Did you know? 2010 - the year of biodiversity
2010 – THE YEAR OF BIODIVERSITY
The Red List of the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) lists 17,000 lifeforms in the world that are in danger of extinction. In the animal kingdom this is 21% mammals, 12% birds, 31% reptiles, 30% amphibians and 37% fish. In the plant kingdom 74% of plants are endangered. According to the Red List, there are 23% amphibians, 19% of reptiles, 15% of mammals and 13% of birds that are endangered in Europe.
News about the state of the nature and landscape of the Czech Republic is as follows:
Already some species of orchids and weeds have become extinct. From an original list of 267 species of plant that were endangered in 1979, the number had increased to 476 in the year 2000. Nineteen species of our butterflies have become extinct and more than half of the remaining species of butterfly are endangered (88 types).
More than half of the species of repiles and amphibians in the Czech Republic are in danger of extinction. Around 200 species of bird nest in the Czech Republic and further bird species either migrate through the country or nest here during the winter. In Europe 37 bird species are endangered and in the Czech Republic 52% of bird species are endangered.
The fall in the populations of some species is dramatic – Grey Partridge 82%, Lapwing 91% - and some species have virtually disappeared (longbilled Curlew, Roller). This trend can also be seen in species that used to be common (Skylark). Birds found in agricultural landscapes and animals dependant on marshlands are amongst those that are disappearing the most rapidly. The best way to protect the richness of nature in its most natural form is to create national parks. Here it is possible to admire the natural changes of the ecostystem and where most endangered species can be found.
Source: News conference – MŽP – www.bio-info.cz
