A quarter of the world's mammals are at risk of extinction due to threats from mankind, according to an international survey by 1,700 experts published today.
The finding came in the annual "Red List" report, issued during an International Union for Conservation of Nature congress in Barcelona from October 5th-14th.
According to the report, which examined 5,487 species of mammals, of the 4,651 species for which enough data is available, 1,139, or one in four, are in danger of extinction. At least 76 mammals have gone extinct since 1500.
There are 188 mammals listed in the worst category before extinction, or "critically endangered", and 29 of these may already be extinct, such as the baiji or Yangtze dolphin in China. There are just 84-143 adult Iberian lynxes left, and Cuba's rat-like little earth hutia has not been seen in 40 years.
The survey found one in two mammal species are declining in number, with threats worsening for species such as the Tasmanian Devil, an Australian marsupial, the Caspian seal or the fishing cat, found in Asia.
The main threat identified are loss of habitat and hunting by humans, with other risks being climate change and disease.
However, the report adds that some species are recovering. China's Pere David deer, for example, is extinct in the wild, but captive populations have risen and could lead to re-introduction in the wild.
The African elephant, for example, has been moved to "near threatened", a lesser level of risk than its previous category as "vulnerable" because of rising numbers. The European bison and the black-footed ferret, found in North America, are also recovering.
Worldwide, the Red List comprises 44,838 species, of which 16,928 are considered threatened, or 38 per cent. Groups such as amphibians are far worse off than mammals. A year ago, the Red List comprised 41,415 species, of which 16,306 were rated as threatened.
"Within our lifetime hundreds of species could be lost as a result of our own actions," said Julia Marton-Lefevre, director general of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which compiles the Red List and is meeting in Spain.
"Mammals are declining faster than we thought, Jan Schipper, who led the team, said of the report issued in Barcelona as part of a "Red List" of threatened species.
He said threats were worst for land mammals in Asia, where creatures such as orang utans are suffering from deforestation. Almost 80 per cent of primates in the region were under threat.
Reuters