ID :
54169
Tue, 04/07/2009 - 08:08
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/54169
The shortlink copeid
49 species of mammals in India threatened: IUCN
Panaji, Apr 6 (PTI) As many as 49 species of mammals in
India face extreme levels of danger from problems ranging from
poaching, habitat destruction, alteration and pollution, a
study conducted by an international environment agency has
said.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature
(IUCN), in its 2008 red data list, mapped these species, which
are facing the brunt of human invasion in their territory
besides the atmospheric changes and named 124 Indian mammals
as endangered.
Of them, 10 have been listed as Critically Endangered, 39
species as Endangered, 48 species are Vulnerable for
extinction while 29 species show a sharp decline in their
population.
Around 16 species of mammals like the tiger, leopard,
dhole (wild dog) and sambar among others in the list are from
the Western Ghats of India, which includes the protected areas
and forests of western coastal state of Goa.
The IUCN list is considered world's most comprehensive
information source on the globe conservation status of plant
and animal species.
It assesses the risk of extinction of a species, which
are thus listed as critically endangered, endangered or
vulnerable.
Collectively, all are known as threatened.
"The Red List of Threatened Species is compiled by some
of the world's leading scientists and the 2008 list has
assessed almost 44,837 species of which over 38 per cent have
been acknowledged as Threatened under one or the other
categories mentioned above," the IUCN website reads.
The main objectives of the IUCN list are to identify and
document those species most in need of conservation attention
for reduction in global extinction rates and to provide a
global index of state of change of biodiversity.
At regional level in India, the list attains significance
as species like the leopard (Panthera pardus) found in states
like Goa has been included as a near Threatened species, while
the sambar (Rusa unicolor) found across all the protected
forest areas has been included as a Vulnerable species besides
others.
The Red List also acknowledges the fact that most of the
land mammals identified are from the Western Ghats that have
high rate of endemism and a rich biodiversity but are
threatened due to various forms of human activity.
Environmentalists in Goa are protesting several projects
that are scheduled to come up in the wildlife dotting the
state. Goa shares boundary with Maharashtra and Karnataka and
Mhadei water diversion project is one such project vehemently
opposed by the locals.
"The main repercussion of Mhadei wildlife sanctuary is
destruction of forest. Entire Bhigmad forest area will be
under water," state's noted environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar
told PTI.
He said that the dam projects coupled with the increased
mining activity in the Sahyadri range forest has posed severe
danger to the wildlife here. PTI RPS
PMR
NNNN
India face extreme levels of danger from problems ranging from
poaching, habitat destruction, alteration and pollution, a
study conducted by an international environment agency has
said.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature
(IUCN), in its 2008 red data list, mapped these species, which
are facing the brunt of human invasion in their territory
besides the atmospheric changes and named 124 Indian mammals
as endangered.
Of them, 10 have been listed as Critically Endangered, 39
species as Endangered, 48 species are Vulnerable for
extinction while 29 species show a sharp decline in their
population.
Around 16 species of mammals like the tiger, leopard,
dhole (wild dog) and sambar among others in the list are from
the Western Ghats of India, which includes the protected areas
and forests of western coastal state of Goa.
The IUCN list is considered world's most comprehensive
information source on the globe conservation status of plant
and animal species.
It assesses the risk of extinction of a species, which
are thus listed as critically endangered, endangered or
vulnerable.
Collectively, all are known as threatened.
"The Red List of Threatened Species is compiled by some
of the world's leading scientists and the 2008 list has
assessed almost 44,837 species of which over 38 per cent have
been acknowledged as Threatened under one or the other
categories mentioned above," the IUCN website reads.
The main objectives of the IUCN list are to identify and
document those species most in need of conservation attention
for reduction in global extinction rates and to provide a
global index of state of change of biodiversity.
At regional level in India, the list attains significance
as species like the leopard (Panthera pardus) found in states
like Goa has been included as a near Threatened species, while
the sambar (Rusa unicolor) found across all the protected
forest areas has been included as a Vulnerable species besides
others.
The Red List also acknowledges the fact that most of the
land mammals identified are from the Western Ghats that have
high rate of endemism and a rich biodiversity but are
threatened due to various forms of human activity.
Environmentalists in Goa are protesting several projects
that are scheduled to come up in the wildlife dotting the
state. Goa shares boundary with Maharashtra and Karnataka and
Mhadei water diversion project is one such project vehemently
opposed by the locals.
"The main repercussion of Mhadei wildlife sanctuary is
destruction of forest. Entire Bhigmad forest area will be
under water," state's noted environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar
told PTI.
He said that the dam projects coupled with the increased
mining activity in the Sahyadri range forest has posed severe
danger to the wildlife here. PTI RPS
PMR
NNNN
