Endangered Species
The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the
likelihood of that species becoming extinct. Many factors are
taken into account when assessing the conservation status of a
species, not simply the number remaining but the overall increase
or decrease in the population over time, breeding success rates,
known threats and so on. The International Union for
Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List is the best known
conservation list and enables you to search the status for all
categorised species.
You can search the IUCN Red List by clicking
here. Species appear under the following categories
(listed in order of the most endangered);
Extinct (EX)
Extinct in the Wild (EW)
Critically Endangered (CR)
Endangered (EN)
Vulnerable (VU)
Near Threatened (NT)
Least Concern (LC)
Don't forget...you can see which endangered species we have Folly
Farm by searching our Meet The Animals database.
THREATS TO SPECIES SURVIVAL
The single greatest threat to species worldwide is the destruction of habitat; human-induced habitat change which results in the reduction of natural habitat. Deforestation, desertification and coral-reef degradation are terms used for specific types of habitat destruction in forests, deserts and on coral reefs.
The main reasons for habitat destruction are conversion of land for agricultural purposes, urban sprawl and infrastructure development. Tropical rainforests are most often associated with habitat destruction and with good reason; of the 16 million square kilometres of rainforest that originally existed worldwide there is less than nine million remaining.
The hunting of species for fun or for human survival is also a major threat and the taking of animals from their natural habitat for sale through the illegal pet trade is taking its toll with many of these animals not surviving or being abandoned. Our awareness campaign for the Barbary macaques is a classic example of how the illegal pet trade is threatening species survival.
Competition with other species or introduced aliens is another important factor in the extermination of many species. Classic examples include the cane toad, introduced to many countries as a method of pest control it has become a serious threat to native wildlife and is now considered to be the pest itself. These introduced species are often stronger than native wildlife and can out-compete their weaker rivals for food, breeding sites, and even mates, or are predators of the native species themselves. The results of these introduced animals can be catastrophic for wildlife. Currently about a third of frog, toad and salamander species are facing extinction and the main cause of this is a fungus that is thought to have been spread by man moving individual amphibians around the globe.
