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Protecting Europe’s endangered species

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According to the IUCN Red List, 22.7% species are threatened with extinction in continental Europe. The Iberian lynx is the world’s most endangered cat. Thanks to conservation efforts in Spain, individuals were reintroduced in their habitat and their numbers have been steadily increasing over the past decade. Image credit - Iberian cub lynx by lynxexsitu.es CC 3.0 BY
Species in Europe are facing many of the same threats as endangered species around the world. The most common ones are agriculture, aquaculture and human-caused land degradation. Over 1,000 species are threatened by these changes to their habitat. The Amagante wildflower is indigenous to the Canary Islands and has been endangered by livestock farming, tree plantations and a lack of land management. Image credit – Max Pixel
In the EU, 592 species are critically endangered. This is the last stage before a species goes extinct in the wild. Among the critically endangered is the European mink. Its population decreased steadily in the 20th century because of widespread hunting. Threats such as the invasive American mink and a decrease in their food source, crayfish, means their number is expected to decline further. Image credit - European mink by zoofanatic CC 2.0 BY
Despite the decline, some 33 endangered species have seen their numbers increase again, in part thanks to conservation and reintroduction programmes such as LIFE. The European bison had been hunted to extinction in the wild at the turn of the 20th century. Specimens bred in captivity were later released into the wild and the population has grown to 1,800 individuals. Image credit – Alexandr frolov CC 3.0 BY-SA
In the EU, the conservation action that has had the biggest impact is land management. EU countries are ensuring that protected areas are clearly demarcated, maintained, and shielded from invasive species. The Egyptian vulture, also native to southern Europe, has been threatened by human activities. To boost their numbers, breeding programmes and protection from pesticides and electrocution hazards along their migratory routes were introduced. Image credit - Carlos Delgado CC 3.0 BY-SA