'Conservation successes' bring hope for mountain gorilla

Conservation efforts appear to be paying off for some of the world's most charismatic animals, according to new assessments for the extinction Red List.

Prospects look better for the mountain gorilla, after years of conservation measures, including anti-poaching and veterinary patrols. And numbers of two large whales are recovering, following hunting bans. However, other flora and fauna are declining. Species getting closer to extinction include several types of fish, a globally important timber tree, and one of the world's largest and smelliest flowers. The fin whale, western gray whale, mountain gorilla, and Rothschild's giraffe are among the animals where numbers are rising.

§  What other animals are at risk?

Almost 100,000 plants and animals have now been evaluated for extinction threats by the IUCN. Of these, around a quarter are on the edge of extinction.

The "winners" in the new Red List include:

The mountain gorilla

There were around 600 mountain gorillas left in the wild in 2008, but numbers have now risen to over 1,000 after intensive conservation efforts. These include anti-poaching patrols and vets trained to give care to gorillas in the wild. The gorilla is restricted to protected areas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. Threats remain, including poaching, civil unrest, and diseases passed on by humans. But while mountain gorillas are increasing in number, the great ape remains endangered.

The fin whale

Populations of this large whale - one of the biggest in the ocean - are on the rise, and have roughly doubled since the 1970s. There are now estimated to be 100,000 adults.

The western gray whale

This whale too is reaping the benefits of bans on commercial whaling. Numbers are starting to rise, albeit more slowly. However, this success could be derailed by threats from oil and gas development and commercial fisheries.

The titan arum

Nicknamed the corpse flower, one of the world's largest and smelliest flowers has been assessed for the first time. It is found in the wild only on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. Only about 1,000 plants remain in the wild. It is under threat from logging and the clearing of forest for oil palm plantations.

The vene tree

Illegal logging is threatening the survival of this globally important timber tree, found in West and Central Africa

Fish

Fifty-four fish species from two important fisheries are threatened by unsustainable fishing. They include Malawi's most economically valuable fish, the chambo, and more than 100 types of grouper, a fish found widely around the world.