Red List 2009: Endangered species for every country in the world

International conservation projects help to preserve the habitats of species like the red-eyed tree frog. Photograph: Rick Sammon/AP

Although animal extinction is part of the natural cycle, humankind's presence on the earth has accelerated the rate at which species are disappearing.

The list of endangered species around the world is growing due to a range of causes from overhunting to a loss of habitat.

The best source of data on this is the Red List, compiled by the IUCN species programme. It's an amazing source of data, from the summary below through to huge geospatial files.

Efforts to sustain pressured populations through captive breeding programmes are showing some signs of success but man continues to exert a pressure on the environment which continues to endanger many species across the globe.

Just over 6% of the total species are in Brazil, reflecting the pressure that widespread deforestation is causing in the highly biodiverse region.

Red List 2009: Endangered species for every country in the world | Environment | guardian.co.uk

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Species' extinction threat grows

 

More than a third of species assessed in a major international biodiversity study are threatened with extinction, scientists have warned.

Out of the 47,677 species in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 17,291 were deemed to be at serious risk.

IUCN Red list of threatened species

BBC NEWS | Science & Environment | Species' extinction threat grows

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