Skip to main content
WCS
Menu
Library
Library Catalog
eJournals & eBooks
WCS Research
Archives
Research Use
Finding Aids
Digital Collections
WCS History
WCS Research
Research Publications
Science Data
Services for WCS Researchers
Archives Shop
Bronx Zoo
Department of Tropical Research
Browse By Product
About Us
FAQs
Intern or Volunteer
Staff
Donate
Search WCS.org
Search
search
Popular Search Terms
WCS History
Library and Archives
Library and Archives Menu
Library
Archives
WCS Research
Archives Shop
About Us
Donate
en
fr
Title
Conserving the world’s megafauna and biodiversity: the fierce urgency of now
Author(s)
Ripple, William J.;Chapron, Guillaume;López-Bao, José Vicente;Durant, Sarah M.;Macdonald, David W.;Lindsey, Peter A.;Bennett, Elizabeth L.;Beschta, Robert L.;Bruskotter, Jeremy T.;Campos-Arceiz, Ahimsa;Corlett, Richard T.;Darimont, Chris T.;Dickman, Amy J.;Dirzo, Rodolfo;Dublin, Holly T.;Estes, James A.;Everatt, Kristoffer T.;Galetti, Mauro;Goswami, Varun R.;Hayward, Matt W.;Hedges, Simon;Hoffmann, Michael;Hunter, Luke T. B.;Kerley, Graham I. H.;Letnic, Mike;Levi, Taal;Maisels, Fiona;Morrison, John C.;Nelson, Michael Paul;Newsome, Thomas M.;Painter, Luke;Pringle, Robert M.;Sandom, Christopher J.;Terborgh, John;Treves, Adrian;Van Valkenburgh, Blaire;Vucetich, John A.;Wirsing, Aaron J.;Wallach, Arian D.;Wolf, Christopher;Woodroffe, Rosie;Young, Hillary;Zhang, Li
Published
2017
Publisher
BioScience
Published Version DOI
https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biw168
Abstract
In our recent perspective article, we noted that most (approximately 0 percent) terrestrial large carnivore and large herbivore species are now threatened with extinction, and we offered a 13-point declaration designed to promote and guide actions to save these iconic mammalian megafauna (Ripple et al. 2016). Some may worry that a focus on saving megafauna might undermine efforts to conserve biodiversity more broadly. We believe that all dimensions of biodiversity are important and that efforts to conserve megafauna are not in themselves sufficient to halt the dispiriting trends of species and population losses in recent decades. From 1970 to 2012, a recent global analysis showed a 58 percent overall decline in vertebrate population abundance (WWF 2016). Bold and varied approaches are necessary to conserve what remains of Earth’s biodiversity, and our declaration in no way disputes the value of specific conservation initiatives targeting other taxa. Indeed, the evidence is clear that without massively scaling up conservation efforts for all species, we will fail to achieve internationally agreed-upon targets for biodiversity (Tittensor et al. 2014).
Access Full Text
A full-text copy of this article may be available. Please email the
WCS Library
to request.
Back
PUB22513