Despite its reputation as the king of the jungle, the once mighty lion could now be facing the fight of its life as a well-known conservation group has declared it one of 23,000 species at risk of dying out.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has released on Tuesday its updated "Red List" of plant and animal species that are threatened with extinction around the world.
The group, which is known for its efforts in saving endangered creatures such as the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus), warned that the clear advances in conservation efforts are eclipsed by the decline in numbers of a multitude of species.
Inger Andersen, chief of IUCN, pointed out that the natural world is increasingly becoming vulnerable. She has urged people to increase efforts in protecting species that are on the brink of extinction.
Andersen said that effective means of conservation can produce positive results, citing the success of increasing the population of animals such as the Guadalupe fur seal (Arctocephalus townsendi) and the Iberian lynx that were considered critically endangered species.
Despite its dwindling numbers for the past 60 years, the Iberian lynx has seen a considerable increase in its population, from 52 adult cats in 2002 to 156 cats ten years later, according to the IUCN.
The conservation group also said the Guadalupe fur seal, which was thought to be extinct in two separate occasions because of overhunting in the 1800s and 1900s, has increased in numbers as well. It is now categorized as "least concern" from being "near threatened."
"It is encouraging to see several species improve in status due to conservation action," IUCN Global Species Program Director Jane Smart said. "However, this update shows that we are still seeing devastating losses in species populations."
"The IUCN Red List is the voice of biodiversity telling us where we need to focus our attention most urgently—this voice is clearly telling us that we must act now to develop stronger policy and on-the-ground conservation programs to protect species and halt their declines."
At an international level, the lion (Panthera leo) is still listed as a vulnerable species, but its western African counterpart has now been listed as critically endangered because the dwindling numbers of its prey and over-hunting.
The population of lions in East Africa has also seen a significant decline mostly due to conflicts between humans and lions and the rapid decline of its prey. The region has long been considered as a stronghold for lions historically.
Conservation efforts are ongoing to save the lions of Africa.
Other species facing imminent threat include the rare African Golden Cat (Caracal aurata), which has now been moved from being near threatened to vulnerable because a decline in its population, and the New Zealand Sea Lion (Phocarctos hookeri), which has been categorized as endangered from being vulnerable.
Photo: Dimitry B. | Flickr
