In the past, most extinctions were due to natural causes. In fact, extinction is a naturally occurring phenomenon that occurs at a rate of roughly one to five species each year; however, scientists currently believe that habitats across the globe are now losing dozens of species each day. Generally, species under threat but at a lower risk of extinction are said to be ?threatened,? while those in more immediate jeopardy throughout a significant portion of their range are termed ?endangered.?
The leading causes of extinction are now thought to stem from human activity, with nearly all threatened species also at risk. The biggest threats include habitat loss and degradation, the introduction of non-native species, over-exploitation, and pollution and disease. Climate change is also increasingly being considered as a threat because changes in temperature and rainfall patterns have been observed to alter the native range, food sources, reproduction rates, and predator-prey relationships among flora and fauna. According to the World Conservation Union (IUCN), most species at risk for extinction occur in tropical areas, especially on mountains and islands, in countries that include Australia, Brazil, China, Indonesia and Mexico.
The IUCN maintains a “Red List” of species around the world where they are categorized by risk of extinction ranging from ?Least Concern? to ?Extinct.? As of 2007, more than 40,000 species appeared on the list, with 16,306 at risk for extinction. Within the United States, information about at-risk species is kept by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and, as of May 2007, the number of threatened and endangered invertebrates, plants, and animals in the U.S. stood at 1,351. Neither is intended to be a definitive accounting of all at-risk species since the lists often reflect those species of greatest interest to humans. As such, invertebrates tend to be vastly under-represented and neither list currently accounts for microorganisms.
The potential loss of majestic species, such as the Sumatran tiger or the Asian panda, is often highlighted in order to raise awareness of human threats to endangered species; but ecologists argue that the loss of less-heralded plants and organisms could be more concerning since the ecosystem services that they provide is—in many cases—not well understood. As eminent biologist Sir Robert May has said, although there are many organizations for the protection of bird or animal species, there is ?no corresponding society to express sympathy for nematodes.?
Addressing Extinction
There are a number of measures in place at local, regional, national, and international levels which aim to reduce the risk of species extinction. The measures most commonly address habitat loss due to human encroachment and over-exploitation through hunting, fishing, and trade. Internationally, the U.S. is a party to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), a treaty restricting international trade in species known to be threatened with extinction. The primary goal of the treaty is to promote cooperation among governments in order to reduce international wildlife trade, which is estimated to be worth billions of dollars and include millions of plant and animal specimens ranging from live animals and plants to a wide array of products derived from them.
The U.S. Congress passed the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1973 authorizing federal agencies to undertake conservation programs to protect species, purchase land to protect habitats, and to establish recovery plans in order to ensure species’ survival. The Act was later amended in 1982, permitting private landowners and government agencies to negotiate Habitat Conservation Plans (HCP) to permit development while protecting species. Although the actual number of HCPs is relatively low, questions over their effectiveness lingers. In 2007, a new market-based partnership agreement was signed to promote “habitat credits.” The approach would offer incentives to landowners who preserve and enhance the habitat of endangered or at-risk species and allows landowners to sell credits to those needing to compensate for their own environmental impacts.
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