In Pictures: Europe's threatened mammals (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

A report shows that nearly one in six mammal species in Europe is threatened with extinction. The Iberian lynx, found in Spain and Portugal, is the continent's most endangered.



The lynx, along with the Mediterranean monk seal (above) are classified as "critically endangered" in the report by the IUCN (the World Conservation Union).



European mink suffers from competition with its bigger American relative. American mink have escaped from fur farms or have been deliberately released by animal rights activists. {Oh, irony.}

more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/6683505.stm


from Reuters/CNN:
GENEVA, Switzerland (Reuters) -- One in six European land mammals faces the threat of extinction, mainly through habitat loss and deforestation, a leading conservation group said on Tuesday.

For marine mammals, the figure is higher at nearly one in four, but even this could be an underestimate because insufficient information is available on 44 percent of European marine mammal species, the World Conservation Union (IUCN) said.

In a report for the European Union, the IUCN said the Balkans and particularly Bulgaria and Romania are the most affected by declining land mammals, principally because they are also home to the greatest number of species.

"The results of the report highlight the challenge we currently face to halt the loss of biodiversity by 2010," said European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas, referring to a commitment EU states made in 2002.

Six European mammals, including the Iberian lynx, the Arctic fox and the European mink, are already included on the IUCN's regularly updated "red list" of endangered species.
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more: http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/05/22/europe.species.reut/index.html

[hedgehog]

1. Re the release of American Mink--

12 Monkeys, anyone?

[happyslug]

2. I read it was DELIBERATE POLICY of the old Soviet Union

For the fur of the American Mink had higher value than the European Mink. Here is some reports on the Decline of the European Mink:

http://www.animalinfo.org/species/carnivor/mustlutr.htm

http://www.the-piedpiper.co.uk/th1i.htm

http://www.lutreola.ee/2_bio_artiklid-1.html

http://www.lutreola.ee/pdf/emink-dna.pdf

[Lorien]

3. The Iberian lynx is quite an impressive animal

I hope that efforts to save them all succeed. The real impact of loss of biodiversity isn't often felt until long after a species has gone extinct.