Many European Mammals at Risk of Extinction

Many European Mammals at Risk of Extinction



 
May 2007 - Nearly one in every six species of 
European mammals is now threatened with extinction, finds the first 
assessment of all European mammals, requested by the European Commission 
and carried out by the World Conservation Union, IUCN. The findings were 
released today to mark International Biodiversity Day. 
The IUCN assessment shows that 27 percent of all European mammals have 
declining populations, and trends for a further 33 percent are unknown. 
Only eight percent of mammal species were identified as increasing. 
IUCN Director-General Julia Marton-Lefèvre said, "This new assessment 
proves that many European mammals are declining at an alarming rate. 
However, we still have the power to reverse that trend, as the case of the 
European bison, which was brought back from extinction, clearly shows." 

A family of European bison thrives in a Polish forest. 
The European bison was nearly extinct during the early 20th century when 
the last individuals were saved in zoos. As a result of reintroductions 
and introductions, there are now some 1,800 bison occurring in 
free-ranging and semi-free herds in Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, Russian 
Federation, Ukraine, and Slovakia. 
Europe is rich in mammal diversity on land, including elk and lynx, bear, 
wolf and wild boar, red deer and roe deer, beaver and otter, mink, fox, 
ermine and wild horse. There are hedgehogs, porcupines, hares, lemmings, 
weasels, bats, moles and shrews, squirrels, mice, mongoose, and raccoons. 
But while some 15 percent, or almost one sixth, of mammals are threatened 
in Europe, the situation of marine mammals is even grimmer - 22 percent 
are classified as Threatened with extinction. 
The true number is likely to be even higher, as almost 44 percent of 
marine mammals were classified as Data Deficient due to missing 
information. 
European marine mammals include six species of seals, walrus, and many 
whale species including, sperm, fin, humpback, minke, blue and sei whales. 
There are narwhals and 10 species of dolphins, in addition to the common 
porpoise. 
"Although Europe is one of the best studied regions of the world, little 
of this knowledge has been brought together and until now, we have had no 
overall view of the conservation status of mammals across the continent," 
said Helen Temple of IUCN's Red List Unit, who led the assessment. 
To fill that gap, the European Union commissioned the IUCN to assess all 
mammals of continental Europe against the IUCN Red List criteria in order 
to identify Europe's most threatened mammals and help set conservation 
priorities. 
The assessment shows that Europe's mountains and the Balkan Peninsula are 
home to the greatest diversity of species. This wealth of biodiversity 
forms an arc which extends from the Pyrenees through the Alps towards the 
Carpathians and Rhodopes in southeastern Europe. The greatest 
concentration of threatened species was found in Bulgaria. 
Within the European Union, six species have been classified as Critically 
Endangered. This category includes the Arctic fox and the European mink, 
which both have very small and declining populations. 

Three Iberian lynx kittens being raised in captivity in Spain's Donana 
National Park. 
Only 150 Iberian lynx survive in the wild today and the Iberian lynx is 
considered the world's most endangered cat species. 
The Mediterranean monk seal population has decreased to between 350 to 450 
individuals, and this species is considered the world's most endangered 
seal. 
The main threats to European mammals are habitat degradation and loss such 
as deforestation or wetland drainage, followed by pollution and 
over-harvesting. 
For marine species, pollution and accidental mortality from fisheries 
by-catch or ship collisions are the main risks. These threats are most 
severe in the enclosed seas - the Baltic, Mediterranean and Black Sea. 
European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said, "The results of the 
report highlight the challenge we currently face to halt the loss of 
biodiversity by 2010, as European governments have promised." 
There is another conservation success story, the IUCN found. The Alpine 
Ibex, endemic to Europe, was brought close to extinction in the 19th 
century by intensive hunting and was found only in the Gran Paradiso 
National Park in Italy. 
This species is now classified as least concern due to extensive 
conservation efforts and re-introductions. 

A Mediterranean monk seal in the waters of the Greek island of Zakynthos. 

"It is clear that the full implementation of the Habitats Directive, which 
covers nearly all mammals found threatened in this assessment, is of 
utmost importance to protect Europe's species," Commissioner Dimas said. 
To reverse the decline of Europe's mammals, the study recommends urgent 
implementation of the EU's nature conservation policies, to develop 
species action plans and integrate nature conservation into the EU's land 
use policies. 
"Today is World Biodiversity Day," said Marton-Lefevre, "a unique chance 
to celebrate the diversity of life on Earth and to remember humans' 
fragile place within this complex web." 
"As we celebrate this day we have to remember that our actions have 
brought many species to the brink of extinction," she said, "however we 
must also know that we have the power and opportunity to reverse this 
situation."    

       
      

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