The Red-headed Vulture, Sarcogyps calvus, is listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Its red head, jet-black body, red folds of skin on its throat and wingspan of over two metres make this vulture a striking creature. Sadly, there are currently less than 10,000 of these vultures in the wid.
The cause for the massive decline in numbers of Red-headed Vultures is the consumption of livestock treated with the veterinary drug diclofenac. The drug causes kidney failure in vultures has been shown to be responsible for the huge declines in populations of vultures of the genus gyps.
Fortunately, the manufacture of diclofenac has been banned in India, Nepal and Pakistan, and its use is being replaced with a drug that is not poisonous to vultures. As it may be a while before diclofenac is completely removed, captive breeding programmes will ensure the survival of this critically endangered vulture.
The Chinese Crested Tern, Sterna bernsteini, is listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This seabird was previously thought to be extinct but was re-discovered in 2000. Exclusively coastal, the Chinese Crested Tern only breeds in China and Taiwan on offshore islets and tidal mudflats.
Tragically, the total population is estimated to be at less than 50 individuals. The future of this species is threatened by egg-collection, human disturbance and the loss of coastal wetland habitats. Other threats include the introduction of predatory species such as rats and water pollution that affect the terns’ food sources.
This Chinese Crested Tern is nationally protected in China and Thailand and nesting habitat is patrolled in the breeding season. This has served as an effective deterrent to egg collectors. Programmes to raise local awareness of this bird and address socio economic factors relating to its conservation are being developed.
The Chinese Giant Salamander, Andrias davidianus, is listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Speciesä. It is the largest of all amphibian species, sometimes growing to more than one meter in length. The Chinese Giant Salamander is widespread in central, southern and southwestern China.
This was once a common species but there has been a drastic population decline of more than 80% over the last three generations largely due to over-harvesting, as it is considered to be a luxury food. Furthermore, the Chinese Giant Salamander habitat has suffered from the construction of dams and local pesticides, fertilizers and pollutants. Although the Chinese Giant Salamander is commercially farmed, the vast majority being traded is believed to originate from the wild.
Fourteen nature reserves have been established for the conservation of the Chinese Giant Salamander, however there are concerns that development around reserves, and tourism plans within the reserve, will disrupt healthy rivers and habitats. Captive rearing of Chinese Giant Salamander has achieved some success, but these projects are mainly to meet the market demand.
The Harlequin Frog, Atelopus varius is listed as a ‘Critically Endangered’ species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Speciesä. It is found in protected areas in Panama and Costa Rica, and can often be seen sitting on rocks or logs around streams or hiding in rock crevices relying on the spray from small fast-flowing streams for moisture. At night it sleeps in crevices or on large leaves in low vegetation near streams. Even within the same population, the colour of this species can greatly vary. Most individuals are black with yellow markings but lime green, orange and red are also fairly common.
In the 1970s, the Harlequin Frog was collected in the thousands as part of the international pet trade. But more recently, the major threat to the Harlequin Frog has been the spread of chytrid fungus. This devastating fungus appears to have been dramatically accelerated by climate change, as the rise in air temperature and precipitation optimizes chytrid vitality. Additionally, the Harlequin Frog is being threatened by newly introduced trout within its range, habitat alteration due to the destruction of natural forests, and the potentially detrimental effects of inbreeding.
Measures are being taken to remove a number of Harlequin Frogs from their threatened habitats to a new location to ensure its future survival. In addition, a captive-breeding program has also been initiated. Whilst recent testing indicates that the remaining populations of Harlequin Frogs are free of chytrid infection, monitoring is carried out twice a year to ensure that future transmission is avoided.
The Biscutella rotgesii is listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This species grows on rocky grassland and serpentine rock in Corsica, managing the high concentrations of heavy metals in the soil and surviving on a limited supply of water.
Only several hundred individuals exist and sadly, these numbers are diminishing rapidly. As the Biscutella rotgesii is not internationally protected by any conventions, it is vulnerable to urbanization in its various forms, particularly the construction of roads and dams. In addition to these direct human pressures, flooding and fires also threaten this species’ existence.
The botanical garden of Porquerolles in France is storing and cultivating seeds. This important work should ideally be implemented by other botanical gardens. In addition, a management plan for the Natura 2000 site "Défilé de l'Inzecca" is being drafted and implemented as a way of raising awareness and saving this species.
The North Atlantic Right Whale, Eubalaena glacialis, is listed as ‘Endangered’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Speciesä. Despite its bulky size, the North Atlantic Right Whale is able to perform acrobatic acts such as jumping out of the water. Unfortunately, this made them an easy target for whalers. Whilst they were once frequently seen, it is currently one of the rarest large whales in the world, having been drastically reduced to critically low numbers of less than 250 mature individuals. Historically, the North Atlantic Right Whale was common on both sides of the Atlantic. Today, this whale appears to be effectively extinct in the eastern North Atlantic.
Whilst the North Atlantic Right Whale is no longer hunted, decades of exploitation have left a tragic legacy. The main threats to the North Atlantic Right Whale are collision with ships and entanglement in commercial fishing gear. Other threats include loss of habitat due to human activity, oil spills, man-made noise (which may interfere with communication), intensive commercial fishing (which effects prey availability), and global climate change. As the North Atlantic Right Whale relies heavily on a very specific combination of water currents and temperature for feeding, changes in ocean temperatures and currents, caused by global climate change could be the ultimate threat that pushes this species over the brink into extinction.
The most immediate conservation need for the North Atlantic Right Whale is the elimination of deaths and injuries from ship collisions and entanglement in fishing gear. Both the US and Canada are doing their utmost to meet these conservation needs. Sadly, there is no indication as to whether the measures are having a sufficient impact on the populations of North Atlantic Right Whales. The extinction of this great whale in the next century is a very real possibility.
Today's profile comes from Adrian McLeod a writer, journalist and friend.
The Bamboo-zling Giant Panda
Pandas are officially* the cutest endangered species. They are a type of bearand like other bears, they have the digestive system of a carnivore. But at some point, pandas decided to become vegetarian. These days, their diet is 99% bamboo.
It takes a lot of bamboo to keep a 150kg carnivore alive. Each week pandas need to eat their own body-weight of the stuff. Try it. It’s not pleasant.
The panda’s bamboo has been disappearing - half of it went in the fifteen years between 1974 and 1989. Humans are tearing down bamboo forests for agriculture, for roads and construction, and for housing.
But the good news is that conservation efforts seem to be working. In 2006, there were 40 panda reserves in China compared with just 13 in 1986. They are still an endangered species but scientists estimate that there may now be as many as 3000 pandas in the wild.
