 IS it time to say good-bye to a beloved Filipino staple, Ronquilo’s anchovy (“dilis”)? Dilis may soon become extinct, one of 29 bony fish species unique to Philippine waters that have been listed, along with threats to their survival, in “Red List: Status of Marine Endemic Teleosts (Bony Fishes) of the Philippines.” The endemic species are of national significance, being found only within Philippine territory and, as such, within the management confines of the government. It is imperative to identify and document particular species at risk of extinction and in most need of conservation attention.
The “Red List” authors are prominent biologists Dr. Kent Carpenter, Moonyeen Nida Alava, Mike Joshua Palomar, Dr. Beth Polidoro and environmental lawyer Rodolfo Ferdinand Quicho Jr. Atty. Quicho said, “The world has changed and is changing so much due to climate change. Our biodiversity is among our most important assets to ensure our resilience amidst these changes. We must start with our endemics because they are the most significant indicators of our environmental health, thus, our capacity to adapt to climate change.”
He added that “Red List” evaluates the level of threat to survival (or of extinction) of the 29 species examined. The findings indicate, among others, that most of those species found in shallow waters are already vulnerable to extinction. It is also important to note that many of the species assessed in the book were last recorded between 50 and 100 years ago, and that very little data on them are available. For practical purposes, these species should be considered as threatened because their chances of survival are not known, much less whether they still exist.
The must-have reference used the Red List Assessment Criteria and Categories of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the standard and most used measuring tool for determining whether specific species of animals and plants are endangered or not.
“Red List” was launched recently by First Philippine Conservation Inc. (FPCI) and Global Marine Species Assessment for the Coral Triangle (GMSA-CT), together with GTZ, Adaptation to Climate Change & Conservation of the Biodiversity in the Philippines, IUCN, Conservation International, First Gen and other supporters. To get a free copy, call Monica Tan of FPCI at 638-7670 or 449-6085. Recommend this article...
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