By Ifham Nizam

Fifty-three out of the 97 assessed fauna species are threatened. Further, 74% of the freshwater fish endemic to Sri Lanka are also threatened, the National Red Lists of Freshwater Fish and Flora reveals.

 National Red List, Biodiversity Secretariat Consultant/Team Leader Fauna Prof. Device Weerakoon told The Island yesterday of the 61 endemic species assessed, 12 species were listed as Critically Endangered (CR); 24 as Endangered (EN) and nine species as Vulnerable (VU).

Five more species have been listed as Near Threatened (NT); two species as Data Deficient (DD); and the remaining species as Least Concern (LC). Out of the 61 endemic species accessed, the status of 59 has been updated in the global Red List.

 The status of two species whose taxonomic status is yet to be resolved and will be updated in the global list once the validity of the species is confirmed. Among the 36 native species assessed, eight species were listed as threatened. Therefore, compared to native species, the endemic species are facing a significantly high risk of extinction.

 Dr. Weerakoon says urgent planned conservation action is needed at least for endemic species threatened with extinction r to prevent their imminent disappearance from the face of the earth.

 “A list of immediate actions that should be taken to address this issue has been outlined in the book including the need to conduct planned systematic surveys, development and implementation of recovery plans at least for the 12 critically endangered species, updating the Red List at least on an annual basis, conducting further research on threatened species to inform recovery planning process and create awareness among citizens to reduce the drivers that are operating on freshwater fish of Sri Lanka.”

  The surface water resources of Sri Lanka extend over four per cent of the land extent and comprise both natural and manmade systems. The natural freshwater sources include rivers, villus and marshes while the manmade systems include ponds, irrigation canals and large number of small, medium, and large tanks.

 A further nine per cent of Sri Lanka’s land extent comprises rice paddy that retained water over much of its growth cycle. “This wide array of freshwater ecosystems provides habitats to a large number of freshwater dwelling species including fish. Sri Lanka has a rich freshwater fish fauna that comprise of 47 native species, 61 endemic species and around 30 introduced species,” Dr. Weerakoon said.

 He said most of the endemic and threatened freshwater fish species occupied habitats outside the protected area network and therefore subjected to many anthropogenic influences that have resulted in sharp decline in freshwater fish population as well as local extinctions. Therefore, there was an urgent need to take steps to conserve the freshwater fish of Sri Lanka, especially the species that faced a high risk of extinction.

Dr. Weerakoon said the Red List was one of the best indicators of the health of a species as it was an assessment that took into consideration most of the internal and external factors that influenced the long-term survival of the species assessed.