IUCN: Species of the day
28.01.10
As part of the celebrations for International Year of Biodiversity IUCN bring us a wonderful new resource - Species of the Day. On each day of 2010 a threatened species is profiled from the Red List describing its habitat, population, current plight, and future hopes.
More than 17,000 species are now on this most auspicious of lists, of which over 12,000 are plants (about 70%). Despite the overwhelming ratio of plants to animals just two plants have made the cut to date (only 7%). Hopefully, this disparity can be redressed later in the year and our green friends given the profile they deserve!
The two plants profiled so far are Aquilegia nuragica and Apium bermojoi (click the links to download the complete PDF files).
Profiled on the 4th January this Sardinian native is now confined to just one location. Classified as 'Critically Endangered' it's a perennial herb that grows in a gorge on near vertical limestone cliffs. It's believed there are only 10 - 15 individuals left in the wild.
Also listed as 'Critically Endangered' on the IUCN Red List there are now thought to be less 100 individuals.
On its island home of Minorca, in the Mediterranean, this dainty plant is faced with high competition and suffers at the feet of tourists and motorbikes.
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Global: A new approach to the IUCN Red List?
10.12.09
The Red List provides us with a yearly shock. A reminder of just how many plants and animals around the world are imperilled. But how many of us truly understand what it takes to get on the list and the amount of work involved in compiling it?
Over 12,000 plants on the Red List
03.10.09
It’s that dreaded time of year again - the time when it is spelled out so clearly how badly we are failing the planet. The latest update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species shows that 17,291 species out of the 47,677 assessed species are threatened with extinction. Of these a staggering 12,151 are plants - up 96 on last year - but it’s almost guaranteed they will get less publicity than their furry friends.