The beginning of the 20th century, the English scientist J. Darrell draws an analogy: the world is a web, and if it is slightly touched, it will tremble at best, and at worst there will be a gap. So a person, along with technological progress, shakes the world, creating holes in it that, most likely, will not close. First of all, this affects the flora and fauna of the whole planet: various species of animals, plants, fungi disappear, the existence of many of which the world community already knows only from paleontological excavations. And what will remain for our descendants? Do they have to study the past diversity of the animal world from pictures in encyclopedias and historical references?
Sooner or later, mankind should come to the understanding that the surrounding nature must be protected and protected. The result of an attempt to preserve flora and fauna was the International Red Book. The story of her creation is quite interesting.
How the Red Book was created
Already far 1902. Paris, a congress of biologists from around the world, the urgent issue is the conservation of birds. After long reports, for the first time, a decision is made to protect the biodiversity of the planet and the International Convention for the Protection of Birds is signed, which became the progenitor of the modern Red Book.
More than forty years have passed. The whole world is recovering after the Second World War. 1948, under the auspices of UNESCO, a non-governmental organization, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), is created. Already in 1949, IUCN establishes a "supervisory authority" - the Commission on Surviving Species.
Main tasks
The International Union for Conservation of Nature has identified the main objectives of the Commission on Surviving Species:
- to study the state of rare species of plants, mushrooms, animals;
- identify species with a high risk of extinction;
- to develop draft international treaties and conventions;
- make lists of endangered species;
- offer solutions for the conservation of endangered species.
Defined goals, objectives, but what next? And, as it usually happens, their implementation dragged on ... Almost 20 years have passed. 1963, commission head Peter Scott suggests compiling a list of endangered animals called the International Red Book. Members of the commission asked the question: “Why red?”, To which Scott replied: “Red is the color of danger, which means that we can lose even the little that we have.”
Soon the first edition in two volumes, similar to a flip calendar, was published. It includes 312 species of birds and 211 species of mammals. The book was sent to specific recipients - scientists and statesmen. The creators of the folio provided in advance that the information about the animals could change, so as the data was updated, new sheets were sent to the recipients instead of the old ones.
Changes and additions: timeline
Until 1980, the Red Book was reprinted three more times: the format changed, the number of volumes increased, species information changed (13 restored animal species appeared in the 4th edition), and the structure changed.
From 1988 to 1998 The International Red Book is released - a list of animals called the Red List of Threatened Species. Within 10 years, 5 such lists have been released. They are similar to the Red Book, but have a completely different format, a different classification of species. So, the list consists of two blocks, which are also divided into taxa. Interestingly, one of the taxa includes those animal species that have been preserved in captivity.
Both the lists and the International Red Book are maintained by IUCN and the World Center for Environmental Monitoring (Cambridge, UK). Under the auspices of IUCN, thousands of people from the Rare Species Commission are involved in information analysis, data accounting and book publishing. It is thanks to their work that we know which animals need protection, and which of them, unfortunately, we will never see on our planet.
Appearance
What does the International Red Book look like? This is a rather interesting folio, which is somewhat reminiscent of a rainbow: the cover is bright scarlet, and sections of different colors (red, black, white, green, yellow, gray). Many people have a question about where the Red Book is stored. Fortunately, this is a publicly available publication, so it can be found in any good library. Some nature lovers prefer to have it in their personal book arsenal.
Now let's talk more about each section. Information about animals of the International Red Book is divided into six parts:
- extinct species;
- endangered and rare animals;
- species that quickly disappear;
- small species;
- little studied species;
- animals that do not need protection.
Thanks to this, it is easy to find information about a particular animal in it.
Species Encoding
Representatives of each section of the Red Book have their own encoding.
On the black pages of the tome are extinct animals (EX) and extinct animals in nature (EW); red pages - species vulnerable (VU) and on the verge of extinction (CR); yellow pages - endangered species (VN); white pages are views that are close to a vulnerable state (NT); gray pages - little studied species (CD); Green Pages - Least Endangered Species (LCs).
What other information does the International Red Book contain? Photo of animals. Naturally, on the pages of the book next to biological data there is a photograph of the described species (the exception is extinct animals whose appearance is recreated either graphically or using computer graphics).
This is what the International Red Book looks like. The animals that are represented in it are diverse. In connection with scientific progress, information is constantly updated, new species are added, and some animals change their status due to nature conservation actions. And it can not but rejoice!
Regional editions of the Red Book
Speaking of the International Red Book, it is worth noting that it has analogues: for example, the International Red Book of Ukraine or the International Red Book of Russia. Animals, the information on which such publications contain, live (or once lived) in these territories.
As it turned out, the regional editions of the Red Book contain more detailed information about the species, in contrast to the international one. This fact is due to the fact that the regions primarily focus on the fauna inherent in this area, the number and variety of which differs significantly from the global scale. Therefore, the data is analyzed more carefully and regularly updated.
Regional books also differ from the international version in design, only the red cover remains unchanged.
Let us now dwell on the most striking individuals of the animal world, which are on the verge of extinction and are listed in the Red Book.
International Red Book: Amur Tiger (Panthera tigris altaica)
The Amur tiger (Ussuri) in the Red Book is designated as a small species (VU) in the territory of northern Russia. 100 years ago, the number of these animals was estimated in thousands, but due to hunting, the population began to decline sharply. Today, the number of the Amur tiger barely reaches 500 individuals.
This species is one of the few representatives of the cat family that has adapted to the harsh climate of the taiga. A distinctive feature of this subspecies is a five-centimeter fat layer on the stomach, which allows the cat to tolerate excessively low temperatures.
International Red Book: Animals - Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia)
Snow leopard (snow leopard, snow leopard) - a large cat that lives in the mountainous regions of Central Asia. Until the beginning of the 20th century, snow leopards were an important link in the fur trade. Today, snow leopard hunting is prohibited, the International Red Book contains information about the animal. Snow leopards are classified as endangered.
Wisai Warty Pig (Sus cebifrons)
Visayan warty pig lives in the world on just two islands - Panai and Negro (Philippine archipelago). Due to random hunting, the population of these pigs has declined by as much as 80% over 60 years! Since 1998, the Visayan warty pig has been guarded by the International Red Book. Animals are considered an endangered species.
Spotted-Tailed Marten (Dasyurus maculatus)
The spotted marsupial marten (tiger cat) got its name due to its similarity with the marten and cat. Today, this species of martens lives in two isolated populations of the Australian coast (northern - Queensland, eastern - from southern Queensland to Tasmania). Information on marsupial martens is contained in the International Red Book. Animals of this species have a status close to vulnerable position (NT).
Fine Tooth Sawmill (Pristis microdon)
The fine-toothed pyloryl (stingray-pilonos) is an inhabitant of the coastal waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans. Life expectancy in captivity is not more than 7 years. In the Red Book, the sawfly has the status of “near extinction” (CR).
Burmese snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus strykeri)
Burmese snub-nosed monkey (Stryker rhinopithecus) as a species became known to scientists only in 2010. This species of monkey lives exclusively in northern Burma. The primate got its name thanks to its discoverer and unusual nose structure - the nostrils of the rhinopithecus are turned up. Due to a similar anatomical feature, a Burmese monkey sneezes during rain - drops of water fall into her nose. Already in 2012, the Burmese monkey was listed in the Red Book, the status is on the verge of extinction (CR). Today in the world there are about 300 individuals of the Burmese snub-nosed monkey.
Our closest relative is the orangutan (Pongo)
Orangutan is a woody anthropoid ape, its DNA structure is the closest to human DNA. Sumatran and Kalimantan orangutans are distinguished (the difference in size is larger Kalimantan). The reason for the decline in the population is deforestation (orangutan habitat) and poaching.
Sumatran orangutan is listed in the Red Book, status - on the brink of extinction (CR); Kalimantan orangutan is presented with the status of “vulnerable species” (VU). The hope remains that this species will be preserved thanks to zoos and nature reserves.
Caspian seal (Phoca caspica)
Caspian seal (Caspian seal) migrates between the northern part of the Caspian Sea and the Urals. Even 100 years ago, the number of seals amounted to more than a million individuals, today their number barely reaches 100 thousand. Reasons: massive poaching, water pollution, climate change. The Caspian seal is listed in the Red Book as a species that is on the verge of extinction (EN).
In conclusion
Man, it would seem, is a rational creature, but nevertheless he thoughtlessly destroys fields, forests, “turns the river back”, hunts before search, engages in poaching. The consequence of such frivolous behavior is the disappearance of representatives of flora and fauna.
The Red Book, having come out, drew the attention of the public to how much harm man had already brought to the surrounding nature. Of course, some species, unfortunately, will remain on the pages of history, but there are still those that can be preserved for future generations.
Thanks to all the zoological parks and reserves that make an invaluable contribution to the conservation of species! But still I really want every person on Earth to contribute to the preservation of the environment, and the Red Book is regularly updated with green pages.
Earthlings! Remember: it is vitally important for us to protect the planet that still bears us, to value and preserve the nature that surrounds us, and not for a moment to forget that every creature on Earth needs and is important! Animals are our neighbors on the planet, not clothes and food!