Many Endangered Species In Unprotected Areas, Study Says
Thursday, April 8, 2004

Wildlife parks and other protected areas are often not in areas where endangered species are concentrated, leaving hundreds of the world's most imperiled animals with no protection at all, according to a study appearing yesterday in Nature (Steve Connor, London Independent, April 8).

The analysis found that although more than 10 percent of the Earth's land mass is protected through environmental regulations, more than 300 critically endangered animals and 500 other threatened species live in unprotected areas (Julie Cart, Los Angeles Times, April 8).

The team of 21 scientists from 15 organizations called for an overhaul of conservation planning efforts. "We have found that the global network [of protected areas] is far from complete," said research leader Ana Rodrigues of the Center for Applied Biodiversity Science in Washington. "It needs to be expanded but expanded strategically into the areas of the world that need it most."

She urged the expansion of protected areas, particularly into tropical areas rich with diversity. "These regions have a disproportionate amount of biodiversity and they need a disproportionate investment in biodiversity," she said.

The study, the first of its kind, compared the land area covered by 100,000 parks and other protected areas with the territorial ranges of 11,633 species of mammals, birds, amphibians and turtles.

"This study is only the tip of the iceberg," said Rodrigues. "As more comprehensive data becomes available, they will reveal many more gaps in coverage by the global protected area network" (Connor, London Independent).

Copyright, National Journal Group, 2004