TITLE:
World's life crowded into small area.

AUTHOR:
Callahan R.

SOURCE:
[Unpublished] 2000 Feb 23. 2 p. http://www.lexis.com

ABSTRACT:
Scientists who inventoried Earth's shrinking wilds have concluded that more than a third of the planet's plant and animal species exist exclusively on a scant 1.4% of its land surface. The findings show that saving a large share of the world's species from extinction is not an overwhelming task. Conservationists just need to focus on safeguarding 25 species-rich “hotspots”, mostly tropical rain forests. Some of the richest “hotspots” are in Madagascar, Brazil, the Andes, the Caribbean, Borneo, Sumatra, and other islands in Southeast Asia. These hotspots cover a total of 810,000 sq. miles and sustain 44% of Earth's plant species and 35% of its non-fish vertebrate animal species. Although 38% of that area already enjoys some form of legal protection, much of that is what conservationists call “paper parks”, which refers to lands that are protected on paper but where logging, mining, and grazing are often rampant. The researchers hope governments and private organizations see that the challenge of protecting the remaining 62% is not overwhelming.

YEAR:
2000

PIP#:
150362