The MMA (Ministry of Environment and Climate Change) placed, for the second time, the great blue macaw already National List of Fauna Species Threatened with Extinction. The measure was published in the Official Gazette of the Union on Thursday (18).
The new list brings together 790 threatened species and nine extinct species, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and terrestrial invertebrates. According to the MMA, the version replaces the previous list, from 2022, and includes the results of assessments conducted by ICMBio (Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation).
As blue macaws, specifically, rejoined the relationship after seven years. The species was first identified in the 1980s, where, according to the Blue Macaw Institute, more than 10,000 birds were removed from the wild as a result of trafficking and hunting.
In 2014, after years of the species left the official list, until becoming part of it again in June this year.
Endangered species
According to the MMA, among the threatened species, 168 are classified as Critically Endangered (CR), of which 25 are considered Possibly Extinct (CR-PE). While another 285 are in the Endangered (EN) category and 336 are classified as Vulnerable (VU).
Only the northeastern curassow species (Paux several) remains in the Extinct in the Wild (EW) category, with specimens kept only in captivity.
Already the represent the largest group on the endangered list, with 264 species or subspecies. Next come birds, with 242 records, reptiles, with 123, mammals, with 102, and amphibians, with 59 species or subspecies.
Approximately 180 species or subspecies were included in the threatened list following the results of the technical assessment. As described by the MMA, this group brings together species that have demonstrated a worsening in their conservation status.
The main highlights are the reinsertion of the great blue macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus), reclassified as Vulnerable (VU), of the black howler monkey (Alouatta caraya) and tamanduaí (Cyclopes rufus) on the list.
Although the number is considered high, there was still an improvement in the rate of species that left the threatened list. The balance shows that around 150 species are no longer considered to be at risk of extinction.
The MMA points out that the change occurs due to different factors, such as the advancement of scientific knowledge about the species, taxonomic revisions and improvements in the conservation status of some populations.
In addition, there were also changes related to taxonomic revisions and the reclassification of species to non-threatened categories, such as Least Concern (LC), Near Threatened (NT) or Deficient Data (DD).
Extinct Species
They are new ones two of which were amphibians, six were birds and one was a mammal. The number remains stable in relation to the Official National List of Extinct Fauna Species of 2022, which contained the same survey.
Among the species in the Extinct (EX) category is the bell gladiator treefrog (Boana cymbalum). The species, endemic to the upper portions of Serra do Mar, in São Paulo, has not been recorded since 1962, despite decades of searches in its historical habitat.
According to the Ministry, factors such as urban expansion, industrial pollution and disease contributed to its extinction.
*Under the supervision of Carolina Figueiredo
