It’s tough to argue with the fact that humankind is having a dramatic – and terrible – impact on the animal kingdom. Industry, pollution, agriculture, deforestation, air travel and decreasing habitats are conspiring to make it very hard for thousands of species to survive, let alone flourish. And that truth stretches to every corner of the world, be it forest, mountain, reef, ocean, city or savannah.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List has been the world’s foremost information source on the global conservation status of animal, fungi and plant species since 1964. It currently lists an astounding 27,000 species as at risk of extinction, which is an even more astounding 27% of all species we currently know about. That means more than a quarter of all species are threatened with going the way of the dodo.
Broken down by species, the IUCN details 40% of all amphibians are at risk, followed by 34% of conifers, 33% of reef corals, 31% of sharks and rays, 27% of crustaceans, 25% of mammals and 14% of birds.
A critical indicator of the health of the world’s biodiversity – and so the health of the world as a whole – this data has been broken down by Alpha Travel Insurance to establish the countries with the highest number of endangered species, as well as those with the most amphibians, birds, fish, mammals and reptiles at risk of extinction.
I’ll warn you now, it makes for depressing reading. But if you’re a wildlife lover interested in conservation and preservation by actively helping stem the tide, or merely wish to tick off a bucket list animal before it becomes too protected or too rare, this ranking of the top ten endangered species countries might help you decide where to visit next.
Taking the top spot no one wants is Mexico with 665 endangered species. Broken down, that includes 71 bird species, 96 mammals, 98 reptiles, 181 fish and 219 amphibians. This is largely put down to the massive deforestation program Mexico has embarked on (it has one of the highest deforestation rates in the world) to accommodate agricultural land that can cater to its ever increasing food demands. It’s estimated the country will need to double its food production by 2050 to keep up with a burgeoning population.
Indonesia takes second spot with 583 endangered species but has the highest number of endangered mammals with 191 species listed and the second highest number of endangered birds with 160 listed. Particularly catastrophic, Indonesia occupies just 1% of the world’s landmass yet 12% of the world’s known mammal species and 17% of bird species are indigenous – a level of biodiversity matched by few other countries that makes it hugely susceptible to the smallest climate shifts.
Of the continents it’s perhaps unsurprising that Asia is home to the most endangered species, with 3,330 at risk across 10 countries.
Sadly, the USA also appears in the top ten, occupying sixth spot. Despite its robust (if at risk under current governance) wildlife conservation program, it’s still home to 475 species on the endangered list.
This is primarily down to the number of endangered fish, where it has the most globally at 251 species. Look at the numbers and you soon see why though – the US has the fifth largest fisheries harvest in the world with more than five million caught annually. It’s the fourth biggest fish and seafood exporter globally, shipping more than $5 billion worth a year. Clearly, these kind of levels are not sustainable.
Here then are the top 10 countries with the most endangered species