The International Union for the Conservation of Nature has said that over 20% of the world’s 5,487 mammals are threatened with extinction. In India, some 49 mammal species including the tiger, gibbons, bats and deer face the gravest levels of threat

The Red List of Threatened Species, released last week by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), warns of a serious extinction threat to the world’s mammals, with almost one in four species at risk of disappearing forever.

The actual numbers listed are 1,141 out of 5,487 species. That totals 20.8%, closer to one in five. However, researchers note that there are 836 mammals about which there is insufficient data. They believe that the lack of information about these animals indicates that they exist in such small numbers that many could be endangered, raising the total to 25% or higher.

“Our results paint a bleak picture of the global status of mammals worldwide,” concludes the team led by Jan Schipper of the IUCN, in Gland, Switzerland. Andrew Smith, one of more than 100 co-authors of the report, says: “I think the bottom line is: what kind of a world do you want to leave for your children. How impoverished we would be if we lost 25% of the world’s mammals.”

The IUCN describes itself as the world’s oldest and largest global environmental network. It is made up of more than 1,000 government and non-government organisations and almost 11,000 volunteer scientists in more than 160 countries. Research for the report took five years and involved over 1,700 scientists from around the world.

The report updates the IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species, which overall lists 44,838 species, of which 16,928 are threatened with extinction. Of these, 3,246 are in the highest category of threat -- critically endangered -- 4,770 are endangered and 8,912 are vulnerable to extinction.

Even though most of the world has been explored, new mammal species continue to be discovered. This year’s species total of 5,487 is up 19% since 1992.

Among the mammals most in danger are primates, used for bush meat in parts of Africa and facing major loss of habitat in Southeast Asia. Habitat loss impacts 40% of mammals.

In India, over 49 mammal species face the gravest levels of threat resulting from habitat destruction, pollution and poaching. These mammals range from flagship species like the tiger, Asian elephant and the rhino to lesser known ones like the dhole (a wild dog), white-toothed shrew, hares and bats.

According to the new data, over 124 Indian mammal species face varying degrees of threat: 10 are critically endangered, 39 are endangered, 48 are vulnerable to extinction, and 27 show a sharp decline in population.  
Sanjay Molur, who contributed Indian data for the listing process, says: “This is the first exhaustive assessment of mammals which includes all the species found in the country. Prominent mammals include several species of primates, especially the many langur species earlier thought to be one single species; the langur is now seven species.”

About 17 of the total 49 mammal species listed as critically endangered and endangered are from northeastern India, and 16 are found in the Western Ghats. Most of the threatened land mammals are concentrated in the eco-sensitive zones of the Western Ghats, northeastern states and the Andamans which have rich biodiversity, high endemism and are facing the brunt of increased human activity.  
The IUCN report notes that, in general, larger mammals are found to be more threatened than smaller ones. Larger species tend to have lower population densities, grow more slowly, and have larger home ranges.

The report adds that climate change could cause a sharp increase in the risk of extension and rate of extinction of currently threatened species. “Climate change is already happening, but conservation decision-makers currently have very little guidance on which species are going to be the worst affected,” says Wendy Foden, an officer of the IUCN’s species programme.    
IUCN Director General Julia Marton-Lefevre concludes: “Within our lifetime, hundreds of species could be lost as a result of our own actions, a frightening sign of what is happening to the ecosystems where they live. We must now set clear targets for the future to reverse this trend to ensure that our enduring legacy is not to wipe out many of our closest relatives.”

Source: Hindustan Times, October 14, 2008
           The Hindu, October 14, 2008
           The Assam Tribune, October 13, 2008
            PTI, October 12, 2008
            IANS, October 11, 2008
            AP, October 6, 2008
           http://news.bbc.co.uk, October 2008