IUCN Red List should be endangered species wake up call
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature has released this year’s lengthier-than-ever Red List of threatened species, and the disturbing conclusion is that 17,291 species — a third of those surveyed — are in serious risk of becoming extinct. Shockingly, this includes 21% of mammals, 30% of amphibians, 70% of plants and 35% of invertebrates. Holy expletive!
Homeless seal (courtesy of a WWF ad campaign)
There’s little dispute our planet is on the brink of entering a catastrophic extinction crisis. Although we have already slaughtered a great many species to the point of no return, and have driven others to extinction by destroying their habitats, the havoc already wrought upon vulnerable populations pales in comparison to what is to come if we continue down this perilous path, especially with the added threat of global warming.
Homeless polar bear (courtesy of a WWF ad campaign)
The polar bear continues to be listed as vulnerable on the 2009 Red List, which is only one step down from endangered. Yet, a classic example of the global governmental inaction that is causing the species extinction crisis is that Liberal and Conservative governments have failed to adequately protect the iconic polar bear under the umbrella of Canada’s endangered species legislation, the Species at Risk Act.
It continually astounds me that, when faced with crises such as mass extinctions, climate change, and the end of cheap energy, governments are able to plead economic interests, obfuscate or otherwise pay lip service to the issues without truly acting. I guess I should stop being surprised by this, but sometimes it’s hard to understand how they can get away with it.
We need to get angry, and we need governments to know we are not going to it back and let extinctions, global warming, social inequality and other issues simply happen to us without a fight. And we need to do it fast, as our window for action inches shut each year, month, week and day that we delay. As the IUCN says, “it’s time for governments to start getting serious about saving species as we’re rapidly running out of time.”
