This Interactive Map Documents Animal Extinction Risks Worldwide

How do you understand the extent of damage done to biodiversity easily? One way is to look at the number of species extinct or endangered over the years primarily due to human actions.

A new Animal Endangerment Map has used data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and WWF to show which countries around the world have the greatest number of threatened species in an easy way.

Additionally, the visual map compares data from now and ten years ago to highlight how some nations have worked to conserve while in some the number of endangered or threatened or extinct species has only increased.

You can explore the entire Animal Endangerment Map here. Each nation’s name can be tapped to understand the statistics better and also compare the number of animals endangered today and ten years ago.

Some 2,346 animal species are known to be endangered because of human actions with a staggering 318 animal extinctions to date, new research shows. The United States has the most reported incidences of animal extinctions with 237 recorded cases prior to 2018. It is followed by French Polynesia with 59 extinctions, Mauritius with 44 and Australia with 40.

Research has revealed that the most imminent threats to extinction are human actions including – agriculture, fishing, and harvesting of aquatic resources, overuse of biological resources and pollution leading to climate change.

The data shows that 37 species to date might have become extinct because of climate change and pollution alone.

Sadly, of all the nations in the world, there are only four that have seen a decline (of 3 percent or more) in animal endangerment and extinction over the past decade. These are Uganda, South Georgia, and the Sandwich Islands, the Falkland Islands and Holy See.

More than 28,000 species are currently threatened with extinction worldwide and these represent more than a quarter (27 percent) of all species assessed. 

Countries with the highest number of endangered species in 2018 are:
  
Country                2008 Species             2018 Species

United States         1,181                         1,283
Australia                  773                           932
Indonesia                702                            861
Mexico                     664                            791
Madagascar            365                            758

India’s Endangerment map over a decade

In India, till 2008, 414 species were marked endangered. By 2018 this number has increased to 675 showing a 63% rise in the number of species inching towards extinction.

This includes,

Critically Endangered – 77 species

Endangered – 207 species

Vulnerable – 391 species

The species vise breakdown is,

Mammals – 94

Birds – 89

Reptiles – 54

Amphibians – 75

Fishes – 228

Molluscs – 7

Other Invertebrates – 128

The map is a representation of how we are shaping the world for the millions of species that live here. It also shows easily, which country needs to take the most action to save its wildlife from extinction.

Your contribution (of as little as Rs.50/-) can help us in bringing to you more stories about lesser-known species of India. Do support our work by clicking HERE

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Atula Gupta is the Founder and Editor of indiasendangered.com. Her work has appeared in a number of international websites, dailies and magazines including The Wire, Deccan Herald, New Indian Express, Down to Earth and Heritage India on issues related to environment and its conservation. She is also the author of Environment Science Essentials, a set of books for school children. She hopes this website provides a platform for people to be aware about species in the verge of extinction and heighten their conservation efforts.
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2 thoughts on “This Interactive Map Documents Animal Extinction Risks Worldwide

  1. The graphics are very telling. Gives you information instantly particularly the statistics. That’s what readers may want to know when you are talking about species decline.

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