Freshwater

A new Global Freshwater Fauna Assessment shows that a quarter of freshwater animals are at risk of extinction. 

North America is the world’s hotspot for freshwater mussels, with more than 300 species! Freshwater mussels have filtration “superpowers” that allow them to clean water, recycle and store nutrients.

Freshwater fungi are an indispensable part of freshwater ecosystems. They may be microscopic in size, but they pack a punch when it comes to ecological function.

Mangrove forests once fringed most of the world’s protected tropical coastline but have historically suffered significant losses due to coastal aquaculture, agriculture, and urban development.

The Indianapolis Zoo has selected the ten finalists in the running for its $1 million Saving Species Challenge.

Socotra is the site of an IUCN SSC Freshwater Conservation Committee project to contribute to the conservation of the unique freshwater fauna in the Socotra Archipelago UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site.

Despite being microscopic, freshwater fungi are powerhouses when it comes to ecological function.

Focus is on the need to restore these important ecosystems since 35% of the world’s wetlands have disappeared in the last 50 years!

The Socotra archipelago has an unusually high number of endemic species – those that are found nowhere else in the world.

Of the 27 described species of sturgeon, 26 are now at risk of extinction. The 27th, the Chinese Paddlefish, is classified as Extinct.