16 000 species face extinction
2004-11-19 14:20
Bangkok - Nearly 16nsbsp;000 of the world's plant and animal species face extinction largely because of the destructive behaviour of mankind, according to a major new environmental report out Wednesday.
Over-exploitation, climate change and habitat destruction are to blame for a crisis that has wiped out at least 27 species from the wild over the last two decades, according to the World Conservation Union's (IUCN) red list of threatened species.
The report says more than 7 000 animal species are threatened with extinction including 32% of amphibians, 42% of turtles and tortoises, 23% of mammals and 12% of birds.
Among the casualties since last year's report, the IUCN confirms the Hawaiian thrush has gone the way of the dodo with no sighting of the bird for 15 years.
Costa Rica's golden toad has also been listed as extinct largely through climate change, pollution and disease.
More than 8 000 plants are listed as threatened with the St Helena olive tree the latest to be declared extinct after the last remaining seedling withered and died in November last year without any seeds kept.
"Every time we lose a species we break a life chain which has evolved over 3.5 billion years," said IUCN chief scientist Jeffrey McNeely.
Less is known about marine species but the report says early signs showed it was equally serious with fishermen overexploiting the seas to the point of extinction for many species.
The humphead wrasse is listed as endangered after its numbers declined by at least 50% over the last 30 years after being heavily fished in Southeast Asia for restaurants and the destruction of its coral reef habitat.
Only a fraction of known species assessed
"Although 15 589 species are known to be threatened with extinction, this greatly underestimates the true number as only a fraction of known species have been assessed," said Craig Hilton-Taylor, who helped in compiling the report.
Because of the intervention of humans, the current extinction rate is estimated to be up to 1 000 times the expected natural one. Since 1500AD, some 784 extinctions have been recorded, according to the IUCN.
"The current extinction phenomenon is one for which a single species, ours, appears to be almost wholly responsible," it said.
Indonesia, India, Brazil and China are among the countries with the most threatened mammals and birds. Plant species are declining rapidly in South and Central America, Central and West Africa and Southeast Asia.
Last year's report said 12 259 species were threatened but officials said the increase in threatened species of more than 3 300 was largely down to improved and expanded research work.
The release of the report is the latest in a series of gloomy assessments over the state of the world's plants and animals.
A three-year study published last month said more than 100 amphibian species are feared to have disappeared since 1980 largely because of pollution and global warming. Scientists feared hundreds more will become extinct in coming decades.