Mammals in danger

2007/05/24 Rementeria Argote, Nagore - Elhuyar Zientziaren Komunikazioa

• Ingurumena

One in six European mammals is in danger, as announced by the World Conservation Association. It seems that there are about 250 species of mammals catalogued in Europe and western Russia, and one in six species is vulnerable, threatened or in serious danger, measured the degree of danger of their extinction.

Among the most serious are the Iberian lynx, with about 150 specimens, the Arctic fox and the European mink. They are terrestrial animals, but marine mammals are even worse: one in five is in danger. As if it were not enough, the data are scarce, so it is possible that the situation is more serious than expected.

Photo: Bernard Landgraf.