Endangered species on the rise

A DECLINE of 95% in hippo populations in the DRC has been reported by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) in its 2006 Red List of Threatened Species, placing the species on the ‘vulnerable’ list. The plummeting number has been attributed to unregulated hunting for meat and the ivory of their teeth. In addition, IUCN’s research has shown that 16 119 of the 40 177 species assessed are now threatened with extinction, an increase on numbers published in 2004. Another African species included in the 2006 Red List is the lake trout or Mpasa from Lake Malawi. The freshwater fish has suffered a 50% decline in the past ten years, placing it on the endangered list. Yolan Friedmann, conservation manager and deputy director of the Endangered Wildlife Trust, says it is important to keep in mind that the IUCN’s Red List is a global assessment. “If the hippo is endangered in the DRC, it will affect the global population, but does not mean the species is endangered in other countries, such as South Africa,” says Friedmann. The publication of endangered species lists can have both a positive and negative effect on tourism. Friedmann says the more threatened a species of bird is, the more exciting the sighting is and therefore the destination becomes more popular. Conversely, the more popular a destination becomes with tourists, the more likely it is that infrastructure will have a negative impact on the natural habitat of endangered species. Sue Lewitton (suel@nowmedia.co.za)