IUCN report on species facing extinction
24 November 2009
The International Union for Conservation for Nature (IUCN) recently released the latest update to their Red List of Threatened Species, the world's most comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of plant and animal species with 47,677 species from around the world assessed.
17,291 out of 47,677 species assessed are threatened with extinction. Although the overall percentage of threatened species has reduced to 36% this year (from 38% in 2008), this is down to the fact that more species have been assessed in 2009.
Habitat loss due to slash and burn farming, logging, hunting, land development and the effects of climate change have all contributed to placing a number of species at risk. The IUCN warns that "the scientific evidence of a serious extinction crisis is mounting".