Facing Extinction: Urgent Threats to Biodiversity

Sindy Paganikov, IV. B

Considered to be at risk of extinction There are so few left of their kind that they could disappear from the planet altogether Threatened by this factors: Loss of habitat Hunting Disease Climate change Declining population or a very limited range Many species going extinct before they have even been discovered Third of the world s amphibians, a quarter of all mammals and one in eight birds are endangered

Cause for concern for us all They add beauty and wonder to the natural world Great global economic importance A great diversity of species maintains the ecosystems necessary to our existence by helping to regulate our climate and by providing: clean air and water food medicines building and clothing materials fertile soils The ARKive project through the emotive power of wildlife films and photos is working to help raise the public awareness of the world's endangered species

Indicates how great the risk is of that species becoming extinct in the near future IUCN Red List of Threatened Species = the most global and comprehensive system Determines the conservation status of each species - assessed according to: How many individuals there are Whether this number is in decline

They are then placed on a scale in one of the following categories: Extinct Extinct in the Wild Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable Near Threatened Least Concern Data Deficient Vulnerable, Endangered and Critically Endangered are considered to be at risk of extinction 20 222 from nearly 60 000 species assessed so far

Animals and plants face a large number of different threats - many of them are a direct result of human activity Loss of habitat and habitat fragmentation Hunting and poaching Invasive species Climate change Disease Collection / pet trade Pollution

Conservation Protect the natural world and sustain biodiversity Carefully preserving and managing existing habitats Restoring areas which have been damaged or degraded Conservation outside a species natural habitat Caring for an endangered animal in captivity (e. g. zoo) Preserving endangered plants - seed banks Habitat preservation Creation of national parks and marine protected areas Habitat restoration Managing the land, removing invasive species and reintroducing native species Ex Many endangered species are bred in captivity to preserve their numbers sometimes it is possible to reintroduce them to the wild Plant species - cultivated in nurseries and preserved in seed banks Habitat preservation Habitat restoration Ex- -situ conservation situ conservation

Anti Guards to protect endangered species from poachers Wildlife corridors Where habitats have been fragmented by separations (roads, urban areas, farmland etc.), populations become isolated Wildlife corridors help to reconnect habitat fragments and maintain genetic diversity Laws and policies Some endangered species are protected by law or trade in them is restricted CITES (The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) = international agreement between governments trade in wild animal and plant specimens does not threaten their survival Anti- -poaching measures poaching measures Wildlife corridors Laws and policies

Basic Body H Height at withers: Speed: km/h Age Intelligence Extremely well developed sense of smell Food eggs, caribou (polar reindeer), whales, walruses, narwhals Basic informations Body length eight at withers: 1,5m Speed: Walking = 3 6,5 km/h; Sprinting = 40 informations length: : 2,5 m Age: : 20 25 years (record 34years) Intelligence: : as smart as apes Food: : Ringed seal, vegetation, geese, bird

Extension Arctic Circle Canada (home to 60% of the polar bears) The U.S. (Alaska) Greenland Russia Norway (the Svalbard archipelago) About 20,000 to 25,000 polar bears 19 populations of polar bears (4 are declining, 5 are stable, 1 is increasing, 9 have insufficient data) Extension

Why are they endangered? The U.S listed them as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (May 2008) Climate changes - Sea ice losses in the Arctic from global warming loss of habitat They depend on sea ice for hunting, breeding, and in some cases, denning Inuit communities hunting for meat and fur (warm cloths) - carefully regulated by a quota system Unregulated hunting ended in 1973 with an international agreement among the polar bear nations Why are they endangered?

Why are they endangered? Pollution Black soot (settle on arctic snow and ice) Chemicals discharge from ships and factories in ocean Modern synthetic chemicals (polychlorinated biphenyl) - weak immune system greater threat from parasites and disease; reproduction failure and malformed organs Why are they endangered?

Endangered species fact file [online]. [cit. 2015-11-02]. Dostupn z: http://www.arkive.org/endangered-species/ Polar Bear Facts & Information [online]. [cit. 2015-11-02]. Dostupn z: http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/abou t-polar-bears/essentials