Protecting just 0.7% of land can save many unique species

Imagine this: with just a focus on 0.7% of the world’s land, we could safeguard a third of the world’s endangered tetrapod species. How? The answers lie in a recent study from Imperial College London, On the Edge, and ZSL.

New era of conservation efforts

We live in a world teeming with biodiversity, where 0.7% of our planet’s land can house a stunning one third of threatened tetrapod species.

The team at Imperial College London, backed by supporting organizations, On the Edge and ZSL, have adopted a new perspective for conservation.

Focused on regions boasting wondrous biodiversity and species with unique evolutionary traits and global endangerment, they’re setting the stage for a new era of conservation efforts.

The list of endangered species in their radar ranges from a very unique lemur in Madagascar, called the aye-aye, and a bird that seems like it’s put on high heels and a cape, the secretary bird.

There’s also a frog that looks like it’s preparing for a masquerade ball with a pig nose, known as the purple frog, and let’s not forget the gharial, an endangered crocodile species from India with a nose so long it would give Pinocchio a run for his money.

Proactive protection or persistent pressure?

Despite these identifiable hotspots of biodiversity, the unfortunate truth is that only 20% of these areas are under any form of protection. Human activities continue to exert growing pressures on these regions, almost like tightening a noose around our own natural wealth.

Sebastian Pipins, a PhD candidate at the Grantham Institute, Imperial College London, and the lead author of this study, provides his insights. He emphasizes the immediate concern these regions pose due to their exceptional biodiversity richness.

“Our research highlights the regions of the world that are of immediate concern. Furthermore, it shows that in protecting just a fraction of the Earth’s land surface, huge gains can be made for the preservation of nature,” said Pipins.

“Given the global importance of the biodiversity found within these regions, high-income countries must mobilize funding to facilitate sustainable development that can benefit both humans and nature.”

On the edge of extinction

This project isn’t about conservation alone. It’s also about preserving the evolutionary narrative of our world, written over millennia.

EDGE is short for Evolutionarily Distinct (ED) and Globally Endangered (GE) species. These are creatures that have few or no close relatives today, carrying unique evolutionary stories on the brink of being silenced forever.

With nearly 3,000 EDGE species mapped out, the team identifies 25 “EDGE Zones” for impactful conservation efforts.

These areas are biodiversity-rich hotspots, such as large portions of Southeast Asia and the Indo-Gangetic plain, the Amazon basin, the Atlantic Forest, Hispaniola, Cameroon’s highlands, and the Eastern Arc mountains of East Africa.

Interestingly, the greatest concentration of EDGE species was found in less than 100 square kilometers in Madagascar. Along with Mexico and Indonesia, it hosts the highest number of EDGE species. It’s almost like they’re the VIP lounges for the world’s most unique creatures.

Saving unique, endangered species

Dr. Rikki Gumbs, a co-author of the study from the ZSL’s EDGE of Existence program, drops a stark reality check on us: Three-fourths of the world’s most unique animals are confined to a single country.

Most EDGE Zones, especially in Southeast Asia, face an impending biodiversity disaster due to human disturbances.

It’s not just about protecting our unique creatures; we’re also dealing with a scenario where humans residing in these EDGE Zones face deprivation in health, education, and living standards.

Priceless biodiversity of endangered species

Governments often struggle to strike a balance between addressing human needs and preserving biodiversity. The researchers emphasize that high-income countries must step up to the plate, mobilizing funding for sustainable development benefiting both humans and nature.

The team’s ambitious global goal? Get more EDGE Zones under protected status, with the current figure standing at a dismal 20 percent. As the planet gears up for COP16 Biodiversity Conference, it’s time to push for increased commitments and resources to preserve and restore our shared natural world.

Bigger picture for biodiversity

This study isn’t about conservation of endangered species alone. It’s about preserving the library of life on Earth, where every creature holds a unique tale of evolution. Our researchers strongly believe that the EDGE Zone approach can be extended to other important groups of wildlife, including plants and fish.

The charitable organization On the Edge and the ZSL’s EDGE of Existence program are already using the research findings to guide their activities. Here’s hoping that these campaigns and regional efforts, combined with storytelling and increased funding, will turn the tide for the unique species of the world.

In the end, we’re talking about securing 0.7% of our planet’s land to protect a third of our threatened tetrapods. It’s a small shift in perspective, but it carries a massive potential for positive change.

The study is published in the journal Nature Communications.

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