New Book Lists 5,000 Conservation Actions, Cloning Not One of Them
Cambridge, Wednesday 11 October, 2000 - Cloning is not the answer to saving threatened bird species according to
Threatened Birds of the World, a major new assessment published this week by BirdLife International, the leading
authority on the status of birds, their habitats and the issues affecting them [1].
The new assessment was compiled by BirdLife International's Globally Threatened Species Programme and proves the point
by identifying more than 5,000 practical conservation actions necessary to save the world's threatened birds. Cloning is
not one of them.
The book, which is the basis for the IUCN (World Conservation Union) Red List for birds, also shows that the bird
extinction rate is on course for a dramatic rise 500 times above the natural rate over the next 100 years.
"This new assessment proves that cloning is not the answer to saving threatened birds", said BirdLife International
Director and Chief Executive, Dr Michael Rands [2]. "The answer is to implement the 5,000 practical conservation actions
that BirdLife International's Globally Threatened Species Programme has identified in this new book".
"For example, last week the New Zealand Government announced an ambitious US$2 million project to eradicate introduced
rats from Campbell Island, one of the actions identified in Threatened Birds of the World. Once cleared of rats, the
Campbell Island teal and Campbell Island snipe will be returned to their former home on the island. It is steps such as
this and greater habitat protection that are more important for saving birds than cloning", he said.
"It is unlikely that a measure as desperate as cloning would be successful in saving a bird species like the New Zealand
Kakapo, especially given that there are only 62 left. For instance, cloning would not stop the degradation of its forest
habitat."
"Even if a Kakapo could be successfully cloned, this would still not tackle the fundamental threats to the species, such
as the introduced cats on Stewart Island which killed more than half of all monitored adults each year when they still
lived on the island."
"Unless we address the root causes of bird decline, we may witness the extinction of hundreds of species because of
environmental deterioration such as deforestation, habitat loss and fragmentation, and unsustainable activities such as
hunting and longline fishing."
"There are tried and tested intensive conservation techniques that have been remarkably successful, for example the
cross-fostering of the eggs from the last surviving female Chatham Island Black Robin, also from New Zealand, has
resulted in a population today of over 250 individuals."
Other species listed in the book as having recovering populations due to intensive conservation efforts include the
Rarotonga Monarch and Black-faced Spoonbill [3], both of which were listed as Critical in 1994, but have since been
downlisted to Endangered thanks to a combination of predator control and community conservation in Rarotonga, and better
habitat protection and legislation in China, Taiwan, North Korea, South Korea and Japan. In the USA the California
Condor and Whooping Crane are also recovering. The wild California Condor population is now 50 and increasing from a low
point of 28 in captivity, thanks to captive breeding and reintroduction programmes. The natural wild population of the
Whooping Crane hit a low of 14, but is now back up to 183 and increasing due to reintroduction and captive breeding
programmes.
The new assessment shows the number of bird species threatened with global extinction rose dramatically by 75 from 1,111
in 1994 to 1,186 in 2000 - a shocking 12% of all bird species. Of the new total, 1,175 (99%) are at risk of extinction
from human activities such as logging, intensive agriculture, longline fishing, hunting and trapping.
Since BirdLife's last global survey in 1994, two forest species of honeyeaters from the Hawaiian Islands, USA - the
Kauai O'o and Bishop's O'o - have been officially listed as Extinct, 14 more species are listed as Critical and 86 more
as Endangered [4].
Alarmingly, the extinction rate for birds continues to rise. The current rate is 50 times greater than the prehistoric
or 'natural' rate, but is predicted to rise to 500 times greater than natural over the next 100 years [5]. Of grave
concern is the movement of an overall total of 100 species into the two highest threat category lists in the last six
years.
Since 1994 the number of threatened albatrosses and petrels increased from 32 to 55. Sixteen species of albatross,
including the majestic Wandering Albatross, are now threatened with global extinction compared to three in 1994 [6]. The
threat with the highest impact on these species is the indiscriminate slaughter of seabirds by longline fishing vessels
which is particularly severe in illegal fisheries in the Southern Ocean.
The number of threatened bird species in tropical rainforests, such as doves and parrots, has also increased, especially
in South East Asia, due to severe deforestation in countries such as the Philippines and Indonesia. Rainforest species
are most at risk from unsustainable logging and forest clearance for agriculture and exotic timber plantations.
NOTES
1. Threatened Birds of the World is the most authoritative and comprehensive assessment ever published on the status of
the world's threatened bird species.
2. BirdLife International is a global alliance of conservation organisations working in more than 100 countries who,
together, are the leading authority on the status of birds, their habitats and the issues and problems affecting bird
life.
3. A selection of bird species with recovering populations accompanied by images that can be downloaded for media use
are available from the BirdLife International website at www.birdlife.net
4. A selection of Critical, Endangered and Vulnerable bird species with accompanying images that can be downloaded for
media use are available from the BirdLife International website at www.birdlife.net
5. For other non-avian species, the extinction rate is estimated to be 1,000 to 10,000 times the natural rate. See the
IUCN Red List (May 1995). Also quoted in the IUCN Red List 2000.
6. Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans, Vulnerable: There are about 28,000 mature individuals left throughout the
Southern Ocean. The species is endangered by longline fisheries with significant numbers being drowned after striking at
baited hooks. Photographs of this species are available for media use from the BirdLife International website.
For further information please contact Richard Thomas at the BirdLife International Secretariat in Cambridge on + 44 (0)
1223 279 813 or out of hours, contact Michael Szabo on 07779 018332 (mobile).
Barry Weeber Senior Researcher Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society PO Box 631 Wellington New Zealand Phone
64-4-385-7374 Fax 64-4-385-7373 www.forest-bird.org.nz