List of threatened species grows by 1,000, but conservation efforts bring hope for some animals

Over 45,000 species are now threatened with extinction — 1,000 more than last year — according to an international conservation organization that blames pressures from climate change, invasive species and human activity such as illicit trade and infrastructural expansion.The International Union for Conservation of Nature released its latest Red List of Threatened Species on Thursday.Now in its 60th year, the list sounds the alarm about animals and plants at risk of extinction, but it also highlights conservation success stories such as the Iberian lynx.The list now includes 163,040 species, an increase of about 6,000 from last year.

Copiapoa cacti, native to Chile’s Atacama coastal desert, the Bornean elephant and the Gran Canaria giant lizard are among the threatened species, IUCN revealed.Copiapoa cacti have long been coveted as decorative plants, driving an illegal trade that has been amplified by social media where enthusiasts and traders showcase and sell the cacti.A staggering 82% of the species is now at risk of extinction, a significant jump from 55% in 2013, the report said.IUCN said that the decline is due to the surge in demand for the Chilean cacti in Europe and Asia as ornamental species.The smugglers and poachers facilitating the trade, the organization said, have gained increased accessibility to the plants’ habitat due to roads and housing expansion in the Atacama area.“It is easy to distinguish if copiapoa cacti have been poached or grown in a greenhouse,” said Pablo Guerrero, a member of the IUCN’s group on the plants.

“Poached copiapoa have a grey tone and are coated in a dusty-looking bloom that protects the plants in one of the driest deserts on Earth, whereas cultivated plants appear greener.”The 2024 update also highlights the Asian elephant in Borneo as an endangered species.It is estimated that only about 1,000 Bornean elephants remain in the wild, according to IUCN analysis.The population has decreased over the pa...