26-May-2019: Six species listed as facing extinction in Russia

Six mammal, bird and fish species are facing the spectre of extinction in Russia according to a recent press release brought about by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Russia on May 23, 2019.

These include the Saiga antelope, the gyrfalcon, the Persian leopard, the spoon-billed sandpiper, the Sakhalin sturgeon and the kaluga, also a type of sturgeon.

Meanwhile, the populations of some other species that were on the verge of extinction in the last century has increased due to conservation efforts. These include the Amur tiger, the population of which has grown to 580 from 50 in the 1940s. The population of the world’s rarest cat, the Amur leopard, has grown to 110 compared to 30-40 recorded in the 1990s.