Publication | 1999
African elephant database 1998
The African elephant is the largest living land mammal. It once inhabited most of the continent, from the Mediterranean coast down to its south tip. This picture of elephant range today is one of scattered, fragmented populations south of the Sahara Desert. Estimates suggested that elephant…
Publication | 1999
African antelope database 1998
Although most antelope species still exist in large numbers in sub-Saharan Africa (some in hundreds of thousands), up to three-quarters of the species are in decline. Threats to their survival arise from the rapid growth of human and livestock populations, with consequent degradation and…
Publication | 1998
Sharks and their relatives : ecology and conservation
Sharks and their relatives, the rays and chimaeras, are the diverse group of cartilaginous fishes that have evolved over 400 million years. Historically considered of low economic value to large-scale fisheries, today many of these fishes have become the target of directed commercial and…
Publication | 1998
1997 IUCN Red List of threatened plants
This represents the most comprehensive compilation of data on threatened vascular plants ever published. It includes the names of some 33,000 plant species determined to be rare or threatened on a global scale. Conservation assessments were provided by the IUCN Species Survival Commission, the…
Publication | 1997
Dragonflies : status survey and conservation action plan
Dragonflies, those beautiful and colourful creatures which can often be seen hovering above water, pre-date dinosaurs. Today, some 5,000 species have been described and many more await discovery and description. The value of dragonflies lies in their beauty and distinctive colours which make…
Publication | 1997
Cactus and succulent plants : status survey and conservation action plan
Found in a variety of forms and sometimes with very attractive flowers, cacti and other succulents have elicited widespread interest and tremendous popularity worldwide. Although the subject of a certain amount of debate, about 10,000 species of plant are recognised as belonging to the succulent…
Publication | 1997
Stocks of sturgeono used for caviar are on the decline worldwide with some species now in danger of extinction. This situation has been caused partly by excessive fishing of sturgeon, but also by the destruction of sturgeon habitats and water pollution. Today, this situation is further…