Global priority areas to protect mammals mapped

To protect thousands of mammal species, with a focus on species with few close relatives, the scientists have mapped priority areas across the world, including parts of India.

This is the first ever mapping of these priority areas for preserving the diversity of mammal evolution along with minimum target areas for habitat protection.

The scientists at Australian National University (ANU) used maps of about 4,700 land mammals' surroundings, and information on how species are related to each other, to identify significant places around the world for protecting the world's mammal diversity in a study.

About this study

The study tries to protect all land mammals, but top priority is given to those species which have no close relatives, because if they were lost there would be nothing like them left.

The study recognized the top places in every continent, including India, China and Spain, Australian deserts near Alice Springs, Sumatra and Java, and Madagascar.

Background of this Study

Habitat loss is a major threat to the world's mammal species - over 1,000 mammal species are already threatened. It needs protection and conservation all around the world. However, due to scarcity of land and money, efforts were limited.

And by targeting to conserve these areas with these really unique species, it protects a lot of other species.

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Current Affairs 2017