European Commission warns of 'alarming decline' in biodiversity
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Antonio Ruiz/ CMA-Junta de Andalusia Iberus gualtieranus, land snail |
Water pollution, overfishing, habitat loss and the introduction of non-native species are all responsible for the decline of aquatic species in Europe, according to the new research, conducted with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Some 44 percent of all freshwater mollusks, 37 percent of freshwater fish, and 23 percent of amphibians are now under threat, it found.
Animals that live near and depend on the increasingly dirty and receding sources of water have also suffered. About 20 percent of terrestrial mollusks, 19 percent of reptiles, 15 percent of both mammals and dragonflies and 13 percent of birds are also threatened, the research showed.
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