World Conservation Issues - Page 28

Traditional methods of deterring and punishing the professional poachers are clearly not working, so conservationists are now trying to fight them on a new front – economics.

Orange-fronted parakeets are small, brightly coloured forest-dwelling birds. They are classified as critically endangered by the IUCN, and as nationally critical in New Zealand which means, according to the Department of Conservation, that “the next stop is extinction.”

The amount of land that is protected as national parks is 25%, and although comprising of only 0.03% of the earth’s surface, the landmass of Costa Rica contains 5% of the world’s biodiversity.

As the wealth of nations such as China and Taiwan has increased, so has the demand for shark fins, resulting in a rise in the number of threatened species of sharks from 15 in 1996 to more than 180 in 2010.

Today, the total population of Florida panthers is estimated to be between 100 and 160 animals. Sadly, this increase in numbers has resulted in more panthers becoming involved in vehicle collisions on Florida’s roads.

PCBs are chemically inert compounds thus they are difficult to oxidize and reduce; they have a high dielectric constant, have a high thermal stability, and are virtually insoluble in water.

The golden langur is endemic to the Indo-Bhutan region, in a small area of western Assam in India and the foothills of the Black Mountains of neighbouring Bhutan.

The reason why bamboo will be so seriously affected by climate change is the plant’s unusual reproductive cycle.

For animals that migrate over vast distances, new roads can dissect their traditional routes, and bring about many deaths to those attempting to cross.