D-Bone
May 2nd '06, 10:07 AM
The number of threatened animal and plant species has exceeded 16,000 for the first time, a new environmental report said Tuesday.
The 16,119 species facing extinction largely due to the deterioration of their natural habitat include hippopotamus, polar bears, desert gazelles, species of freshwater fish and Mediterranean flowers, the World Conservation Union (IUCN) said in its biannual "Red List" of threatened species.
The endangered species include one quarter of the worlds coniferous trees, one in eight bird species and one in four mammals, the report said.
"The 2006 IUCN Red List shows a clear trend: biodiversity loss is increasing, not slowing down," said Achim Steiner, director general of the World Conservation Union (IUCN).
Read More: http://dsc.discovery.com/news/afp/20060501/hippo_pla.html
The 16,119 species facing extinction largely due to the deterioration of their natural habitat include hippopotamus, polar bears, desert gazelles, species of freshwater fish and Mediterranean flowers, the World Conservation Union (IUCN) said in its biannual "Red List" of threatened species.
The endangered species include one quarter of the worlds coniferous trees, one in eight bird species and one in four mammals, the report said.
"The 2006 IUCN Red List shows a clear trend: biodiversity loss is increasing, not slowing down," said Achim Steiner, director general of the World Conservation Union (IUCN).
Read More: http://dsc.discovery.com/news/afp/20060501/hippo_pla.html