Pictures - Pygmy Sloth Among 100 Species Most At Risk

Sumatran Rhinoceros
Photograph by Ch'ien C. Lee, AP
What is the critically endangered Sumatran rhinoceros (pictured, a mother and baby in Lampung, Indonesia, in June) worth to you?
That's the question posed by a new book, Priceless or Worthless?, which showcases the hundred most threatened species as chosen by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) experts. The book is available for free online as well as in print.
Released Tuesday at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Jeju, South Korea, the book "challenges the way we think about nature," Jonathan Baillie said at a congress press briefing. One of the book's authors, Baillie is conservation director at the Zoological Society of London. (See National Geographic's reports from the conservation congress.)
If people continue to value nature only in terms of how it can help us, "these amazing species on this list here—we can't really justify their existence," said Baillie, who worked on the book with the IUCN.
Instead, conservationists need to protect species for ethical reasons—because it's the right thing to do for the future of the planet, said Baillie.
About half of the hundred threatened species lack conservation attention, which means there is no mechanism in place—such as captive-breeding programs or no-hunting zones—to protect them from extinction, Baillie said.
"We're now in a place where we have to decide. Are they priceless or worthless? And if they are priceless—which I definitely say they are—then we need to step up to the plate."
—Christine Dell'Amore in Jeju, South Korea
Published September 11, 2012
Pygmy Three-Toed Sloth
Photograph courtesy Craig Turner, ZSL via IUCN
The pygmy three-toed sloth (pictured) is unusual among sloths in that it lives exclusively in mangrove forests. The species makes its home on a few islands off Panama.
But the species is dwindling due to occasional hunting and clearing of mangroves, and anecdotal observations suggest there are only about 200 individuals left.
Saving species such as the pygmy three-toed sloth isn't necessarily a massive or extremely costly intervention, Baillie added.
"We can probably conserve [this sloth species] in the long-term for less than the cost of a Ferrari," he said.
"People don't realize that sometimes the solution is simple."
Published September 11, 2012
Bullock's False Toad
Photograph courtesy IUCN
Since its discovery in 1952, the extremely rare Bullock's false toad (pictured) has been recorded by scientists only three times.
But it may not be seen ever again if a hydroelectric development moves forward in its only habitat, Chile's Nahuelbuta forest.
Because the toad would "almost certainly be wiped out, the Chilean national government must decide whether increasing energy supplies is worth the cost of a species extinction," according to the book.
Published September 11, 2012
Brazilian Butterfly
Photograph courtesy IUCN
The butterfly Actinote zikani, whose population is unknown, is found only in the rapidly shrinking Atlantic Forest of Brazil.
But not every story is a dire one. The book includes a chapter on species that have been pulled back from the brink, including the humpback whale, Przewalski's horse, the black robin, and the Mauritius kestrel, among others.
In the case of the humpback, restrictions on whaling and numerous marine sanctuaries worldwide have contributed to the marine mammal's resurgence.
"No species need be lost. Given enough determination and ingenuity we are capable of rescuing even the most desperate of cases," the book said.
Published September 11, 2012
Santa Catarina's Guinea Pig
Photograph courtesy IUCN
Only between 40 to 60 Santa Catarina guinea pigs (pictured) are left on the small Moleques do Sul Island in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The rodents are dying off due to habitat disturbance and possible hunting, problems that could be solved if their habitat is protected.
Baillie said the book shows that not enough is being done to prevent extinction.
"We're sitting here in the largest conservation-focused meeting ever held, with specialists [from all] over the world. Millions and millions of dollars are going into conservation, yet over 50 percent of the world's most threatened species are not receiving conservation attention, or very little.
"So we have to ask, Why is this happening?"
Published September 11, 2012
Luristan Newt
Photograph courtesy IUCN
The "handsome" Luristan newt, pictured, inhabits just three streams in Iran's Zagros Mountains, according to the book.
Due to a growing pet trade, habitat destruction, and competition with invasive species, the amphibian's population has fallen to about a thousand individuals.
Though trading the newt is illegal under Iranian law, it isn't often enforced, the book said. Better monitoring of illegal newt sales and a habitat-restoration program would help the species.
Published September 11, 2012
Tarzan's Chameleon
Photograph courtesy IUCN
Discovered in 2010, Tarzan's chameleon (pictured) got its name partly "in the hope it would be a clarion 'Tarzan' call for conservation," according to the book.
But slash-and-burn agriculture in the reptile's rain forest habitat in eastern Madagascar may silence that goal, the book said.
There are solutions: for instance, locals could invest in ecotourism of the chameleon and other wildlife, which would limit the need to destroy the forest.
Published September 11, 2012
Tonkin Snub-nosed Monkey
Photograph by Xi Zhinong, Minden Pictures/Corbis
Found only in northern Vietnam, Tonkin's snub-nosed monkey was thought extinct until it was rediscovered in 1989.
Due to habitat loss and hunting, there are now fewer than 200 animals left. Solutions include establishing a new conservation area and enforcing against illegal hunting.
Published September 11, 2012
Great Indian Bustard
Photograph courtesy IUCN
Fewer than 250 great Indian bustards remain in India, mostly due to destruction of habitat and agricultural development.
The argument that species have a basic right to exist should gain traction, Baillie emphasized.
"It's the ethical argument that's going to save these species and ensure we don't continue to destroy the world's biodiversity," he said.
Published September 11, 2012
Attenborough's Pitcher Plant
Photograph by Ch'ien Lee, Corbis
One of the world's largest pitcher plants, Attenborough's pitcher plant is named after famed British naturalist David Attenborough.
Though it lives on the relatively inaccessible Victoria Mountain in the Philippines, increased poaching to sell the "remarkable" plant has reduced its numbers, the book said.
Baillie noted that the threatened species list includes a diverse range of species, including fungi.
"We wanted to ensure not one component of biodiversity was missed."
Published September 11, 2012
Next Up: "Extinct" Species Found>>
Photograph courtesy S.D. Biju, Lost Frogs/Conservation International
Published September 11, 2012