This year has been a mixed year for endangered species. That is the conclusion of nature conservation organization WWF, which has chosen the ‘Winners and Losers of the Animal Kingdom 2024’. The native hedgehog is considered ‘potentially endangered’ for the first time. But there are also bright spots for some animal species.
The year 2024 brought mixed developments for endangered species. That is the conclusion of nature conservation organization WWF, which has determined the ‘winners and losers in the animal kingdom in 2024’.
Hedgehog “potentially endangered” for the first time
Wolves in Europe should be on the hit list more often if their protection status is downgraded, WWF reminded Austria. The number of Western European hedgehogs, also called brown-breasted hedgehogs, is declining sharply. In particular, the destruction of rural habitats through agricultural intensification, roads and urban development is leading to constant decline, the WWF explained on Friday.
The Western European hedgehog is found in large parts of Central Europe, including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, but also Great Britain. Over the past decade, the number is estimated to have fallen by 16 to 33 percent, depending on the country.
WWF calls for a nature conservation offensive
“Wild animals are disappearing from our planet forever at a record rate, and all the causes are man-made: habitat destruction, overexploitation and poaching, invasive species, environmental pollution and the climate crisis,” said WWF species conservation expert Georg Scattolin . The WWF is therefore calling on politicians to take a nature conservation offensive. “The protection of biodiversity and the climate must be given greater priority worldwide. There are always bright spots where people are actively committed to protecting nature,” Scattolin emphasizes.
According to the WWF, neither the World Conference on Nature nor the World Climate Conference have brought the necessary progress this year. In Europe, the delay of the EU’s deforestation regulation has led conservationists to fear further destruction of species-rich rainforests. However, the decision on the important EU renaturation regulation was groundbreaking. In Austria, “land consumption is of particular concern” – with fatal consequences for biodiversity, according to the WWF.
Bright spots in species protection
But the WWF’s annual balance sheet also highlights the year’s winners. Thanks to intensive conservation work, tigers are doing better and Siamese crocodiles, sea turtles and tuna are returning to their original habitats. Sea eagles and white storks are on the rise in Austria. “The 2024 winning species show that our commitment to protecting endangered species and ecosystems is worthwhile and that, despite setbacks, there are always opportunities for nature,” Scattolin explains.
Source: Krone
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