WWF Scotland has identified the planet’s 10 most vulnerable species, claiming that climate change, poaching, and deforestation are leaving animals at greater risk then ever.
The charity states that if the world’s climate remains “broken” then work that has brought many species back from the brink will begin to unravel.
Dr Richard Dixon, director of WWF Scotland, said: “We have a window of opportunity in which to step up and pull back some of the world’s most splendid animals from the brink of extinction.
“We urge everyone who wants to live in a world with tigers, polar bears and pandas to make it their New Year’s resolution to help save these amazing and threatened species before it’s too late.”
After world leaders failed to secure a legally binding agreement to tackle global warming in Copenhagen, the WWF said that Scotland’s pledge to cut emissions by 42% by 2020 was now a vital component of global efforts.
Dr Dixon said: “If our global governments continue to fail us, we must act locally.”
The message from the WWF is that, although Scotland has the “world’s leading climate bill”, it still has a duty to ensure that targets are met. It also described the Government’s green light to the new Aberdeen bypass as an example of the Government still carrying out policies on a day-to-day basis that increased the country’s carbon emissions.
The “10 to watch in 2010” list includes the polar bear, which has become a symbol of the destructive power of climate change as the earth’s ice caps have begun to melt. Many polar bear populations could be vulnerable to extinction within the next century if warming trends in the Arctic continue at the current pace.
Another species under threat is the Pacific walrus. It uses icebergs to rest and protect itself from predators as well as give birth and nurse its calves.
Last September, after many icebergs had melted, up to 200 dead walruses were spotted on the shore of the Chukchi Sea on Alaska’s north-west coast.
The Magellanic penguin and the leatherback turtle are also suffering from rising temperatures. Penguins have been forced to swim for miles to find food as fish are displaced by warming ocean currents.
There is now a shortage of male leatherback turtles because rising nest temperatures have resulted in the birth of increasing numbers of females.
Another animal on the list is the giant panda, which has been an international symbol of conservation since WWF’s founding in 1961. The 1600 remaining wild pandas face an uncertain future, with their forest habitat in China becoming fragmented, creating a number of small and isolated populations.
Poaching is also threatening the extermination of species. New studies indicate that there may be as few as 3200 tigers left in the wild, while scientists consider mountain gorillas to be critically endangered, with just 720 left outside captivity.
Next year has been declared the International Year of Biodiversity by the United Nations, with countries invited to take action across the 12 months to safeguard the variety of life on earth. Six events will be held in Edinburgh in January and February, aimed at ensuring the public are aware of the threats to biodiversity and what can be done to mitigate their effects.
The planet’s most endangered species
Tiger
WWF estimates just 3200 remain in the wild. Deforestation and poaching for body parts and skins are responsible.
Polar bear
Could be extinct within the next century if warming trends in Arctic continue. Land-based conflict with humans on the rise as bears become stranded due to lack of ice.
Pacific walrus
Arctic ice melt is causing severe habitat loss. They are on verge of being added to the Endangered Species Act in the US.
Magellan penguin
Last year hundreds were washed up on beaches around Rio de Janeiro because of fish being displaced by warming ocean currents.
Leatherback turtle
Facing extinction due to large numbers being killed accidentally by fishing fleets and high nest temperatures causing a surplus of female offspring.
Bluefin tuna
In high demand as sold as the highest grade of sushi. The WWF is campaigning for a temporary ban on trade in bluefin to allow numbers to recover.
Mountain gorilla
About 720 are still surviving in the wild. War and poaching have resulted in a severe depletion of sustainable habitats across Africa.
Monarch butterfly
Millions are under threat in Mexico, where the species spend winter. Extreme weather conditions and increased predators could lead to their extinction.
Javan rhinoceros
One of the most endangered animals in the world, with fewer than 60 left alive. Poachers kill to sell as a highly prized commodity in Asian medicine.
Giant panda
Just 1600 wild pandas remain and their habitat in south-west China is becoming increasingly fragmented as the country’s infrastructure develops.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article