A quarter of mammals face extinction

摘要

One in four of the world's mammal species is threatened with extinction, according to the first comprehensive survey of this class of animal. Populations are declining in half of all mammal species, with some experiencing an extreme decline; Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) numbers plummeted by 60% over the past decade, for example. The survey placed 188 species in the most severe, 'critically endangered' category; including the Iberian lynx (Lynxpardinus), which has a wild population estimated at 84-143 adults. Precise data were unavailable for some species, but the researchers estimate that the proportion of mammal species threatened with extinction is between 21% and 36%.