly used as an ornamental garden plant, and also harvested for firewood and its yellow flowers. Its habitat is being seriously destroyed by commercial plantations.
East African Plants
198 species from the family Acanthaceae have been added and of these 121 species are threatened with extinction, many of which have enormous as yet untapped potential for the horticultural industry. Main threats are habitat loss through the spread of agriculture, and deforestation.
Justica drummondii – Critically Endangered. This plant occurs in the coastal lowlands of southeast Kenya. It has only been collected on three occasions (between 1963 and 1996). It is Threatened by habitat loss. At Mwailuganji it was first found in an area of forest that has since been destroyed by elephants. El Niño floods are likely to have impacted on the second site at Mwailuganji and the area between Umba and Mwena Rivers has been heavily cultivated.
Isoglossa variegata – Endangered. Restricted to two subpopulations in the East Usambara and Nguru Mountains of Tanzania. It is highly threatened by agricultural expansion and much of the forest has been lost.
Caribbean Marine Fish
Broadstripe Goby (Elacatinus prochilos) – Vulnerable. This species has been used as an indicator of habitat quality. It is likely impacted by loss of coral reef habitat; overall 59% decline in coral cover in the Caribbean between 1970-2011, and specifically an average of approximately 20% within the range of this species.
This area is impacted by commercial shipping activity that enters directly through the marine protected area and runoff contamination from heavy metals, faeces, fertilizers and pesticide pollutants.
The Mexican government has recently been seeking to expand the Port of Veracruz onto the reef area, which would involve direct removal of reef habitat. There have also been significant declines in Acroporid corals with no sign of recovery and a high prevalence of disease on stony corals.
Examples of other species that have been uplisted (conservation status is worse)
Eastern Tree Hyrax (Dendrohyrax validus) – Uplisted from Least Concern to Near Threatened
This species is restricted to montane forests of Mt Kilimanjaro and Mt Meru, the Eastern Arc Mountains, and coastal forests of Tanzania, southern Kenya and offshore islands. The main threats to this species are severe forest loss, degradation, fragmentation (mainly due to logging and burning), and hunting.
The only areas within its range where hunting does not occur are the most protected and remote forests (Mt. Kilimanjaro in the Udzungwa Mountains National Park). Eastern Tree Hyraxes are hunted for their meat and skins. Skins are used to make blankets or karosses, dating back to the 1970s when commercial exploitation was quite severe.
Pseudochazrar amymone – a butterfly has been uplisted from Vulnerable to Endangered.
Endemic to the Mediterranean area of Europe (Greece and Albania) it is threatened by habitat loss in the Devoll Gorge region (Albania), where construction of a series of hydroelectric power plants will inundate large parts of this butterfly’s habitat within the next ten years. Initial work has already started on these constructions.
Collection is an additional general threat, although this is unlikely to be a single cause for this species becoming extinct in the near future because the species occupies areas that are generally difficult for collectors to reach and adults are not easy to capture.
Magnolia lotungensis – Uplisted from Near Threatened (1998) to Endangered
This tree growing to up to 30 m tall is endemic to China. Its population has declined by over 50% in recent years mainly due to logging and deforestation.
About he IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ (or The IUCN Red List) is a guide to conservation action and policy decisions. It is a health check for our planet – a Barometer of Life.
It is the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of plant, animal and fungi species. It is based on an objective system for assessing the risk of extinction of a species should no conservation action be taken.
Species are assigned to one of eight categories of threat based on whether they meet criteria linked to population trend, population size and structure and geographic range. Species listed as Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable are collectively described as ‘threatened’.
The IUCN Red List is not just a register of names and associated threat categories. It is a compendium of information on the threats to the species, their ecological requirements, where they live, and information on conservation actions that can be used to reduce or prevent extinctions.
The IUCN Red List is a joint effort between IUCN and its Species Survival Commission, working with its IUCN Red List partners BirdLife International; Botanic Gardens Conservation International; Conservation International; NatureServe; Microsoft; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Sapienza University of Rome; Texas A&M University; Wildscreen; and Zoological Society of London. www.iucnredlist.org www.facebook.com/iucn.red.list @iucnredlist
