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Reconciling global mammal prioritization schemes into a strategy
Carlo Rondinini1, Luigi Boitani, Ana S L Rodrigues
1Global Mammal Assessment programme, Department of Biology and Biotechnologies, Sapienza Università di Roma, Viale dell'Università 32, 00185 Rome, Italy. carlo.rondinini@uniroma1.it
Summary
Developing a comprehensive global mammal conservation strategy is crucial. Integrating existing data and prioritization schemes, coordinated by an authoritative body like the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), can guide conservation actions.
Area of Science:
- Conservation Biology
- Mammalogy
- Biodiversity Management
Background:
- Mammals garner significant conservation interest, leading to numerous global prioritization schemes.
- Despite extensive data, a unified global mammal conservation strategy is lacking.
- Existing schemes present potential discrepancies in focus (species vs. areas) and approach (reactive vs. proactive).
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight discrepancies among current global mammal prioritization schemes.
- To propose the development of a comprehensive global mammal conservation strategy.
- To suggest leveraging existing data and schemes for a unified approach.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of existing global mammal prioritization schemes.
- Identification of key discrepancies in conservation focus, approach, and scale.
- Conceptual framework for integrating data and schemes into a cohesive strategy.
Main Results:
- Significant variations exist between different global mammal prioritization schemes.
- Potential conflicts arise from differing conservation objectives and methodologies.
- Existing data and schemes provide a foundation for a unified strategy.
Conclusions:
- A comprehensive global mammal conservation strategy is urgently needed.
- Such a strategy should be coordinated by a neutral, authoritative institution (e.g., IUCN).
- A unified strategy will enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of global mammal conservation efforts by identifying clear priorities and facilitating complementary actions.
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