EU issues endangered animal warning

The European Commission sounded the alarm today on the state of more than 1,000 vulnerable species and hundreds of protected habitats across the EU.

The most comprehensive bio-diversity study ever carried out in Europe warns that the vast majority of endangered animals have not achieved acceptable levels of conservation.

Vast areas of protected grasslands, wetlands and coastal habitats are also at risk – and EU pledges to reverse the trend by next year have no hope of being realised.

The report, a sweeping analysis of conservation trends between 2001-2006, urges EU governments to step up their efforts.

EU environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas insisted the picture was not all gloomy, with some “emblematic” animal species deemed at risk – the wolf, the brown bear, the beaver and the otter – beginning to recolonise.

But he said Europe’s biodiversity remained under serious pressure and faced grave risks.

“We are committed to halting the loss of biodiversity in Europe and today’s report leaves no room for complacency” he said.

Professor Jacqueline McGlade, Executive Director of the European Environment Agency added: “Although we will miss the target of halting the biodiversity loss in Europe by 2010, some progress is being made.”

The report covers more than 1,180 species, and more than 200 types of habitat in 25 EU countries.

The report singles out Cyprus, Greece, Spain and Portugal, who all indicated “unknown” for more than half of their species.

Of the nine countries with territory within the Atlantic biogeographical region, Germany with 29% has the largest extent of threatened habitats in “favourable” condition, followed by Portugal (21%); Denmark (19%); Netherlands (8%); Ireland (6%); UK (6%); Belgium (4%) and France (3%).