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Rural Bulletin November 2008 – publication of Rural Women New Zealand

An international survey indicates that a quarter of the world's mammals are threatened with extinction, and that destruction of habitats and hunting are the major causes. The report, the most comprehensive to date by 1,700 International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) researchers, showed populations of half of all 5,487 species of mammals were in decline. Mammals range in size from blue whales to Thailand's insect-sized bumblebee bat. Of the 2008 total, 188 were listed as "critically endangered," the worst category before extinction.

But the report was not all gloom. Five percent of species are recovering because of conservation efforts, including the European bison and the black-footed ferret, found in North America. The African elephant was also moved down one notch of risk, to "near threatened" from "vulnerable," because of rising populations in southern and eastern Africa, and a total of 349 species have been found since 1992, such as the elephant shrew in Tanzania.

NZ marine mammals that are currently threatened with extinction include the blue whale, fin whale, sperm whale and NZ sea lion. Also included on the list are the Endangered Hector’s dolphin and the Critically Endangered Maui’s dolphin, which is a North Island subspecies of the Hector’s dolphin. The Maui’s dolphin is internationally recognised as the world’s rarest marine dolphin.

More information is at

Waihi District Walkways Inc. PO Box 241 Waihi New Zealand

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