The latest update of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of Threatened Species has revealed a devastating decline for the giraffe, driven by habitat loss, civil unrest and illegal hunting. The global giraffe population has plummeted by up to 40% over the last 30 years, and the species has moved from being listed as ‘Least Concern’ to ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List. A resolution adopted at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in September this year called for action to reverse the decline of the giraffe.
Over 700 newly recognised bird species have also been assessed, with 11% of them threatened with extinction.
The update was released in December at the 13th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP13) in Cancun, Mexico. The IUCN Red List now includes 85,604 species of which 24,307 are threatened with extinction.
For further information visit www.iucnredlist.org/current-news
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