| Since the demise of dinosaurs, the world has not | | | | trends among nearly two thousand species of |
| seen such ruthless exploitation of our biodiversity, | | | | reptiles, mammals, birds, fishes and amphibians. From |
| with levels decreasing 35% in just 35 years. | | | | 1970 to 2005 a drop of 25% of land based species is |
| The findings are emerging after audits by the WWF, | | | | seen, with freshwater species losing 29% and marine |
| that used to be known as the World Wildlife Fund | | | | species dropping by 28%. Habitat destruction |
| for Nature, they warn that man's exploitation is | | | | contributes greatly to this problem, an example is rain |
| simply unsustainable, with more species wiped out in | | | | forest, de-forestation gives a short term profit for |
| the last thirty five years than in the previous three | | | | the timber company, but destroys an important |
| centuries. | | | | resource that benefits the whole world. Individual |
| One of the best known is the Yangtze river dolphin, | | | | calculations are showing that the world is consuming |
| it was declared 'extinct' last year, becoming the first | | | | 24% more natural resources than the world can |
| large vertebrate disappearing in the last fifty years. | | | | replace. |
| The International Union for the Conservation of | | | | Demand by large countries such as China, have |
| Nature recently released a list of species that are | | | | directly led to the loss of specific species such as the |
| close to extinction - | | | | West African black rhino, people regard the rhino |
| Species under threat. | | | | horn as an aphrodisiac, driving on the poachers. |
| Iberian Lynx - Portugal & Spain | | | | Recent extinctions also include the Panamanian golden |
| Parachute Spider - India | | | | frog and the Caribbean monk seal, declared extinct |
| Elephant Frog - Australia | | | | after five years of searching. |
| Cuban Crocodile - Cuba | | | | We believe that every small effort and consumer |
| Dama Gazelle - Sahara Desert | | | | purchase change can help, just pause for second |
| Scottish Wildcat - United Kingdom | | | | before choosing that product. |
| WWF's Living Planet Index highlights the population | | | | |