In 2002, industrialized nations legally imported 38,500 primates in 2002, and each year the United States imports over 20,000 primates, most of which are used in animal testing laboratories.
World Totals in live animals per year
Primates (38,500 total)
USA - 51%
Japan - 16%
France - 9%
UK - 6%
Canada - 3%
Belgium - 3%
Netherlands - 2%
Germany - 2%
Other - 9%
ANIMALS: Estimated 10 million species inhabit the earth. Of this estimate, a little more than 1.3 million have actually been named and described by the scientific community.
Natural rate of extinction described as less than one species per year for every million species. However, habitat destruction has led experts to estimate the current annual rate of extinction is between 1,000 and 10,000 per million species.
Total Known Animal Species (2008)
Invertebrates - 1.3 million
Fish - 30,300
Birds - 10,000
Reptiles - 8,200
Amphibians - 5,700
Mammals - 5,400
PLANTS: Approximately 300,000 species of plants have been identified out of a total global number of 320,000
Total known Plant Species (2001)
Flowering plants - 270,000
Conifers - 550
Ferns - 12,000
Cycads - 145
Club mosses - 1,000
Mosses and liverworts - 16,000
There are about 80 species of cetaceans, which includes dolphins, porpoises and whales.
The great whale grouping includes all baleen whales and the toothed sperm whale, and range in size from 30 to 100 feet in length.
In 1994 the International Whaling Commission established a sanctuary in the waters around the Antarctic, which permanently bans whaling. However, a loophole provides exemptions for “scientific research”. As of November 2008, Japan reduced its whale take from 945 minke whales to 750. However, they did not alter their quota of 50 endangered fin whales.
Great Whale Populations (IWC population estimates)
Minke whale - 970,800
Blue whale - 2,300
Humpback whale - 63,600
Fin whale - 33,200
Gray whale - 26,420
Bowhead whale - 11,730
Right whale - 7,800
Pilot whale - 780,000
There are 8 species of bears and numerous subspecies that have been recognized.
Bears vary in size from the 66 pound sun bear to the 1,500 pound brown bear.
Perhaps the most widely publicized symbol of endangered species, the giant panda was limited to only ~1,600 individuals inhabiting the wild bamboo forests in central China and a captive population of about 180 individuals in 2006.
Population of Threatened Bears as of 2007
Polar Bear - 22,000 to 27,000
Spectacled Bear - 18,250
Sloth bear - 10,000 to 20,000+
Asiatic Black Bear - 15,000 to 20,000
Giant Panda - 1,600
Sun Bear - Unknown (it is suspected that the global population of Sun Bears has declined by > 30% over the past 30 years)
As the fourth largest island in the world, Madagascar has a land area of approximately 226,000 square miles and a population over 20 million (with 3% per annum growth). As such, the island has produced a variety of unique species and is susceptible to declining habitats as the population increases:
Threatened Plant Species: 2008
Vulnerable - 117
Endangered - 101
Critically Endangered - 62
Extinct - 4
Threatened Animal Species (IUCN critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable): 2008
Mammals - 47
Birds - 35
Invertebrates - 32
Fish - 21
Reptiles - 20
Amphibians - 8
In the South Tasman Rise, high seas south of Australia, fishing records show that 1.6 tons of coral was hauled aboard trawling vessels per hour in 1997. In that year, more than 10,000 tons of coral bycatch was estimated to be captured, but less than 4,000 tons of their actual orange roughy target was caught (Deep Sea Conservation Coalition).
The United Nations Environment Programme recorded more than 4.4 million pounds of coral and sponge bycatch in the Aleutian Islands between 1990-2002.
In September 2008, the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization failed to reach an agreement that would protect threatened deep-sea zones, although they partially closed two seamount areas with the caveat that 20% is still open to exploratory fishing (NAFO).
“Orange Roughy, one of the most commercially fished deep-water species. Orange Roughy can live for around 150 years and do not begin to breed until they are around 25 years old, making them extremely susceptible to over-fishing.” (NOAA)
Biologist, wildlife advocate, conservationist and simply captivated by marine life. Currently working to complete a full life's circle balancing work, life and a desire to spark worldwide wildlife preservation...and now bringing you the numbers and stats about our planet and its inhabitants. That's me, so check out the site and take a peek at "About The Site" page.
