Conservation

Question 1

What is the primary threat to mammals?

Answer 1

Increasing human population

Question 2

What are the seven classifications of animals on the IUCN redlist?

Answer 2

Extinct
Extinct in the wild
Critically endangered
Endangered in the wild
Vulnerable
Near threatened
Least concern

Question 3

Case studies - ‘PE’ - possibly extinct

Answer 3

For an animal to be officially classed as extinct it must have been not sighted for several decades. Before this is officially declared, animals can be known as possibly extinct if they haven’t been seen for some years.

Hutais haven’t been seen in the wild for several decades, the Baiji river dolphin has been sporadically sighted since the 1990s, but not been seen since 2006 - seriously threatened by the industialisation of the Yangtse River

Question 4

What are the four global threats to mammals?

Answer 4

Habitat loss and degradation
Harvesting
Accidental mortality (affects 78% of marine species assessed)
Pollution (chemical and physical)

Question 5

How does global warming affect marine mammals?

Answer 5

Less haul out sites as less sea ice, less prey available, climate moves out of temperature regimes