Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
1.0
0.8
CR
EN
VU
NT
LC
0.6
0.4
DD
0.2
0.0
Fig. 14.2 Vertebrate species by IUCN red list categories [
38
]
terrestrial mammals is found in the tropical rainforests of Brazil and Indonesia and
for aquatic mammals, the continental coastlines are the areas of the highest species
richness; 21-36% of mammal species are currently threatened with extinction and
the highest proportion of threatened species are found in the Monotremes (egg-
laying mammals) and Perissodactyla (odd-toed ungulates). Countries with high
numbers of threatened terrestrial mammal species include Mexico, Indonesia,
Brazil, Papua New Guinea, and Vietnam. For marine mammals, the highest species
richness of threatened species is found around the coastal regions of Asia, Japan,
North Atlantic, and North Pacific [
38
,
42
].
The LPI shows an overall reduction of 25% for terrestrial mammals. Marine
mammals are omitted in the analysis due to sparse data; however, cetaceans have
experienced a well-documented decline [
47
]. Mammal species are threatened
from deforestation and coastal development, especially logging, wood harvesting,
and smallholder farming. Overexploitation, particularly in the form of hunting for
sport, subsistence, or use in traditional medicines, is also a threat to numerous
species [
38
,
42
].
Birds
Birds are found on all seven continents, with many migrating thousands of
kilometers every year between breeding and wintering grounds. Habitats with
high number of bird species include forests, shrubland, grassland, savanna, and
inland wetlands [
44
,
48
]. The Neotropics - specifically Colombia, Peru, Brazil and
Ecuador - hold the highest numbers of bird species, followed by the Afrotropical,
Indomalayan, and Australasian realms. Between 12% and 13% of bird species are
