Written by Gyorgy Szimuly/WorldWaders
The Endangered Species Day could not be more actual than today when hundreds of threatened and endangered animals are fading away as an effect of the oil spill in the Mexican Gulf. The special day celebrates the endangered and critically endangered species for the 5th times. The last conservation activities are under way worldwide for pulling back these animals from the brink of extinction.
Shorebirds are no exception. The list of endangered and critically endangered shorebird species is massive. It should be zero but sadly there could be further negative changes, during the next evaluation process, in the status of shorebird species.
List of Endangered shorebird species:
Chatham Oystercatcher Haematopus chathamensis
Status: Endangered D ver 3.1
Pop. trend: increasing
New Zealand Plover Charadrius obscurus
Status: Endangered C2a(i) ver 3.1
Pop. trend: decreasing
Shore Dotterel Thinornis novaeseelandiae
Status: Endangered D ver 3.1
Pop. trend: stable
Tuamotu Sandpiper Prosobonia cancellata
Status: Endangered B1ab(ii,iii,iv,v) ver 3.1
Pop. trend: decreasing
List of Critically Endangered shorebird species:
Sociable Lapwing Vanellus gregarius
Status: Critically Endangered A3bc+4bc ver 3.1
Pop. trend: decreasing
St Helena Plover Charadrius sanctaehelenae
Status: Critically Endangered C2a(ii) ver 3.1
Pop. trend: decreasing
Slender-billed Curlew Numenius tenuirostris
Status: Critically Endangered C2a(ii); D ver 3.1
Pop. trend: decreasing
Spoon-billed Sandpiper Eurynorhynchus pygmeus
Status: Critically Endangered A2abcd+3bcd+4abcd ver 3.1
Pop. trend: decreasing
Jerdon's Courser Rhinoptilus bitorquatus
Status: Critically Endangered C2a(ii) ver 3.1
Pop. trend: decreasing
List of possibly Extinct shorebird species:
Javan Lapwing Vanellus macropterus
Status: Critically Endangered D ver 3.1
Pop. trend: unknown
Eskimo Curlew Numenius borealis
Status: Critically Endangered D ver 3.1
Source: IUCN 2010. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 May 2010.
What conservation bodies and individuals can do? Is there still some chance to keep the diversity of waders at least on the current level? So many questions are waiting to be answered. Public awareness is one of the key tool which can help to save the habitats of shorebirds they are using during all their life cycle. There is much to do on individual level to slow global warming and the increase of sea level. The lenght of to do list is endless.
Today is the time of action. Every little step counts!