IUCN Warns That Thousands Of Species At Risk Of Extinction

A top conservation body is warning that there are almost 23,000 species that are at risk of going extinct including the world’s rarest sea lion as well the mighty African lion. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has updated its “Red List” of threatened species which has also shown some clear improvements in conservation of endangered species such as the Iberian Lynx. However the agency is warning that the number of successes has been dwarfed by a large number of declines in a range of species.

Animals increasingly vulnerable

IUCN chief Inger Andersen has warned of an increasing vulnerability of our natural world and is urging that we increase the efforts being made to save species that are most at risk of extinction. Ms. Andersen pointed to rising numbers of the Iberian Lynx which she says shows that effective conservation strategies can produce results which are truly outstanding.

The mighty lion is in danger

Whilst there have been some achievements, a number of other mammals have not done so well because of habitat destruction and hunting. On a global level, the lion is listed as a vulnerable species, in particular its Western African sub-population has been tagged as being “critically” endangered because of dwindling prey and over-hunting. There has also been an alarming fall in the number of lions in Eastern Africa which has historically been a stronghold for the species. The IUCN has warned that trade in body parts for traditional medicine in both Asia and Africa is the main threat to the species.

We could lose the New Zealand Sea Lion

The IUCN also drew attention to the African Golden Cat which is an extremely reclusive species that is about twice the size of a house cat and lives in Central Africa and is now listed as ‘vulnerable”. The IUCN has listed the New Zealand Sea Lion which is one of the world’s rarest species of sea lion as being endangered.