If you had to guess which countries are losing the greatest number of endangered mammals to extinction, which would you pick? Actually, you don’t have to guess. There’s a new map that will show you, in no uncertain terms, where in the world we’re losing animals the fastest.
The top three “winners” of this unfortunate contest are Indonesia (184), Madagascar (114), Mexico (101), with India following close behind at 94.
The map below comes from information compiled by Eco Experts, using information gathered from the World Bank. The numbers spring starkly to life when presented as an image.
Why are these particular countries losing so many mammals so quickly? It’s a combination of factors. Each location is particularly high in biodiversity. There are vast numbers of animals living in these areas of the world. Indonesia, for example, is the country with the highest number of mammal species at 670. Brazil is second with 648. China follows with 551, and Mexico has 523.
Notice a trend? Lots of animals, but for each of these countries, lots of animal losses as well. This incredible richness of mammal life is no match for the voracious killing machines known as deforestation, habitat destruction and human encroachment. Many species, with no place to live, simply die off.
In some cases, such species exist nowhere else in the world. Eight of 101 threatened mammals in Mexico, for example, will be extinct if they disappear from that country. The same is true for 111 mammals in Madagascar.
See the map image and continue reading at ENN affiliate, Care2.
Animal image via Shutterstock.