Red World Book. Plants and animals of the "Red Book"

The process of reducing the number of certain species of plants and animals on Earth has been observed for several centuries. The urgency of this problem has not become less in our days.

IUCN

Questions about the protection of flora and fauna were raised by the international community as early as the nineteenth century, but the first organization seriously engaged in this problem was established only in 1948. It was called the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).

A rare and endangered species commission was established at the organization. The purpose of the Commission in those days was to collect information about animals and plants that were threatened with extinction.

After 15 years, in 1963, the organization published the first list of such species. "Red Data Book" - this is the name of the list. Later, the edition was renamed, and the list was named "The Red Book of the World".

The causes of the decline in the number of plants and animals

The reasons that led to the reduction of species of flora and fauna are very different. But all of them are mainly related to the economic activity of a person or his unintended interference in the life of nature.

The most common reason for the reduction of species of wildlife is the mass shooting of animals during hunting, fishing, the destruction of eggs, harvesting of plants. Here we are talking about the direct destruction of species.

Another, no less common, reason for reducing the number of wild animals and plants of the planet is not related to their direct extermination. Here it is necessary to say about the destruction of the habitat: plowing of virgin lands, the construction of hydroelectric power stations and reservoirs, deforestation.

There is a natural reason that affects the reduction or disappearance of species of wildlife - climate change on Earth. For example, the relic gull today lives only on some lakes of Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan and the Chita region. The species is 10 thousand individuals, and the number of breeding pairs varies from year to year depending on the weather conditions. "Red World Book" devotes one of its pages to this rare bird. But millions of years ago, when in modern territories of its inhabitation there was a huge inland sea, relic gulls, according to scientists, were spread everywhere, and their numbers were not threatened.

Activities for the protection of wildlife

Plants and animals of the "Red Book" forced the man not only to understand the reasons for their disappearance from the face of the Earth, but also to develop a set of measures aimed at saving wildlife.

Today it is already clear that to restore the number of some species it is enough only to prohibit hunting or gathering. To preserve other rare animals and plants, it is necessary to create special conditions for their residence. At the same time, any economic activity in this territory should be prohibited.

Species on the verge of total extinction, a man tries to save by artificial breeding in special nurseries when creating all the favorable conditions for existence.

The Red Book of the World distributed the animals and plants listed on its pages into categories. For this purpose, the modern condition of the species, its predisposition to reduction in numbers or disappearance is taken into account.

The first category of species

The pages of the book, where types of the first category are listed, are the most disturbing. Here, disappearing representatives of the wild nature are recorded. If humanity does not urgently take special measures, the salvation of these animals and plants will be impossible.

Second category

These pages contain a list of living creatures of the planet, whose number is still quite large, but there is a process of steady reduction. Scientists are convinced that if not to take concrete actions, then these species may face death.

The third category of plants and animals

The Red Book of the World has placed lists of species that are not threatened today, but their number is small or they live in small areas. Therefore, any changes in the environment, where they are common, can lead to unpredictable results.

The most vulnerable plants and animals that live on small islands. For example, the Komodo lizard inhabits the islands of East Indonesia. Any rash actions of a person or natural phenomena (floods, volcanic eruptions) can lead to the disappearance of the species in a very short period of time.

Fourth category

Despite the fact that science today is moving forward at a tremendous pace, there are still representatives of flora and fauna on the Earth, which have been little studied. They are represented on the pages of the "Red Book" in the fourth category.

For some reason, scientists are concerned about the number of these species, but because of the lack of knowledge to classify them as other categories of plants and animals, the "alarming list" is not yet possible.

Green Pages

The fifth category of species of animals and plants is located on pages of green color. These are special pages. Here are listed species that managed to avoid the threat of extinction. The number is restored thanks to human actions. From the pages of the "Red Book" these representatives of species are not removed for the reason that their commercial use is prohibited.

The Red Book of the World. Plants

The publication of the "alarming" book, dating back to 1996, describes 34,000 plant species that are threatened with extinction. They were guarded by the IUCN public organization and the Red Book.

The vegetable world often becomes a victim of beauty. People, admiring the unusual and exquisite plants, start thoughtlessly to destroy plantations for the sake of a bunch of flowers. Not the least role in this case is played by man's striving for profit. Such is the fate of the Edelweiss of the Alpine, the bell of the Ossetian, narcissus.

There are many plants that have suffered from human economic activities and environmental pollution. These include tulips, chilim, berry yew, some species of pine and many others.

Animals of the "Red Book of the World"

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, today, about 5.5 thousand species of animals need protection.

Paying tribute to fashion or satisfying their gastronomic needs, a person invades the life of wild nature, inflicting irreparable damage to it. The list of animals affected for this reason is incredibly extensive: European pearls, giant salamanders, muskrat, Galapagos giant tortoise, Asian lion and many other species.

IUCN is a public organization and its decisions are not binding, so the leadership works closely with the governments of states, seeking to implement those recommendations that will help save the planet's life.