What does an extinct species looks like?

Look no further: the Pere David’s Deer is officially extinct in the wild.

Additionally, the World Conservation Union (IUCN) announced at their annual meeting in Spain today that 1 in 4 mammals in the world is at-risk of extinction.

In CNN’s coverage of the conference, they quoted the IUCN’s director general, Julia Marton-Lefevre, as saying:

“Within our lifetime hundreds of species could be lost as a result of our own actions, a frightening sign of what is happening to the ecosystems where they live. We must now set clear targets for the future to reverse this trend to ensure that our enduring legacy is not to wipe out many of our closest relatives.”

The new “Red List,” the IUCN’s annual report that has become the definitive authority on endangered and threatened species, reported that “at least 1,141 of the 5,487 mammals on Earth are known to be threatened with extinction. At least 76 mammals have become extinct since 1500.” The report also noted that 88 mammals are now listed as Critically Endangered, the highest category below Extinct and Extinct in the WIld.

Jan Schipper from Conservation International added to the IUCN’s own press release:

The reality is that the number of threatened mammals could be as high as 36 percent. This indicates that conservation action backed by research is a clear priority for the future, not only to improve the data so that we can evaluate threats to these poorly known species, but to investigate means to recover threatened species and populations.

There is a silver lining though: the report noted that conservation efforts can still bring these species back from the brink, supported by the successful reintroductions of both the Black-Footed Ferret in the western United States and the Mongolian Wild Horse over the last 20 years.

photo by haglundc

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