World’s most endangered species: report
Zookeeper Grant Kother weighs and measures a giant tortoise during ZSL London Zoo’s annual weigh-in on Aug. 22, 2012 in London, England. The height and mass of every animal in the zoo needs to be recorded. The measurements are collated in the Zoological Information Management System, from which zoologists can use the data to compare information on thousands of endangered species.
In an unprecedented meeting of over 8,000 scientists from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the world's 100 most endangered species were identified and listed.
The report, titled "Priceless or Worthless," points out that people are increasingly less likely to save a species unless that species provides human society with some tangible benefit.
Professor Jonathan Baillie, Director of Conservation Programs at the Zoological Society of London, said, "The donor community and conservation movement are leaning increasingly towards a 'what can nature do for us' approach, where species and wild habitats are valued and prioritized according to the services they provide for people."
The report provides a sobering, but not entirely pessimistic look at the endangered organisms.
Baillie also said, "The decline of most of these species have been caused by humans and in almost all cases their extinction can be avoided and the decline reversed."
Some unfortunate species that topped the list were:
Rio Pescado Stubfoot Toad: Population unknown. Thought extinct since 1995, the toad was rediscovered in 2010.
Seychelles sheath-tailed bat: Less than 100
Angonoka Tortoise: 440 – 770
Pygmy three-toed sloth: Less than 500
Wooly Spider Monkey: Less than 1,000
Here's footage, provided by ICUN, of beautiful, and increasingly scarce wildlife.