IUCN Red List update: Invasive species and illegal trade push reptiles and cacti closer to extinction

Sub: Env

Sec: Biodiversity

Context:

The IUCN Red List highlights severe threats to island reptiles from invasive species.

Invasive Species and Reptile Declines:

The Ibiza wall lizard (Podarcis pityusensis) is now endangered due to a 50% population decline caused by the invasive horseshoe whip snake (Hemorrhois hippocrepis).
The Gran Canaria giant lizard (Gallotia stehlini) and Gran Canaria skink (Chalcides sexlineatus) found in Gran Canaria, an island in Spain, face extinction from the introduced California kingsnake (Lampropeltis californiae), with population declines of over 50% since 2014.
Both species have been reclassified from least concern to

Illegal Trade and Cactus Endangerment:

The illegal trade of ornamental cacti poses a significant threat to species in Chile’s Atacama desert.
82% of Copiapoa cacti species are now critically endangered, up from 55% in 2013, driven by high demand in Europe and
Climate change exacerbates the threat, disrupting the oceanic fog crucial for their hydration.
Poached cacti are distinguishable by their grey tone and dusty bloom, unlike the greener cultivated plants.

IUCN Recommendations

International collaboration is necessary to prevent the transportation of poached plants.
Greenhouses offer a sustainable alternative for cultivating Copiapoa cacti.
Urgent action is needed to address the rising extinction risk of Copiapoa cacti, with 82% now at risk compared to 55% in the last major assessment.

Source: DTE