Some of Britain's endangered species have seen a constant
decline in population over the past 40 years, according to the latest research
published by the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra),
in collaboration with the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.
The priority species list includes bats, birds, butterflies,
moths, hares, and dormice. On average, out of the 200 native species included
in the list, 58% have declined since 1970. The report highlights the need to preserve the species from
the priority list because of the threats they face.
Threatened species are declining and at very worrying
levels, said Richard Gregory, head of species monitoring at the Royal Society
for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). The new biodiversity statistics act as an
indicator of the health of the UK countryside. Every year, the UK government
will publish the figures in the same way they publish crime statistics, he
said, adding that RSPB is hoping that those figures will be a powerful tool to
fight the loss of endangered native wildlife.
The species chosen and included in the list are there
because they are under threat, but many of them are now safer than they were 40
years ago, mainly due to the hard work of government agencies, volunteers, and
conservationists.The research reveals that since 1970, 70% of species in the
priority list have suffered a decline in the long term, while 59% have suffered
short-term population decreases - 146 and 123 species, respectively.
Today, more is being done in an effort to protect endangered
species than ever before, and there are indicators showing that progress has
been made, said a Defra spokesperson. Defra invested £7.5 million to create
Nature Improvement Areas, while more farmland is now being adapted for
wildlife, and more UK seas are now protected.
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