for 1994The Top Ten
Tiger (Panthera Tigris): Fewer than 6,000 of these magnificent cats are likely to remain in the wild. All tigers are native to Asia and live in temperate regions, such as Siberia, and tropical regions, such as Southeast Asia. Tigers face a variety of threats--from habitat loss to poaching. Recently, poaching for their bones and other body parts for use in Oriental medicines has accelerated and has become the most urgent threat to the species survival. An estimated two-thirds of the world's remaining wild tigers live in India.
Black Rhino (Diceros bicornis): In Africa, black rhino populations have dropped to fewer than 2,000--more than a 95 percent decline since 1970. Rhinos are killed primarily for their valuable horns, which are ground into powder for use as a fever-reducing agent in traditional oriental medicines and carved into dagger handles in the Middle East.
Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca): Numbering fewer than 1,000 in the wild in China, giant pandas may face extinction before the end of the century if drastic conservation measures are not taken, including habitat protection and the establishment of new reserves, stringent trade controls and anti-poaching measures.
Asiatic Black Bear (Ursus thibetanus): Illegal trade of Asiatic black bear gallbladders imperils this protected large mammal. Six of the world's eight bear species are declining as a combined result of habitat loss and poaching for trade. Gallbladders are used in Oriental medicines to fight fevers and reduce inflammations.
Himalayan Yew (Taxus wallichiana): This slow growing conifer occurs throughout sections of Bhutan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Burma, and possibly China. Taxol, the same promising anti-cancer agent, found in the Pacific yew, is in the Himalayan variety. The Himalayan yew is considered rare due to general deforestation and heavy collection for taxol extraction. Roughly 10 kg of yew leaves, bark and needles are needed to produce one gram of taxol. Trade controls are needed to ensure that supplies remain sustainable.
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus): The bluefin tuna, one of the largest fish in the Atlantic, can swim up to 55 miles per hour and migrate thousands of miles in a year. Overfishing to supply international luxury markets has caused the Western Atlantic population of this species to decline 80 percent over the last 20 years.
Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata): Hawksbill, named for its distinctive beak, is the principal source of "tortoise shell" souvenirs and trinkets, although the trade of hawksbill shell is officially banned by most countries. These three foot long turtles are found primarily around tropical reefs. Their slow reproductive rates make them particularly vulnerable to overexploitation and illegal trade. The vast tourist market for tortoise shell is a major threat to the species survival.
Saigo Antelope (Saiga tatarica): Found in Mongolia and Russia, this nomadic antelope's striking feature is its large snout. Saiga horn has been used in Chinese traditional medicines for centuries. The horn is used often in medicines in combination with other horn, particularly rhino horn. In the last few years, as rhino populations have declined, hunting of saiga antelope has accelerated, with whole herds being wiped out for the trade of their horn.
Egyptian Tortoise (Testudo kelinmanni): This small, desert-living tortoise is found in Egypt, Israel and Libya. Highly prized by collectors and sold in the local markets as pets, the Egyptian tortoise is yellow to greenish yellow and only five inches long. The Egyptian tortoise is also used as an ingredient in local fertility medicines.
Red and Blue Lory (Eos histrio): Experts believe less than 3,000 of these brightly-colored parrots exist in a small range of a few of Indonesian islands. A sudden explosion in the international pet and collector trade in the last two to three years has wiped out an estimated one-third of the population--with traders taking as many as 700 birds from the wild on one small island chain.
The Runners-Up
Golden-capped Fruit Bat (Acerdon jubatus): Fruit bats play an important role in the pollination and seed dispersal of many plant species in tropical areas of the world. Hunting for human consumption in the Pacific region, as well as forest destruction, threatens many species. The golden-capped fruit bat, endemic to the Philippines, is rapidly declining because of habitat destruction and overhunting for trade.
American Box Turtle (Terrapene spp): While widely distributed from Canada to Mexico, these familiar American species are becoming increasingly rare. Commercialization is restricted in many states, but this has not slowed down trade, partly because of inconsistent or lack of enforcement of existing regulations. Booming demand for the pet trade has led to a call for international trade controls.
Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens): Little is known about this solitary species, which lives in certain parts of the Himalayas in Asia. Like the giant panda, the red panda faces problems with human encroachment into its habitat. Increasingly, field experts report the sale of live animals to zoos and a significant escalation in pelts for sale in local markets. Collectors pay as much as 10,000 yuan (the price of a small car in China) for a live specimen.
African Grey Parrot (Psittacus erithacus): As recent as the late 1980s, this parrot was considered common throughout its range. Now, however, due to increased collection for the pet trade, this species is threatened in many areas of central and west Africa. The African Grey is one of the most popular parrots in the bird trade, valued particularly for its ability to mimic human speech.
American or Big-Leaf Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla): This New World species is perhaps the most valuable timber in Latin America. It is subject to intensive logging for use in high-end cabinets, chairs, panelling and pianos. Although widely distributed, the species rejuvenates slowly. CITES regulations could benefit conservation of American mahogany by requiring international monitoring of the trade.
Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius): Although still widely distributed in most of sub-Saharan Africa, hippo populations are in continuous decline. Currently the total population is estimated at 160,000. The species is vulnerable to heavy hunting pressures. Experts believe that the increase in international trade is a result of the growing use of hippo ivory ( in the form of its teeth) as a substitute for elephant ivory. There has been a notable increase in hippo teeth trade since African elephant ivory was banned from international commerce in 1989.
if you know where a more resent list is please let me know.
return to main page
click here
Get your own Free Home Page