Largest Animal Species Face Imminent Extinction
Gorilla, Black Rhino, Bengal Tiger, African Wild Donkey, Visayan Warty Pig, and Javanese Wild Cow Credit: Julio Yeste, Four Oaks, Dave M. Hunt, Mikhail Blajenov, KMW Photography, and Kajornyot.
ScienceDaily.com reports that 40 conservation scientists say that only a global strategy will prevent the extinction of the world’s largest mammal species.
The study, “Saving the World’s Terrestrial Megafauna” is published in the journal, Bioscience.
[Video: 10 Animals That May Go Extinct In The Next 10 Years]
Animals in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, which host the greatest diversity of the largest mammals are the most threatened. Many are the world’s most beloved, and iconic, animals including gorillas, rhinos, and big cats
The report states that “59 percent of the world’s largest carnivores (more than or equal to 33 pounds) and 60 percent of the world’s largest herbivores (more than or equal to 220 pounds) are classified as threatened with extinction on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
Journal Reference:
- William J. Ripple et al. Saving the World’s Terrestrial Megafauna. BioScience, 2016 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biw092
