2021 was not a good year for sharks and rays.
The bearded vulture and the Iberian lynx are among the winners in the animal kingdom, as the WWF's 2021 annual review shows.
According to the latest International Red List, more than 40,000 of the 142’500 recorded species are now classified in threatened categories — more than ever before. In light of the new figures, the WWF is warning of a catastrophic escalation of the global species extinction crisis. Around one million species could become extinct within the next few decades. Yet 2021 also brought winners in the animal kingdom, as the WWF's annual review shows. Wherever people are working intensively on nature and species conservation, positive examples can be found.
Losers of 2021
Animals of the Mediterranean forests: In the age of the climate crisis, the wildfires in the Mediterranean region reached a new dimension in the summer of 2021. Massive fires raged in Greece, Turkey, and Italy — most of them attributed to arson or negligence. These true firestorms are destroying vital habitats for wildcats and brown bears in ever shorter intervals, and in the arid south also for jackals, wild goats, and snake species (e.g. smooth snakes, Aesculapian snakes, grass snakes, and dice snakes).
Sharks and rays: According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), one third of all sharks and rays are threatened with extinction. This is alarming. Overfishing is the main reason for the decline in populations, but habitat loss and the climate crisis are also responsible for the precarious situation. Sharks and rays play fundamental roles in the ocean ecosystem. The health of important habitats depends directly on them. Sharks, for example, eat sick and weak fish and regulate the numbers of other carnivores, allowing algae-eaters to survive.
African grey parrot: An analysis of online listings revealed a concerning market for African grey parrots growing across several African countries. Already classified as “endangered” by the IUCN, this bird is a popular pet due to its intelligence and ability to mimic speech. The birds are also offered for sale outside the African continent through online platforms — often illegally. Hands off: by making such a purchase, consumers drive up demand and support the illegal trade.
North Atlantic right whale: One might think that an animal measuring up to 18 metres in length and weighing 100 tonnes would be invulnerable to harm. But that is not the case: with just 366 individuals and a decline of 8 percent within a single year, the North Atlantic right whale has reached its lowest population level in 20 years. Only about a quarter of these are females capable of bearing offspring. The greatest threats to this whale species are collisions with ships and entanglement in fishing lines or other fishing equipment. If we fail to eliminate these two dangers, the North Atlantic right whale will go extinct.
Tigers in Southeast Asia: While wild tiger populations are growing in India, Nepal, and Russia, they are declining in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Illegal snare hunting, fuelled by the criminal and highly lucrative wildlife trade, is effectively emptying the forests. An estimated 12 million insidious wire snares in these countries are largely responsible for tigers now being considered locally extinct there.
Winners 2021
Iberian lynx: The population of the Iberian lynx, native to Spain and Portugal, has more than increased tenfold over the past 20 years — from 94 individuals in 2002 to 1,111 in 2020. There are now 239 breeding females in total (compared to 27 in 2002), significantly improving the chances of survival for this endangered wild cat. Nevertheless, the Iberian lynx is not yet out of danger. For its long-term survival, the population needs to reach around 3,000 to 3,500 animals with approximately 750 breeding females.
Greater one-horned rhinoceros in Nepal: For many years, WWF has been working in Nepal to protect greater one-horned rhinoceroses and their habitat. The conservation efforts are paying off. The rhino population has grown by 16 percent compared to the last estimate in 2015, from 645 to 752 animals, and has nearly doubled since the first count in 2005. In the past, the populations of these horned heavyweights suffered primarily from the loss of their habitat and poaching for their horn.
Bearded vultures: 2021 was an absolute success year for bearded vultures. Across the entire Alpine region, 50 young vultures were added — 44 young vultures hatched in the wild, and six juvenile birds were released into the wild. More than 300 bearded vultures are thus once again flying in the Alps. The international reintroduction program, which began over thirty years ago, is therefore well on track. The releases of these impressive birds will continue in order to expand the still very small gene pool of the Alpine population.
River dolphins: A pilot project in Indonesia has proven that pingers attached to fishing nets can help save river dolphins. Pingers are acoustic devices that emit sounds to warn river dolphins. The results with 40 fishers after six months showed that the dolphins avoid these gill nets. A belated success for river dolphins: There are only six river dolphin species left worldwide — all are critically endangered or threatened with extinction.
Siamese crocodile: In early September 2021, a research team from WWF and the Cambodian Ministry of Environment made a sensational discovery: during a nighttime field mission, the team found eight juvenile Siamese crocodiles — a critically endangered species — in the Srepok Wildlife Sanctuary in eastern Cambodia. What makes this particularly remarkable: it is the first confirmed reproduction in the wild of these critically endangered freshwater crocodiles in Cambodia in over ten years.
