All articles tagged with #iucn
Scientists have identified three additional giraffe species beyond the previously recognized single species, based on genetic and physical differences, which has important implications for conservation efforts to protect these animals.
The IUCN has officially recognized four distinct giraffe species—Masai, northern, reticulated, and southern—based on genetic research, which could lead to more targeted conservation efforts and policies across Africa, especially for the critically endangered northern giraffe.
The Iberian lynx, once on the brink of extinction with only 62 mature individuals in 2001, has made a remarkable recovery due to extensive conservation efforts. The species, native to Spain and Portugal, is no longer classified as endangered by the IUCN, with over 2,000 adults and juveniles now thriving. Key factors in their resurgence include habitat restoration, breeding programs, and the recovery of their primary prey, the European rabbit. Despite this success, ongoing challenges such as climate change and disease outbreaks remain.
A new study published in the journal Biological Reviews claims that human destruction of global wildlife is occurring at an alarming rate, leading to defaunation, or the global-scale decline of animal biodiversity. The study argues that extinction has traditionally been tracked by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List conservation categories, but this does not show the full picture. The study found that 48% of species examined are currently undergoing population decline, 49% are stable and 3% are increasing. The authors argue that tracking population changes can prove an indispensable tool to predict the future of a species and can lend a much more nuanced understanding of a species' standing than a Red List categorization alone can provide.