All that Grows In Wild Is Beautiful

Invariably advocacy programs for conservation of biodiversity focus on conservation of animals which have some sort of a celebrity status like tiger, crocodile and turtles. Some themes like ‘marine biodiversity’ are also used to impress upon the value of biodiversity.  

To me this is underplaying the importance of the very broad meaning and importance of the term biodiversity in a holistic context.

To me we should talk aggressively about the importance of every creature on the earth, be it a pest or parasite, economically important or not, small or big, bat or bed bug, bird or bee, crow or owl, bamboo or rose, snake or frog, elephant or mouse.

A wild grass in full bloom

The term biodiversity is more suited to the setting of  a wild environment: all that exists in a wild setting  with no or the least human invasion.  Everything there grows  naturally, sustains in a competitive natural environment and evolves. 

The term biodiversity must give us the feel of the real extent of diversity existing in the nature, the purpose, its scale or grandness, the value, ecological, environmental and biological and  our responsibility to stop the damage to it.

The other day I saw a variety of grass in full bloom growing in the vacant plot of a residential area. This area was until few years back a field with all its variety of flora and fauna.

Now the original flora of this area in under an assault. Very soon, when the house come up on this plot, and other plots, in the vicinity this flora typical to the place will vanish and we will have beautiful houses replacing those wild plants!

And powerful masters will be sitting in their lawns flaunting some prized species of ornamental plants.

This world is some how turning into a world of celebrities, celebrity men and animals as if there is no importance, place or role for others.

In fact, what grows in the natural world is far more superior biologically than those of ornamental value.

What grows in the wild is hardy, it has power to survive in the adverse climates, and thrive like this wild grass in full bloom. Their natural strength is manifested in their beauty and power to survive!

Madagascar's Lemurs:The Most Threatened Mammals

According to a press release of Conservation International, lntentAccording toeading conservationists gathered at a workshop of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Species Survival Commission recently to review the conservation status of the world’s 103 lemur species  which is the most endangered primate group in the world.

The results of the conference announced, highlight that many lemur species are on the very brink of extinction due primarily to habitat loss, and are in need of urgent and effective protection measures.

Black-and-white lemur (Varecia variegata). Copyright: Conservation International. Photo by: Sterling Zumbrunn. 

The conservation status of 91 per cent of the world’s lemur species have now been upgraded to either ‘Critically Endangered’, ‘Endangered’ or ‘Vulnerable’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species — an indicator of rampant forest loss which additionally endangers vital ecosystem services that support Madagascar’s people.

Of the world’s 103 different species of lemurs, 23 are now considered ‘Critically Endangered’, 52 are ‘Endangered, 19 are ‘Vulnerable’ and two are ‘Near Threatened’. Just three lemur species are listed as ‘Least Concern’. 

A previous assessment carried out in 2005 as part of a Global Mammal Assessment identified 8 species as ‘Critically Endangered’, 18 as ‘Endangered’, and 15 as ‘Vulnerable’, already a very high number. Given the recent increases in the number of new species and the fact that the level of threat has increased over the past three years, the experts decided to carry out a reassessment of Madagascar’s lemur fauna.

Lemurs are in danger of becoming extinct by destruction of their tropical forest habitat on their native island of Madagascar, off Africa's Indian Ocean coast, where political uncertainty has increased poverty and accelerated illegal logging. Hunting of these animals has also emerged as a more serious threat than previously imagined.

Dr Christoph Schwitzer, Head of Research at Bristol Zoo Gardens, is a world leading primatologist and is on the organising committee for the conference in his role as advisor on Madagascar’s primates and the Red List authority for the IUCN Species Survival Commission’s (SSC) Primate Specialist Group.

Greater bamboo lemur (Prolemur simus). Copyright: Conservation International. Photo by: Russell A. Mittermeier

Explaining the significance of the lemur assessments,Dr Christoph Schwitzer said : “The results of our review workshop this week have been quite a shock as they show that Madagascar has, by far, the highest proportion of threatened species of any primate habitat region or any one country in the world. As a result, we now believe that lemurs are probably the most endangered of any group of vertebrates.”

Among the most spectacular species of lemurs assessed as ‘Critically Endangered’ is the indri, the largest of the living lemurs and a species of symbolic value comparable to that of China’s giant panda, Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur, at 30 grams the world’s smallest primate, and the blue-eyed black lemur, the only primate species other than humans that has blue eyes. Probably the rarest lemur is the northern sportive lemur (Lepilemur septentrionalis), of which there are only 18 known individuals left.

Dr. Russell Mittermeier, President of Conservation International and Chair of IUCN/SSC’s Primate Specialist Group, said: “This new assessment highlights the very high extinction risk faced by Madagascar’s unique lemur fauna and it is indicative of the grave threats to Madagascar biodiversity as a whole, which is vital to supporting its people. As the forests go, so do lemurs and a host of benefits derived from them.”

“Madagascar’s unique and wonderful species are its greatest asset and its most distinctive brand and the basis for a major tourism industry that continues to grow in spite of the current political problems."

The workshop, held in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, included a welcome speech by British entrepreneur, Sir Richard Branson, who is a great fan of lemurs and welcomed the work being done by conservationists to protect these rare creatures. The workshop also had the support of the Ambatovy Nickel Mining Project, the Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund and the Margot Marsh Biodiversity Foundation.

Delegates who attended the conference were from the UK, Madagascar, the United States, Canada, India, Germany, Italy and France; they are now working together to establish a Conservation Action Plan to protect the most threatened lemurs over the coming decade.

Dr Schwitzer said: “This conference is a good example of the growing importance of collaboration between the international conservation, research and zoo communities in the protection of species and habitats. At Bristol Zoo Gardens, we will continue our conservation and research with the aim of increasing the effectiveness of the conservation activities, as well as increasing our understanding of these, and other, critically endangered species.”

A more positive outcome of the conference has been the discovery of a previously unknown species of lemur — a type of mouse lemur — discovered by Peter Kappeler and his team at the German Primate Center. The new species is found in the Marolambo area of eastern Madagascar. A formal description of the species has not yet been published, meaning it has not yet been given a name. This is the 103rd taxon of lemur known to man.

In Madagascar, Bristol Zoo is working with other European zoos to protect the last remaining populations of two critically endangered lemur species, the blue-eyed black lemur and the Sahamalaza sportive lemur. Both are only found on the Sahamalaza Peninsula in the northwest of the island and are threatened by habitat destruction and hunting.

Bristol Zoo’s work in the field is carried out through the Bristol Conservation and Science Foundation (BCSF), which is based at Bristol Zoo Gardens which is a conservation and education charity and relies on the generous support of the public not only to fund its important work in the zoo, but also its vital conservation and research projects spanning five continents.

Slash and burning for burning forest for farmland in

Conserving Biodiversity Is Essential For Human Economic Security and Survival

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) through its international news release of 19th June has cautioned the world that "the source of our food, medicines and clean water, as well the livelihoods of millions of people may be at risk with the rapid decline of the world’s animal, plant and fungi species".

The IUCN released its latest update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™, on 19th June on the eve of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Red List is a critical indicator of the health of the world’s biodiversity.

The list shows that of the 63,837 species assessed, 19,817 are threatened with extinction: the most threatened group is of amphibians (41%), folowed by reef building corals (33%), mammals (25%), birds (13%), and conifers (30%).

“Sustainability is a matter of life and death for people on the planet,” says Julia Marton-Lefèvre, Director General, IUCN. “A sustainable future cannot be achieved without conserving biological diversity - animal and plant species, their habitats and their genes - not only for nature itself, but also for all 7 billion people who depend on it." 

                                                                                                          A film by IUCN

The latest IUCN Red List was a clarion call to world leaders who gathered in Rio to secure the web of life on this planet. Wealthy countries depend primarily on few domesticated species for their dietary needs, but globally millions of other people are dependent on hundreds of wild species.

Freshwater ecosystems are under substantial pressure from expanding human populations and exploitation of water resources. An important food source, freshwater fish are facing threats from unsustainable fishing practices and habitat destruction caused by pollution and the construction of dams.

A quarter of the world’s inland fisheries are located on the African continent, yet 27% of freshwater fish in Africa are threatened including the Oreochromis karongae, an extremely important source of food in the Lake Malawi region that has been severely overfished. In the latest IUCN Red List update the Mekong Herring (Tenualosa thibaudeaui), an important commercial fish endemic to the lower Mekong River in the Indo-Burma region, has been listed as vulnerable as a result of overfishing and habitat degradation.

Fishing constitutes main source of food and primary income in 90% of coastal populations in several parts of the world, but overfishing has led to decline of commercial fish stocks by over 90%. Currently 36% of skates and rays are threatened with extinction including the commercially valuable Leopard Ray (Himantura leoparda), which is listed as now a vulnerable species due to extensive habitat degradation and fishing pressure.

More than 275 million people are dependent on coral reefs for food, coastal protection and livelihoods. Globally, coral reef fisheries are worth USD 6.8 billion annually. Overfishing affects 55% of the world’s reefs. According to the IUCN Red List, 18% of groupers, an economically important family of large reef fish, are threatened. It is therefore imperative that Coral reefs must be protected and managed sustainably to ensure them as source of essential food that millions of people rely on as a source of protein.

“The services and economic value that species provide are irreplaceable and essential to our wellbeing,” says Jon Paul Rodríguez, Deputy Chair, IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC). “Unless we live within the limits set by nature, and manage our natural resources sustainably, more and more species will be driven towards extinction. If we ignore our responsibility we will compromise our own survival.”

Crop wild relatives, such as the Critically Endangered Beta patula, a primary wild relative of cultivated beets, are of vital importance for food security and agriculture as they can be used to produce new crop varieties. It is estimated that crop wild relatives contribute more than USD 100 billion worldwide towards increased crop yields.

Production of at least one third of the world’s food, including 87 of the 113 leading food crops, depends on pollination carried out by insects, bats and birds. This ecosystem service is worth over USD 200 billion per year. According to the IUCN Red List 16% of Europe’s endemic butterflies are threatened. Bats, which are also important pollinators, are also at risk with 18% threatened globally.

The latest IUCN Red List update shows that four members of the hummingbird family, which is known for its pollination services, are now at greater risk of extinction with the Pink-throated Brilliant (Heliodoxa gularis) listed as Vulnerable. In addition to their important pollination roles, bats and birds also aid in controlling insect populations that may otherwise destroy economically important agricultural plants.


Invasive alien species are one of the leading and most rapidly growing threats to food security, human and animal health and biodiversity. A recent analysis of IUCN Red List data highlighted invasive alien species as the fifth most severe threat to amphibians, and the third most severe threat to birds and mammals.

Together with climate change, invasive alien species have become one of the most difficult threats to reverse. For example, Water Hyacinth (Eichnornia crassipes) is an aquatic plant native to the Amazon basin, but in Africa its rapid spread poses a significant threat to water supplies and the use of inland waters for fishing or transportation. The economic impacts may be as much as USD 100 million annually across all of Africa.

Solutions incorporating awareness and prevention measures, as well as early warning and rapid response systems that include containment, control and eradication programmes, need to be implemented on both a regional and global scale in order to reduce the negative effects of alien species.

The latest IUCN Red List shows that 10% of snakes endemic to China and South East Asia are threatened with extinction. Snakes are unsustainably used in traditional medicines and anti-venom serum, as food, and as a source of income from the sale of skins. Nearly 43% of the endemic snake species in South East Asia which are in the Endangered and Vulnerable categories are threatened, and this trend ought to be reversed.

The world’s largest venomous snake, the King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah), is listed as vulnerable due to loss of habitat and over-exploitation for medicinal purposes. The Burmese Python (Python bivittatus), best-known in the West as an invasive species in the Florida Everglades, is also listed as vulnerable in its native range, with trade and over-exploitation for food and skins, especially in China and Vietnam, being the main threats to the species. Despite its designation as a protected species in China, populations there show no evidence of recovery, and illegal catching continues.


While  medicinal plants and animals are used as source of medicinal products in several countries, about 100 most-prescribed drugs originate from wild species. Amphibians play a vital role in the search for new medicines as important chemical compounds can be found on the skin of many frogs. Yet 41% of amphibian species are threatened with extinction, including the recently described frog, Anodonthyla hutchisoni from Madagascar, which is now considered endangered.

More than 70,000 different plant species are used in traditional and modern medicine. The IUCN Red List update includes a number of South East Asian plants which are used for food and medicine. The Tsao-ko Cardamom (Amomum tsao-ko), is now a nearly threatened species because its edible fruits have been over-harvested for trading. In several cases the over-exploitation combined with loss of habitat due to deforestation and other threats has resulted in species being listed in a threatened category.

Two relatives of turmeric – Curcuma candida and Curcuma rhabdota (Candy Cane Ginger) - are both listed as vulnerable, and the Zingiber monophyllum, a wild species of ginger is listed as endangered.

Other important services supplied by species include improvement and control of air quality by plants and trees. A mature leafy tree produces as much oxygen in a season as 10 people inhale in a year. They clean the soil, act as carbon sinks, and clean the air. Bivalve molluscs and many wetland plants carry out water filtration services to provide clean water, whilst snails help control algae.

In Africa 42% of all freshwater molluscs are globally threatened and in Europe 68% of endemic freshwater molluscs are globally threatened by habitat loss, pollution and the development of dams.

“Most of the drivers of biodiversity loss, including species extinctions, are economic in nature,” says Dr Simon Stuart, Chair, IUCN Species Survival Commission. “An economy can only be described as ‘green’ if it promotes the achievement of the 20 Aichi Biodiversity Targets that governments agreed on in 2010.”

Companies can participate to compensate negative impact: IUCN study

Findings of a study have revealed that by financing the restoration or protection of natural areas  companies can offset the negative impacts of their operations,  and generate significant economic benefits. The study has been conducted by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature).

“Companies are increasingly interested in how to minimize and compensate for the negative impacts of their development projects,” says Nathalie Olsen of IUCN’s Economics Programme and lead author of the report.

It is however essential to know the distribution of costs and benefits of conservation action, as to who gains and who loses, in order to know who should be compensated, by how much, and by whom.

Rio Tinto, a global leader in mineral exploration and processing, commissioned IUCN to estimate the monetary value of the biodiversity benefits of conserving the Tsitongambarika forest in Madagascar and examine the costs of such conservation.

The Tsitongambarika forest is the largest expanse of lowland humid forest in southern Madagascar and contains high levels of biodiversity, with more than 80% of species found nowhere else on earth.

The Tsitongambarika forest is also an important source of local livelihoods. The forest is being lost at a rate of 1-2 % per year, mainly due to slash and burn cultivation by local communities.

The company, in collaboration with some of its biodiversity partners, is exploring conservation opportunities to compensate for the unavoidable residual impacts of its mining operations in the Tsitongambarika region.

The company supports local non-governmental organizations and communities in conserving parts of the Tsitongambarika forest, to produce the conservation gains needed to achieve a net positive impact on biodiversity.

“There are many types of values associated with biodiversity and the services provided by tropical forests, such as food, wildlife habitat and carbon storage,” says Dennis Hosack of IUCN’s Business and Biodiversity Programme.

“Some of these values can be quantified and expressed in monetary terms, which allows them to be better integrated into decision-making by both companies and governments”, according to Dannis Hosack.

The global economic benefits of conserving the Tsitongambarika forest are worth at least US$17.3 million over 30 years, mainly due to climate regulating functions, says Olsen. “When deciding whether to restore or protect land, demonstrating the positive economic values of nature and the benefits to people, makes conservation a more competitive option,” says Olsen.

To assess the benefits of conserving the forest, IUCN took into account the value of wildlife habitat, hydrological regulation and carbon storage. It also examined the costs of conservation, such as up-front investment, the maintenance of protected areas, as well as the opportunity costs that local people bear if they lose access to natural resources that have sustained them traditionally with food and income.

The study found that while substantial economic benefits associated with the conservation of tropical forests accrue to global populations, it is often local people who bear most of the costs of conservation action and need to be compensated for the losses they incur.

Compensation of losses incurred to local people can be achieved through ‘Payments for Ecosystem Services’, which provide incentives for local communities to protect or sustainably manage land. Another opportunity to recognize this value is through the UN programme Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+), considering local needs and the objectives of national strategies.

“Although the study focuses on southern Madagascar, its findings can be applied to conservation actions globally and are relevant for many companies as they increasingly aim to compensate for their negative impacts on biodiversity,” adds Hosack.

The case is a good example how the damages of development can be mitigated or minimized. This case about correction of damages need to be emulated in similar other situations globally where mining has threatened biodiversity!

Conservation in Cambodia: Through Photographers’ Eyes

Photographers Kristin Harrison and Jeremy Ginsberg from San Franscisco, USA, on their world tour last September volunteered to Conservation International (CI) to cover three projects in Cambodia through their photographs. A brief view of their work through selected photographs is covered here to present magnificent conservation efforts in Cambodia:

Tonle Sap Lake

This is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, also known as the “Great Lake” which doubles in size with the monsoon rains each year. As the lake floods, huge schools of fish thrive, providing food for millions of Cambodians. To maximize the fishing opportunities, some families live in floating villages composed of rustic, often handmade houseboats  miles from the vast lake’s shores.

Anlung Reang floating village on Tonle Sap Lake. (© Kristin Harrison & Jeremy Ginsberg)

Kristin and Jeremy spent two days visiting CI’s research station located in a floating village of a few dozen families. Traveling by longboat, they photographed fishermen, toured communities and tagged along with local researchers and collected data on the behaviors of endangered river otters. At night they slept in the open air meeting room of the CI station, where they watched the sun rise over the still, quiet lake, a serene and beautiful sight, they write.

Veun Sai-Siem Pang Conservation Area

Northern buff-cheeked gibbons (Nomascus annamensis),found in the jungles of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and southern China, face increasing threats from humans, including loss of habitat due to extensive deforestation. There are only few left in the world, and CI is working hard to protect them. In the Veun Sai-Siem Pang Conservation Area in northeastern Cambodia, Kristin and Jeremy joined CI researchers on their pre-dawn trek into the forest, where they heard a northern buffed-cheek gibbon duet — eerie and mournful. They spent a morning following five of these graceful apes, in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Mekong Turtle Conservation Center

Near Kratie, CI works with communities to protect the endangered Cantor’s giant softshell turtle (Pelochelys cantorii). Young turtles are allowed to grow safely in CI’s newly-built Mekong Turtle Conservation Center, located on the grounds of Wat Sorsor Mouy Roy, a famous Buddhist temple. The temple’s monks work at the center and educate the community, as Buddhist philosophy encourages environmental conservation.

A local boy holding a young Cantor's giant softshell turtle, Mekong Turtle Conservation Center, Cambodia. (© Kristin Harrison & Jeremy Ginsberg).

Kristine and Jeremy photographed  softshell turtles which are bizarre looking: shells are wafer thin around the edges, and soft on the top and bottom. Adults can grow to 6 feet [1.8 meters] in diameter, weigh up to 110 pounds (50 kilograms) and have a ferocious, bone-crushing bite. They joined CI staff, monks and villagers on the banks of the Mekong River to learn how turtles are released back into the wild.

IUCN 'Red List' Is Hope for the Threatened Species

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“Human beings are stewards of the earth and we are responsible for protecting the species that share our environment,” says Simon Stuart, Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission.

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The last update (November, 2011) of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) ‘Red List of Threatened Species’  illustrates the efforts undertaken by IUCN and its partners to cover greater  number and diversity of species along with improved quality of information, thus leading to a better picture of the state of biodiversity.

With over 61,900 species reviewed the “update offers both good and bad news on the status of many species around the world,” said Jane Smart, Director, IUCN Global Species Program. “We have the knowledge that conservation works if executed in a timely manner, yet, without strong political will in combination with targeted efforts and resources, the wonders of nature and the services it provides can be lost forever.” 

Despite the action of conservation programs, 25% of mammals are at risk of extinction. For example, the reassessments of several Rhinoceros species show that the subspecies of the Black Rhino in western Africa, the Western Black Rhino (Diceros bicornis longipes) has officially been declared Extinct.

The subspecies of the White Rhino in central Africa, the Northern White Rhino (Ceratotherium simum cottoni) is currently teetering on the brink of extinction and has been listed as Possibly Extinct in the Wild.

The Javan Rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus) is also making its last stand, as the subspecies Rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus is probably extinct, following the poaching of what is thought to be the last animal in Viet Nam in 2010. Although this is not the end of the Javan Rhino, it does reduce the species to a single, tiny, declining population on Java.

A lack of political support and will power for conservation efforts in many rhino habitats, international organized crime groups targeting rhinos and increasing illegal demand for rhino horns and commercial poaching are the main threats faced by rhinos.

“Human beings are stewards of the earth and we are responsible for protecting the species that share our environment,” says Simon Stuart, Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission. “In the case of both the Western Black Rhino and the Northern White Rhino the situation could have had very different results if the suggested conservation measures had been implemented. These measures must be strengthened now, specifically managing habitats in order to improve breeding performance, preventing other rhinos from fading into extinction.”

Several conservation successes have already been achieved including the Southern White Rhino subspecies (Ceratotherium simum simum), which has increased from a population of less than 100 at the end of the 19th century, to an estimated wild population of over 20,000.

The Przewalski’s Horse (Equus ferus) is another success story, improving its status from Critically Endangered to Endangered. Originally, it was listed as Extinct in the Wild in 1996, but thanks to a captive breeding program and a successful reintroduction program, the population is now estimated at more than 300.

Reptiles make up a significant component of biodiversity, particularly in dryland habitats and on islands around the world. In recent years, many more reptile species have been assessed including most of those found in Madagascar. The current Red List reveals that an alarming 40% of Madagascar’s terrestrial reptiles are threatened. The 22 Madagascan species currently identified as Critically Endangered, which include chameleons, geckoes, skinks and snakes, are now a conservation challenge.

The new information helps informed biodiversity planning and allows for an evaluation of the protection that protected areas offer to reptiles in Madagascar. Encouragingly, there are new conservation areas being designated in Madagascar that will help conserve a significant proportion of Critically Endangered species, such as Tarzan’s Chameleon (Calumma tarzan), the Bizarre-nosed Chameleon (Calumma hafahafa) and the Limbless Skink (Paracontias fasika).

Because of their IUCN Red List status, those species which have traditionally been overlooked in conservation efforts, such as the Endangered geckos Paroedura masobe and Uroplatus pietschmanni will now be featured more prominently in future plans.

Plants are an essential resource for human well-being and are a critical component for wildlife habitats, yet they are still underrepresented on the IUCN Red List. Current work underway to increase knowledge includes a review of all Conifers. The results so far uncover some disturbing trends. The Chinese Water Fir (Glyptostrobus pensilis), for example, which was formerly widespread throughout China and Viet Nam has moved from Endangered to Critically Endangered.

The main cause of decline is the loss of habitat to expanding intensive agriculture and in China there appear to be no wild plants remaining. The largest group of recently discovered Chinese Water Fir in LAO PDR was killed through flooding for a newly constructed hydro scheme and very few, if any, of the trees in Viet Nam produce viable seeds, meaning that this species is rapidly moving towards becoming Extinct in the Wild.

Another example, Taxus contorta, which is used to produce Taxol, a chemotherapy drug, has moved from Vulnerable to Endangered due to over-exploitation for medicinal use and over-collection for fuel wood and fodder. Many other tropical plant species are also at risk. The majority of endemic flowering plants in the granitic Seychelles islands have been assessed and current studies show that of the 79 endemic species, 77% are at risk of extinction.

Most of these are new assessments but one species, the infamous Coco de Mer (Lodoicea maldivica) has been uplisted from Vulnerable to Endangered. Known for its supposed aphrodisiac properties, the Coco de Mer faces threats from fires and illegal harvesting of its kernels. Presently, all collection and sale of its seed is highly regulated, but there is thought to be a significant black market trade in the kernels.

The IUCN Red List keeps apace with scientific discoveries—for example, until recently only one species of Manta Ray was known, but new comparisons of field observations now reveal that there are actually two species of ‘manta’: the Reef Manta Ray (Manta alfredi) and the Giant Manta Ray (Manta birostris), both of which are now classified as Vulnerable.

The GiantManta Ray is the largest living ray, which can grow to more than seven meters across. Manta Ray products have a high value in international trade markets and targeted fisheries hunt them for their valuable gill rakers used in traditional Chinese medicine. Monitoring and regulation of the exploitation and trade of both manta ray species is urgently needed, as well as protection of key habitats.

The results of the assessments of all species of scombrids (tunas, bonitos, mackerels and Spanish mackerels) and billfishes (swordfish and marlins) were published recently in the magazine Science.

The detailed results now on the IUCN Red List show that the situation is particularly serious for tunas. Five of the eight species of tuna are in the threatened or Near Threatened categories. These include: Southern Bluefin (Thunnus maccoyii), Critically Endangered; Atlantic Bluefin (T. thynnus), Endangered; Bigeye (T. obesus), Vulnerable; Yellowfin (T. albacares), Near Threatened; and Albacore (T. alalunga), Near Threatened. This information will be invaluable in helping governments make decisions which will safeguard the future of these species, many of which are of extremely high economic value.

The assessment for the Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka), an iconic salmon species found in the North Pacific, was recently reviewed. Whilst the species’ global status remains the same, Least Concern, the assessment at the subpopulation scale shows elevated threats to the species in its North America habitats, with 31% of the assessed subpopulations threatened, underscoring the need for continued conservation action.

Amphibians form a vital role in ecosystems, are indicators of environmental health, and are literally ‘hopping pharmacies’ being used in the search for new medicines. As one of the most threatened groups, amphibians are closely monitored by IUCN and 26 recently discovered Amphibians have been added to the IUCN Red List.

The Blessed Poison Frog (Ranitomeya benedicta) is currently listed as Vulnerable and the Summers’ Poison Frog (Ranitomeya summersi) is endangered. Both are threatened by habitat loss and harvesting for the international pet trade.

“The IUCN Red List is critical as an indicator of the health of biodiversity, in identifying conservation needs and informing necessary changes in policy and legislation to drive conservation forward,” says Jean-Christophe Vie, Deputy Director of IUCN’s Global Species Program. “The world is full of marvelous species that are rapidly moving towards becoming things of myth and legend if conservation efforts are not more successfully implemented—if we do not act now, future generations may not know what a Chinese Water Fir or a Bizarre-nosed Chameleon look like”,  says Jean-Christophe Vie.

IUCN 'Red List' constantly reminds us of the need and urgency to safeguard the species under threat; in a way, the List ensures a hope that must be translated into action, and  action into conservation to change the threatened status of the species.

Quotes from IUCN Red List Partner Organizations

“Red list assessments are essential for guiding conservation action. Botanic gardens around the world use the IUCN Red List to prioritize which species to study, grow, conserve and restore in the wild,” says Dry Sara Oldfield, Secretary General of Botanic Gardens Conservation International. “The latest update shows that we need to act urgently.”

“Protected areas are essential for conservation of Madagascar’s many reptiles and other threatened endemic species,” says Russell Mittermeier, Conservation International President and Vice President of IUCN. “Indeed without them, few of these unique creatures would survive. We are still far from understanding the full diversity of Madagascar’s fauna and flora since species new to science are being discovered every year.”

"There are 380,000 species of plants named and described, with about 2,000 being added to the list every year. At Kew we estimate one in five of these are likely to be under threat of extinction right now, before we even factor in the impacts of climate change,” says Dr Tim Entwisle, Director, Conservation, Living Collections and Estates, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. “The Red Listing process highlights the state of knowledge for some of the critical groups like conifers and is the first step towards understanding and dealing with one of the biggest problems we have to face in the 21st Century - species extinction. For plants we are calibrating the Barometer of Life; for their relatives, the fungi and algae, we still have little sense of what is out there and what we are losing."

“Each update of the IUCN Red List brings both encouraging and discouraging news. First it demonstrates that concentrated conservation actions, backed by solid natural and social science and local engagement, will result in successful efforts to conserve threatened species,” says Thomas E. Lacher, Jr., Professor of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Texas A&M University. “However it also demonstrates that there is much still to accomplish, with worsening conditions for many species, including those only recently described.”

“It is clear to me that society now has the capability to reverse species declines,” says Prof Jonathan Baillie, Director of Conservation Programs at ZSL. “Fundamentally, it is our values that need to change if we are to avert the looming extinction crisis.”

“Expanding both the number and diversity of species assessed on the IUCN Red List is imperative if we are to conserve the natural world.” says Richard Edwards, Chief Executive of Wildscreen, who are working with the IUCN to help raise the public profile of the world’s threatened species, through the power of wildlife and environmental imagery. “We need to address our disconnection from the natural world, and will only succeed in rescuing species from the brink of extinction, if we successfully communicate their plight, significance, value and importance.” (Source: IUCN media release)

Fourteen Bird Species Critically Endangered in India

                

The information contained in the written reply of Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Jayanthi Natarajan, given in upper house (Rajya Sabha) on 13^th December must be a bad news to bird lovers all over the world.

There are a number of birds on the verge of extinction in India. As per the report of the scientific institutions like Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun; Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai; and Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore; the IUCN Red List version 2010.1 indicates 14 Critically Endangered species of birds in India.

The bird species reported from India which are listed as critically endangered in IUCN Red List version 2010.1, are as follows:

White-rumped Vulture	Gyps bengalensis	Accipitridae
Indian Vulture	Gyps indicus	Accipitridae
Slender-billed Vulture	Gyps tenuirostris	Accipitridae
Red-headed Vulture	Sarcogyps calvus	Accipitridae
Pink-headed Duck	Rhodonessa caryophyllacea	Anatidae
White-bellied Heron	Ardea insignis	Ardeidae
Sociable Lapwing	Vanellus gregarius	Charadriidae
Christmas Frigatebird	Fregata andrewsi	Fregatidae
Jerdon's Courser	Rhinoptilus bitorquatus	Glareolidae
Siberian Crane	Grus leucogeranus	Gruidae
Bengal Florican	Houbaropsis bengalensis	Otididae
Himalayan Quail	Ophrysia superciliosa	Phasianidae
Spoon-billed Sandpiper	Eurynorhynchus pygmeus	Scolopacidae
Forest Owlet	Heteroglaux blewitti	Strigidae

The important steps taken for protecting the endangered birds of India are given below:

(i)     Rare and endangered birds are included in Schedule-I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 thereby according them highest degree of protection.

(ii)   Stringent punishments have been provided for in the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 for violation of the provisions of the Act.

(iii) Important habitats of birds, including endangered and migratory birds have been notified as Protected Areas under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 for better conservation and the protection of birds and their habitats.

(iv) Financial & technical assistance is provided to the State/Union Territory Governments for protection and management of the Protected Areas.

(v)   The State/Union Territory Governments have been requested to strengthen the field formations and intensify patrolling in and around the protected areas.

(vi) Wildlife Crime Control Bureau has been established for control of illegal trade in wildlife, including endangered species of birds, and their parts and products.

(vii)  India is signatory to all major international conventions relating to conservation and management of wildlife, including endangered species of birds. These are Convention on Biological Diversity, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance.

(viii)  The Sub-committee constituted under National Board for Wildlife, has developed Guidelines for Threatened Species Recovery Plan and has also identified Great Indian Bustard, Jerdon’s Courser and Nicobar Megapode as threatened bird species, for conservation and better management of their habitats on priority basis. 

(ix)  Research and monitoring activities on birds are promoted by the Government through reputed research organizations. Wildlife Institute of India, Bombay Natural History Society and Salim Ali Center for Ornithology and Natural History are some of the research organizations engaged in research for conservation of birds.

Undoubtedly Indian national agencies are involved in protection of the flora and fauna, but the involvement in its nature is sometimes more paper work than real concern and action on field to conserve threatened species. Birds are not only a part of fauna, but add great aesthetic value to nature and our lives. Birds’ protection and conservation must receive highest priority.