21.5% of animal, plant and fungal species in Greece are at risk of extinction

21.5% of plant, animal and fungal species are at risk of extinction in Greece, according to the Red List prepared by the Organization for Environment and Climate Change (OFYPEKA/NECCA).

The list of 11,500 endangered species was compiled and published by OFYPEKA on the occasion of the European NATURA 2000 Day on 21 May 2024.

Of the total number of species found in Greece, about 21.5% are assessed as endangered.

1213 species are classified as Vulnerable (VU), 775 are classified as Endangered (EN), and 453 species are classified as Critically Endangered (CR). Among the assessed species, about 3,000 are endemic to Greece, that is, species that are not found in any other country in the world. These species will gradually be included in the global IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

It is worth noting that the previous attempt to assess our country's threatened species was made in 2009, and then about 1,000 animal species and 300 plant species were assessed.

The Red Book is the largest database (catalog on the website redlist.necca.gov.gr) on the Biodiversity of Greece and represents a landmark project for the protection and management of Greek nature, while offering all interested parties access to scientific knowledge about tens of thousands of species of flora and fauna.

As part of this initiative, the Environment and Climate Change Organization created a network of 140 Greek and foreign scientists who, with the cooperation and support of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Hellenic Zoological Society (EZE) and the Hellenic Botanical Society (EBE), assessed thousands of species animals, plants and fungi, and categorized them into extinction risk categories.

Globally, 28% of species assessed by the IUCN are threatened with extinction. In the case of Greece, this figure is 21.5% of all species assessed under the Red Book. One in five species is threatened with extinction.

In terms of individual taxonomic groups, 18.7% of plants, 22.6% of animals and 34.8% of fungi are threatened with extinction. Specifically, 28.3% of birds, 31.3% of mammals, 13.3% of reptiles, 34.6% of amphibians and 21.5% of invertebrates are threatened with extinction.

Some species, thanks to protection and conservation measures, are no longer directly endangered in the country and have been reclassified as low risk (LC). Typical examples are the sea turtle Caretta Caretta and the kestrel (Falco naumanni).

Red List data is a valuable tool for biodiversity conservation, as it can be used to develop targeted conservation measures and protection policies to preserve Greece's rich natural heritage and promote the sustainable management of its natural resources.

All species listed in the Greek Red List are assessed according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria, and all endemic species assessed through the project will gradually be included in the global IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Greece participates in this network, which serves as a lifeline for endangered species of Greek flora and fauna, and for areas of high ecological value. The Natura 2000 network also functions as a mechanism that takes care of the necessary balance between human activities and nature.

Web site: OFYPEKA/NECCA

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