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See Again
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0 / 31 Fotos
Recent study
- On January 8, 2025, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) published a study that revealed 24% of the world's freshwater animals are at risk of extinction.
© Shutterstock
1 / 31 Fotos
Numbers
- The researchers studied around 23,500 species of freshwater animals, and they found that almost one quarter could be classified as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered.
© Shutterstock
2 / 31 Fotos
Landmark study
- This was a landmark study. It was the first time that researchers focused exclusively on freshwater animals, rather than also looking at other groups, such as mammals, birds, and reptiles.
© Shutterstock
3 / 31 Fotos
Huge task
- Indeed, this global freshwater fauna assessment was a huge undertaking. The findings are the result of more than 20 years of work by more than 1,000 experts around the world.
© Shutterstock
4 / 31 Fotos
Calls to action
- Equipped with their data, the IUCN is now calling for governments and industries to implement targeted action to prevent further extinctions.
© Shutterstock
5 / 31 Fotos
Crabs, crayfishes, shrimps
- In terms of the species facing the highest risk of extinction, the group that tops the list, with 30% of species threatened, is crabs, crayfishes, and shrimps.
© Shutterstock
6 / 31 Fotos
Freshwater fish
- The crabs, crayfishes, and shrimps are closely followed by freshwater fish, 26% of whose species are vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered.
© Shutterstock
7 / 31 Fotos
Dragonflies and damselflies
- There is quite a jump down to third place, however, where we have the group dragonflies and damselflies: 16% of their species are threatened.
© Shutterstock
8 / 31 Fotos
Key locations
- According to the study, there are several key locations around the world that have a high concentration of threatened freshwater species.
© Shutterstock
9 / 31 Fotos
Key locations
- These are Lake Victoria, Lake Titicaca, Sri Lanka's Wet Zone, and the Western Ghats of India.
© Shutterstock
10 / 31 Fotos
High biodiversity
- It is important to note that these locations are home to some of the highest levels of freshwater biodiversity in the world.
© Shutterstock
11 / 31 Fotos
Hot spots
- It makes sense that these locations are hot spots for endangered species as there are more species present, therefore the number of endangered species is also higher.
© Shutterstock
12 / 31 Fotos
Underground systems
- Researchers were also interested to find that underground systems around the world are home to more endangered species than they expected.
© Shutterstock
13 / 31 Fotos
Arkansas crayfish
- North America, for example, is home to a large number of threatened crayfish, such as the daisy burrowing crayfish in Arkansas.
© Shutterstock
14 / 31 Fotos
Lake Lanao
- In general, lakes, oases, and springs are hot spots for extinction. For example, in 2020, fifteen species of fish went extinct from the Philippines' Lake Lanao.
© Shutterstock
15 / 31 Fotos
Cause
- In terms of why so many freshwater species are endangered, there are a number of factors to consider. First up, perhaps obviously, is water pollution.
© Shutterstock
16 / 31 Fotos
Water pollution
- Water pollution is a major global issue, and polluted waters, mainly from agriculture and forestry, impact more than half of the world's threatened freshwater animals.
© Shutterstock
17 / 31 Fotos
Causes of pollution
- The exact way in which freshwaters are polluted depends on their location. In South America, for example, the Amazon River is polluted by clouds of ash blown over from illegal deforestation fires.
© Shutterstock
18 / 31 Fotos
Dumping mercury
- A separate, although equally important issue, is that unlicensed gold miners have a nasty habit of dumping mercury in the waters of the Amazon River.
© Shutterstock
19 / 31 Fotos
The role of dams
- Another factor that negatively impacts freshwater animals is the construction of dams. These affect freshwater ecosystems because they block fish migration routes.
© Shutterstock
20 / 31 Fotos
Other factors
- Overfishing and the introduction of invasive species also play an important role in driving the extinction of endangered freshwater species.
© Shutterstock
21 / 31 Fotos
Squalius palaciosi
- For example, one species of cyprinid fish, squalius palaciosi, was declared extinct in 2024 due to habitat loss as a result of dam construction and the introduction of invasive alien species.
© Shutterstock
22 / 31 Fotos
Bogardilla
- The fish was endemic to Spain, where it was known as 'bogardilla.' Before being declared extinct, an example of the species had not been seen for 25 years.
© Shutterstock
23 / 31 Fotos
Water stress
- Interestingly, the study found that in areas of water stress (where there is a high demand for water and little supply), the numbers of threatened species are not necessarily higher.
© Shutterstock
24 / 31 Fotos
Eutrophication
- The same goes for areas of eutrophication (where there is an excess of nutrients in the water, which leads to an overgrowth of algae and plants).
© Shutterstock
25 / 31 Fotos
What this means
- According to the study's authors, this means that neither water stress nor eutrophication should be used as an indicator to guide conservation.
© Shutterstock
26 / 31 Fotos
Unique threats
- Similarly, authors noticed that while threatened freshwater species tend to live in the same areas as other threatened animals, such as amphibians and reptiles, they nonetheless face different threats.
© Shutterstock
27 / 31 Fotos
Different habitats
- This is due to the fact that, although they live in close quarters, different groups of species have different sorts of habitats.
© Shutterstock
28 / 31 Fotos
Conservation efforts
- When it comes to implementing conservation plans, therefore, experts believe that it is important to target efforts to specific species.
© Shutterstock
29 / 31 Fotos
Final thoughts
- Going forward, experts will push for freshwater species data to be included in conservation strategies and water use planning and management. The aim is to ensure that practices support healthy freshwater ecosystems and risk of more extinctions is minimized. Sources: (IUCN) (VOA) See also: Animals that came back from the brink of extinction
© Shutterstock
30 / 31 Fotos
© Shutterstock
0 / 31 Fotos
Recent study
- On January 8, 2025, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) published a study that revealed 24% of the world's freshwater animals are at risk of extinction.
© Shutterstock
1 / 31 Fotos
Numbers
- The researchers studied around 23,500 species of freshwater animals, and they found that almost one quarter could be classified as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered.
© Shutterstock
2 / 31 Fotos
Landmark study
- This was a landmark study. It was the first time that researchers focused exclusively on freshwater animals, rather than also looking at other groups, such as mammals, birds, and reptiles.
© Shutterstock
3 / 31 Fotos
Huge task
- Indeed, this global freshwater fauna assessment was a huge undertaking. The findings are the result of more than 20 years of work by more than 1,000 experts around the world.
© Shutterstock
4 / 31 Fotos
Calls to action
- Equipped with their data, the IUCN is now calling for governments and industries to implement targeted action to prevent further extinctions.
© Shutterstock
5 / 31 Fotos
Crabs, crayfishes, shrimps
- In terms of the species facing the highest risk of extinction, the group that tops the list, with 30% of species threatened, is crabs, crayfishes, and shrimps.
© Shutterstock
6 / 31 Fotos
Freshwater fish
- The crabs, crayfishes, and shrimps are closely followed by freshwater fish, 26% of whose species are vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered.
© Shutterstock
7 / 31 Fotos
Dragonflies and damselflies
- There is quite a jump down to third place, however, where we have the group dragonflies and damselflies: 16% of their species are threatened.
© Shutterstock
8 / 31 Fotos
Key locations
- According to the study, there are several key locations around the world that have a high concentration of threatened freshwater species.
© Shutterstock
9 / 31 Fotos
Key locations
- These are Lake Victoria, Lake Titicaca, Sri Lanka's Wet Zone, and the Western Ghats of India.
© Shutterstock
10 / 31 Fotos
High biodiversity
- It is important to note that these locations are home to some of the highest levels of freshwater biodiversity in the world.
© Shutterstock
11 / 31 Fotos
Hot spots
- It makes sense that these locations are hot spots for endangered species as there are more species present, therefore the number of endangered species is also higher.
© Shutterstock
12 / 31 Fotos
Underground systems
- Researchers were also interested to find that underground systems around the world are home to more endangered species than they expected.
© Shutterstock
13 / 31 Fotos
Arkansas crayfish
- North America, for example, is home to a large number of threatened crayfish, such as the daisy burrowing crayfish in Arkansas.
© Shutterstock
14 / 31 Fotos
Lake Lanao
- In general, lakes, oases, and springs are hot spots for extinction. For example, in 2020, fifteen species of fish went extinct from the Philippines' Lake Lanao.
© Shutterstock
15 / 31 Fotos
Cause
- In terms of why so many freshwater species are endangered, there are a number of factors to consider. First up, perhaps obviously, is water pollution.
© Shutterstock
16 / 31 Fotos
Water pollution
- Water pollution is a major global issue, and polluted waters, mainly from agriculture and forestry, impact more than half of the world's threatened freshwater animals.
© Shutterstock
17 / 31 Fotos
Causes of pollution
- The exact way in which freshwaters are polluted depends on their location. In South America, for example, the Amazon River is polluted by clouds of ash blown over from illegal deforestation fires.
© Shutterstock
18 / 31 Fotos
Dumping mercury
- A separate, although equally important issue, is that unlicensed gold miners have a nasty habit of dumping mercury in the waters of the Amazon River.
© Shutterstock
19 / 31 Fotos
The role of dams
- Another factor that negatively impacts freshwater animals is the construction of dams. These affect freshwater ecosystems because they block fish migration routes.
© Shutterstock
20 / 31 Fotos
Other factors
- Overfishing and the introduction of invasive species also play an important role in driving the extinction of endangered freshwater species.
© Shutterstock
21 / 31 Fotos
Squalius palaciosi
- For example, one species of cyprinid fish, squalius palaciosi, was declared extinct in 2024 due to habitat loss as a result of dam construction and the introduction of invasive alien species.
© Shutterstock
22 / 31 Fotos
Bogardilla
- The fish was endemic to Spain, where it was known as 'bogardilla.' Before being declared extinct, an example of the species had not been seen for 25 years.
© Shutterstock
23 / 31 Fotos
Water stress
- Interestingly, the study found that in areas of water stress (where there is a high demand for water and little supply), the numbers of threatened species are not necessarily higher.
© Shutterstock
24 / 31 Fotos
Eutrophication
- The same goes for areas of eutrophication (where there is an excess of nutrients in the water, which leads to an overgrowth of algae and plants).
© Shutterstock
25 / 31 Fotos
What this means
- According to the study's authors, this means that neither water stress nor eutrophication should be used as an indicator to guide conservation.
© Shutterstock
26 / 31 Fotos
Unique threats
- Similarly, authors noticed that while threatened freshwater species tend to live in the same areas as other threatened animals, such as amphibians and reptiles, they nonetheless face different threats.
© Shutterstock
27 / 31 Fotos
Different habitats
- This is due to the fact that, although they live in close quarters, different groups of species have different sorts of habitats.
© Shutterstock
28 / 31 Fotos
Conservation efforts
- When it comes to implementing conservation plans, therefore, experts believe that it is important to target efforts to specific species.
© Shutterstock
29 / 31 Fotos
Final thoughts
- Going forward, experts will push for freshwater species data to be included in conservation strategies and water use planning and management. The aim is to ensure that practices support healthy freshwater ecosystems and risk of more extinctions is minimized. Sources: (IUCN) (VOA) See also: Animals that came back from the brink of extinction
© Shutterstock
30 / 31 Fotos
The freshwater animals at risk of extinction
Researchers are alarmed by new data
© Shutterstock
When it comes to biodiversity, it is no great secret that many species on planet Earth are facing extinction. Indeed, since the dawn of time, there have been species that are endangered, and with all the harm that humans are causing the planet, the situation is only getting worse.
What recently took scientists by surprise, however, is just how quickly things are getting worse in the case of freshwater animals. According to a recent study, nearly a quarter of the species that live in freshwater face the imminent risk of becoming extinct.
Curious? Check out this gallery to find out more.
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