More than 16,000 animals and plants are at risk in the More than 16,000 animals and plants are at risk in the world…world…

Over 500 species have entered the list, from the polar bear to the hippopotamus. Sharks and freshwater fishes are in difficulty. 16,119 animal and plant species out of 40,177 are considered endangered: 500 more than in 2004, when they were 15,589. 784 species are considered officially extinct, while 65 of them survive only in captivity. It is revealed by the new Red List of endangered species published today in Geneva by the IUCN (World Conservation Union), thanks to the work of over 1,000 scientists worldwide. One third of amphibians are at risk, one out of four mammal species and one bird out of eight, mainly because of climate change and habitat destruction because of the man.

"The question we must make is: "The question we must make is: Should we be happy to imagine that Should we be happy to imagine that our grandchildren will not ever see our grandchildren will not ever see any elephant, if not in a picture or in any elephant, if not in a picture or in a movie?"a movie?" David AttenboroughDavid Attenborough

The rhino horn has The rhino horn has been widely used in been widely used in the past, but also in the past, but also in the present days: the present days: for example in Asia for example in Asia during the during the epidemic SARS flu, epidemic SARS flu, because -according because -according to some traditional to some traditional baseless baseless medicines- it medicines- it should have the should have the property to lower property to lower fever.fever.

The Magnificent 5

1. Primates1. Primates

TO SAVE AT ALL COSTS…

2. Plancton2. Plancton

3. Bees3. Bees 4. Bats4. Bats

5. Mushrooms5. Mushrooms

Italy is the richest European nation in biodiversity, with 1176 species of vertebrates, more than one third of European fauna (68% of which threatened to varying degrees), 5599 flora species, and a remarkable diversity of kinds of environment and landscape.

Golden eagleGolden eagle WhaleWhale

European bisonEuropean bison

Monk sealMonk seal

Brown bearBrown bear

In recent decades, not only population growth, but also growth of living standards have caused a huge push to build, which was carried

almost exclusively at the expense of agricultural land. Between 1980 and 2008 1m² of land per second has disappeared under concrete or asphalt! (Schweiz Biozid-Report).

Disappearance of natural and semi-natural habitat:1.Wetlands,

floodplains and groundwater

2. Woods3. Arid biotopes4. Orchards5. Hedges and

groves6. Pioneers

environments

WE MUST IMPROVE

THE WORLD

WORKING ALL TOGETHER...

CreditsPresentation prepared by

Marco Giannini & Manuel Siboni – Itis "Pascal" – Cesena – Italy (2008-2009)

Thanks to the teachers: A.M. Ravazzi (Biologia) – A. Tortora (Inglese)

And to the Technical Assistant: F. Fiori Picures www.sciencephoto.com

www.google.it

•Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event / E402/179•Traditional whale hunting, Greenland / T725/135•Altiplano landscape and penitent snow / C001/3448 •The mushroom, Boletus versipellis / B250/761 •Honey bees, Apis mellifera, on honeycomb / Z345/392 •High-speed photograph of a fruit bat / H628/012 •Plankton, Daphnia, and Volvox / Z230/185 •Human and bonobo ape hands / Z912/199 •Papilio machain Britannicus, swallowtail butterfly / Z355/203