-1.5 billion animals moved across US border by importers from 2000-2006
-That equals 5 pets per person in the US
-90% came from wild populations where disease testing is not mandated
-More than 67% came from Southeast Asia
-52% were only identified by Class
-13.6% were classified by Species
-11.9% were identified by Family
-11.1% were labeled only by Genus
-3.9% were identified by Order
-7.5% of animal imports were labeled as unknown
Data: Conservation Magazine July/Sept 2009
869 species are Extinct or Extinct the Wild and this figure rises to 1,159 if the 290 Critically Endangered species tagged as Possibly Extinct are included.
Only 2.7% of the 1.8 million described species have been analyzed.
Overall, a minimum of 16,928 species are threatened with extinction.
Threatened with Extinction:
38% of all fishes in Europe and 28% in Eastern Africa.
At least 17% of the 1,045 shark and ray species are threatened
12.4% of groupers
6 of the 7 marine turtle species are threatened with extinction.
27% of the 845 species of reef building corals are threatened
20% of reef building corals are Near Threatened
27.5% of marine birds are in danger of extinction
11.8% of terrestrial birds.
33% of amphibians
Nearly 25% of mammals are threatened with extinction.
28% of Conifers
52% of cycads
Data: Vié, J.-C., Hilton-Taylor, C. and Stuart, S.N. (eds.) (2009). Wildlife in a Changing World – An Analysis of the 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN. 180 pp.
Photo Credit:
Asian Wild Ass (Equus hemionus). Threat category Endangered © Jean-Christophe Vié
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)
NOAA (April 2, 2009) released new information regarding Arctic sea ice based on research at the University of Washington and the Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean in Seattle-
-Arctic summers may well be ice-free in 30 years, an update to previously released projections that such an event would occur by the end of the century.
- Summer sea ice is expected to decline from its current 4.6 million square kilometers (about 1.8 million square miles) to about 1 million square kilometers (about 390,000 square miles)
-This represents a loss of an area two-fifths the size of the continental U.S.
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.
