A Population Accounting Approach to Assess Tourism Contributions to Conservation of IUCN-Redlisted Mammal Species

Over 1,000 mammal species are red-listed by IUCN, as Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable. Conservation of many threatened mammal species, even inside protected areas, depends on costly active day-to-day defence against poaching, bushmeat hunting, invasive species and habitat encroachment. Many parks agencies worldwide now rely heavily on tourism for routine operational funding: >50% in some cases. This puts rare mammals at a new risk, from downturns in tourism driven by external socioeconomic factors. Using the survival of individual animals as a metric or currency of successful conservation, we calculate here what proportions of remaining populations of IUCN-redlisted mammal species are currently supported by funds from tourism. This proportion is ≥5% for over half of the species where relevant data exist, ≥15% for one fifth, and up to 66% in a few cases. Many of these species, especially the most endangered, survive only in one single remaining subpopulation. These proportions are not correlated either with global population sizes or recognition as wildlife tourism icons. Most of the more heavily tourism-dependent species, however, are medium sized (>7.5 kg) or larger. Historically, biological concern over the growth of tourism in protected areas has centered on direct disturbance to wildlife. These results show that conservation of threatened mammal species has become reliant on revenue from tourism to a previously unsuspected degree. On the one hand, this provides new opportunities for conservation funding; but on the other, dependence on such an uncertain source of funding is a new, large and growing threat to red-listed species.     

What works for threatened species recovery? An empirical evaluation for Australia

Despite the growing numbers of threatened species and high levels of spending on their recovery worldwide, there is surprisingly little evidence about which conservation approaches are effective in arresting or reversing threatened species declines. Using two government data sets, we examined associations between population trends for 841 nationally-threatened terrestrial species in Australia, and four measures of conservation effort: (a) how much their distribution overlaps with strictly protected areas (IUCN I–IV), (b) and other protected areas (IUCN V–VI), (c) the number of recovery activities directed at the species, and (d) numbers of natural resource conservation activities applied in areas where populations of the threatened species occur. We found that all populations of 606 (72%) species were in decline. Species with greater distributional overlap with strictly protected areas had proportionately more populations that were increasing or stable. This effect was robust to geographic range size, data quality differences and extent of protection. Measures other than strictly protected areas showed no positive associations with stable or increasing trends. Indeed, species from regions with more natural resource conservation activities were found to be more likely to be declining, consistent with differential targeting of such generalised conservation activities to highly disturbed landscapes. Major differences in trends were also found among the different jurisdictions in which species predominantly occurred, which may be related to different legislative protections against habitat destruction. Although we were not able to test causation, this research corroborates other evidence that protected areas contribute to the stabilization or recovery of threatened species, and provides little empirical support for other conservation approaches.     

Can an acoustic observatory contribute to the conservation of threatened species?

Observatories are designed to collect data for a range of uses. The Australian Acoustic Observatory (A2O) was established to collect environmental sound, including audible species calls, from 344 recorders at 86 sites around Australia. We examine the potential of the A2O to monitor near threatened, threatened, endangered and critically endangered species, based on their vocal behaviour, geographic distributions in relation to the sites of the A2O and on some knowledge of habitat use. Using IUCN and EPBC lists of threatened and endangered species, we extracted species that vocalized in the audible range, and using conservative estimates of their geographic ranges, determined whether there was a possibility of hearing them at these sites. We found that it may be possible to detect up to 171 threatened species at sites established for the A2O, and that individual sites have the potential to detect up to 40 threatened species. All 86 sites occurred in locations where threatened species could possibly be detected, and the list of detectable species included birds, amphibians, and mammals. We have incidentally detected one mammal and four bird species in the data during other work. Threatening processes to which potentially detectable species were exposed included all but two IUCN threat categories. We concluded that with applications of technology to search the audio data from the A2O, it could serve as an important tool for monitoring threatened species.     

Importance of <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis> technology to future conservation programmes worldwide

The latest IUCN statistics show that of over 12,000 plant species, 70% are threatened, 19% are critically endangered and 28 species are extinct in the wild. Target 8 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC) highlights the importance of ex situ conservation of critically endangered plants. Long-term germplasm storage for species with recalcitrant seeds needs alternative measures. In vitro methods complement seed banking and other ex situ measures and are vital for long-term conservation. Conservation Biotechnology at RBG Kew is currently working on a number of rare and threatened recalcitrant species from biodiversity-rich areas of the world to develop good quality in vitro propagules for cryopreservation, recovery and restoration projects. The importance of successful in vitro propagation methods, transplantation technologies, cryopreservation and international networking for the integrated conservation of these species are discussed in detail.     

Evaluating the conservation status of epiphytic lichens of Italy: A red list

Despite the fact that Italy is among the lichenologically best known areas worldwide, a national red list of lichens is still lacking. The aim of this work was to provide a red list of the epiphytic lichens of Italy which could facilitate the inclusion of lichens in national conservation plans. The evaluation of the species against International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria was based on data from multiple sources which represent the best available information on the epiphytic lichens of Italy. The species were assigned to the IUCN categories mainly using criteria D and B. A total of 368 species were evaluated: for 23 species, information is missing from more than 50 years and they were listed as regionally extinct, 64 as critically endangered, 75 as endangered, 74 as vulnerable, 58 as near threatened, 20 as least concern and 54 species as data deficient. Our results indicate that more than one-fourth of the epiphytic lichens of Italy are likely to be threatened, so that further research and effort are needed to include lichens in the main national conservation plans. Our results also highlight the lack of information that still hampers the rigorous evaluation of Italian lichens against IUCN criteria.     

Tourism as a threat to critically endangered and endangered birds: global patterns and trends in conservation hotspots

More than 12 % of bird species are threatened with extinction. Numerous anthropogenic activities and processes are considered responsible for such declines, including tourism related activities. These activities often occur in global biodiversity hotspots but few studies consider the potential risks associated with tourism. The relative importance of tourism as a threat to birds was quantified using a global analysis of the threats facing critically endangered and endangered birds in the hotspots. Sixty-three critically endangered and endangered bird species are reportedly threatened by tourism. Among those 63 species, marine, coastal and aquatic birds are threatened more by tourism than was expected. Hotspots with the most species threatened by tourism are Polynesia–Micronesia and the Mediterranean Basin. This study uses individual threatening processes in a new way to characterise hotspots for conservation action, advancing previous identification criteria. Analysing hotspots in terms of the relative presence of individual threatening processes may help to more effectively direct future research in these priority regions.     

Seed dispersal strategies and the threat of defaunation in a Congo forest

Seed dispersal mode of plants and primary interactions with animals are studied in the evergreen Afrotropical forest of LuiKotale, at the south-western part of Salonga National Park (DR Congo). We first analysed seed dispersal strategies for (a) the plant species inventoried over a decade at the study site and (b) the tree community in 12 × 1 ha census plots. Our analyses of dispersal syndromes for 735 identified plant species show that 85 % produce fleshy fruits and rely on animals for primary seed dispersal. Trees depending on animals for primary dispersal dominate the tree community (95 %), while wind-dispersed and autochorous trees are rare in mixed tropical forests. A list of frugivorous vertebrate species of the ecosystem was established. Among the fruit-eating vertebrate species identified in the ecosystem, forest elephants and bonobos are threatened with extinction (IUCN, The IUCN red list of threatened species, 2012). Although most of the species listed previously are internationally and regionally protected, all the species we observed dispersing seeds are hunted, fished or trapped by humans in the area. With the exception of bush pigs, seed predators, mainly small-sized animals, are generally not targeted by hunters. As a consequence, we expect human pressure on key animal species to impact the plant community. We suggest defaunation to be considered as major conservation problem. Thus, not only for the sake of animal species but also for that of plant species conservation, anti-poaching measures should have priority in both “protected” and unprotected areas. Defaunation could bring a new impoverished era for plants in tropical forests.     

Comprehensive Red List Assessment Reveals Exceptionally High Extinction Risk to Madagascar Palms

The establishment of baseline IUCN Red List assessments for plants is a crucial step in conservation planning. Nowhere is this more important than in biodiversity hotspots that are subject to significant anthropogenic pressures, such as Madagascar. Here, all Madagascar palm species are assessed using the IUCN Red List categories and criteria, version 3.1. Our results indicate that 83% of the 192 endemic species are threatened, nearly four times the proportion estimated for plants globally and exceeding estimates for all other comprehensively evaluated plant groups in Madagascar. Compared with a previous assessment in 1995, the number of Endangered and Critically Endangered species has substantially increased, due to the discovery of 28 new species since 1995, most of which are highly threatened. The conservation status of most species included in both the 1995 and the current assessments has not changed. Where change occurred, more species have moved to lower threat categories than to higher categories, because of improved knowledge of species and their distributions, rather than a decrease in extinction risk. However, some cases of genuine deterioration in conservation status were also identified. Palms in Madagascar are primarily threatened by habitat loss due to agriculture and biological resource use through direct exploitation or collateral damage. The recent extension of Madagascar’s protected area network is highly beneficial for palms, substantially increasing the number of threatened species populations included within reserves. Notably, three of the eight most important protected areas for palms are newly designated. However, 28 threatened and data deficient species are not protected by the expanded network, including some Critically Endangered species. Moreover, many species occurring in protected areas are still threatened, indicating that threatening processes persist even in reserves. Definitive implementation of the new protected areas combined with local community engagement are essential for the survival of Madagascar’s palms.     

Tourism and recreation a global threat to orchids

Orchidaceae is a mega diverse family accounting for 10% of the world’s flowering plants. Due to factors such as small dispersed populations, specific symbiosis with fungi and with pollinators and their desirability for collecting, many orchids are threatened with extinction. Tourism and recreation is increasingly recognised as a global threat for plants, but is it an issue for orchids? When data on orchids from the International Union for Nature Conservation (IUCN) Red List was reviewed, we found that 149 (40%) of the 442 orchid species with threat data were at risk from tourism and recreation. This included: 98 (22%) species threatened by residential and commercial development for tourism and recreation, 75 (17%) by intentional collecting within protected areas, and 90 (20%) by human intrusions and disturbance from recreational activities. The three threats often co-occurred and hence can be treated as a threat syndrome. The proportion of species threatened varied among locations with 80% of the 65 species in East Asia, 32% of 68 species in South and Southeast Asia and 94% of 16 orchid species in Europe threatened by tourism and recreation. Terrestrial orchids and those growing in forests were more likely to be at risk from these threats. With so many species at risk, increased awareness and recognition of these threats combined with improved management to reduce impacts is needed. Gaps and inconsistencies in the IUCN Red List must also be addressed to obtain a better understanding of the extent of this, and other threats to plants.     

Integrating biogeography,threat and evolutionary data to explore extinction crisis in the taxonomic group of cycads

Will the ongoing extinction crisis cause a severe loss of evolutionary information accumulated over millions of years on the tree of life? This question has been largely explored, particularly for vertebrates and angiosperms. However, no equivalent effort has been devoted to gymnosperms. Here, we address this question focusing on cycads, the gymnosperm group exhibiting the highest proportion of threatened species in the plant kingdom. We assembled the first complete phylogeny of cycads and assessed how species loss under three scenarios would impact the cycad tree of life. These scenarios are as follows: (1) All top 50% of evolutionarily distinct (ED ) species are lost; (2) all threatened species are lost; and (3) only all threatened species in each IUCN category are lost. Finally, we analyzed the biogeographical pattern of cycad diversity hotspots and tested for gaps in the current global conservation network. First, we showed that threatened species are not significantly clustered on the cycad tree of life. Second, we showed that the loss of all vulnerable or endangered species does not depart significantly from random loss. In contrast, the loss of all top 50% ED , all threatened or all critically endangered species, would result in a greater loss of PD (Phylogenetic Diversity) than expected. To inform conservation decisions, we defined five hotpots of diversity, and depending on the diversity metric used, these hotspots are located in Southern Africa, Australia, Indo‐Pacific, and Mexico and all are found within protected areas. We conclude that the phylogenetic diversity accumulated over millions of years in the cycad tree of life would not survive the current extinction crisis. As such, prioritizing efforts based on ED and concentrating efforts on critically endangered species particularly in southern Africa, Australia, Indo‐Pacific, and Mexico are required to safeguarding the evolutionary diversity in the cycad tree of life.     

Tourism and recreation: a common threat to IUCN red-listed vascular plants in Europe

Tourism and recreation are large industries employing millions of people and contribute over US$2.01 trillion to the global economy. Unfortunately they also have diverse and sometimes severe environmental impacts affecting many species, including those that are rare and threatened. To assess the extent to which these industries threaten vascular plants, we reviewed data in the IUCN Red List for 462 Critically Endangered, Endangered and Vulnerable European species. Tourism and recreation were listed as threatening 42 % (194 species) of these species from across 50 families, mostly herbs (70 %). They were listed as threatening plants in 9 of the 10 bioregions in Europe and in 25 of the 40 countries assessed. Popular tourism destinations such as the Canary Islands (41 species) and mainland Spain (40 species) had the greatest diversity of species listed as threatened by tourism and recreation. The most common of these threats were trampling (61 species), plant collection (59), the maintenance/construction of tourist infrastructure (43) and habitat degradation due to the urbanisation of tourist sites (13). Additional species assessments and more research on the impacts of tourism and recreation may add to these values. It is clear that these industries pose an important threatening process on plants in Europe based on the IUCN Red List data and hence deserve greater recognition in terms of research, conservation and management.     

Using niche modelling and human influence index to indicate conservation priorities for Atlantic forest deer species

To prioritise conservation actions and management strategies for threatened forest deer species at the Atlantic forest, we aimed to identify and describe the most suitable habitat areas for forest deer species and to indicate conservation measures for state agents and local communities. We adopt an approach based on ecological niche modelling, key variable thresholds and spatial analyses. In addition, we associated our approach with a human influence index, an invasive species dataset of occurrences, protected area cover and IUCN category. We indicate 2 % (484 km²) of the Atlantic forest cover as conservation priority areas (CPAs). Of these, 56.8 % are outside protected areas, 20.7 % are inside IUCN categories i, ii and iii protected areas, 19.9 % are inside IUCN categories iv, v, and vi protected areas, and 2.6 % are inside indigenous areas. Also, we indicate the most relevant protected areas for deer conservation in the Atlantic forest. The CPAs were classified into more human-influenced areas (MHIA) and less human-influenced areas (LHIA), and we identified 21 significant (greater than120 km²) continuous CPAs outside protected areas. We highlight actions in several perspectives of human influence, governance levels and law protection that would rationalise the use of funds and human resources.     

Extinction Risks and the Conservation of Madagascar's Reptiles

Background

An understanding of the conservation status of Madagascar''s endemic reptile species is needed to underpin conservation planning and priority setting in this global biodiversity hotspot, and to complement existing information on the island''s mammals, birds and amphibians. We report here on the first systematic assessment of the extinction risk of endemic and native non-marine Malagasy snakes, lizards, turtles and tortoises.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Species range maps from The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species were analysed to determine patterns in the distribution of threatened reptile species. These data, in addition to information on threats, were used to identify priority areas and actions for conservation. Thirty-nine percent of the data-sufficient Malagasy reptiles in our analyses are threatened with extinction. Areas in the north, west and south-east were identified as having more threatened species than expected and are therefore conservation priorities. Habitat degradation caused by wood harvesting and non-timber crops was the most pervasive threat. The direct removal of reptiles for international trade and human consumption threatened relatively few species, but were the primary threats for tortoises. Nine threatened reptile species are endemic to recently created protected areas.

Conclusions/Significance

With a few alarming exceptions, the threatened endemic reptiles of Madagascar occur within the national network of protected areas, including some taxa that are only found in new protected areas. Threats to these species, however, operate inside and outside protected area boundaries. This analysis has identified priority sites for reptile conservation and completes the conservation assessment of terrestrial vertebrates in Madagascar which will facilitate conservation planning, monitoring and wise-decision making. In sharp contrast with the amphibians, there is significant reptile diversity and regional endemism in the southern and western regions of Madagascar and this study highlights the importance of these arid regions to conserving the island''s biodiversity.     

The application of IUCN Red List criteria to assess the conservation status of moths at the regional level: a case of provisional Red List of Noctuidae (Lepidoptera) in Serbia

Using a network of c.200 sample sites during the period 2000–2011, together with data from earlier sporadic studies and museum records, the status of noctuid moths in Serbia was assessed according to IUCN criteria. The noctuid Red List of Serbia comprises 223 species, of which almost 40 % are under threat. Two species (Acontia titania and Helivictoria victorina) are considered regionally extinct (RE), 28 are critically endangered (CR), 49 are endangered (EN), and 58 are vulnerable (VU). Additionally, 64 species are considered to be near threatened (NT), i.e., close to qualifying as threatened species in the near future, and 22 fall under the data deficient category (DD; inadequate information), with the likelihood of being included in one of the threatened Red List categories in the future. Apart from the threatened species, 342 species of noctuids are widespread and abundant in the area and belong to the category of least concern (LC). The geographical position and climate of Serbia facilitates high noctuid richness but the existence of a great number of threatened species indicates the need for further conservation of the group.     

青藏高原濒危兽类保护与管理研究进展

青藏高原是全球生物多样性热点区域和优先保护区,分布着多种重点保护物种及青藏高原特有种,物种丰富度高且濒危物种占比大。本文针对青藏高原分布的有蹄类、猫科、熊科、犬科、鼬科、翼手目、小型兽类7个动物类群,从濒危现状、濒危成因、已开展的研究工作和管理对策、取得的保护成效等角度分别论述了各类群的保护与管理研究进展。在青藏高原有蹄类中特有种占比远高于其他类群;81% ~ 100%的有蹄类、猫科、熊科、犬科动物被列为国家重点保护野生动物;45% ~ 100%的有蹄类、猫科、熊科动物被中国脊椎动物红色名录或IUCN红色名录列为受威胁物种,远高于全球平均水平。全球变暖、栖息地破碎化、环境污染、过度放牧、偷猎与非法贸易是青藏高原濒危兽类生存的主要威胁。相关法律法规的贯彻实施、自然保护地建设及开展的大量调查监测和研究,为青藏高原濒危兽类保护生物学研究提供了法律保障和科学依据。鉴于目前保护与管理工作的局限性,建议构建全面系统的大数据平台,开展青藏高原地区保护成效快速评估及自然保护地空间优化布局研究,将国际先进的交叉学科理论方法与实践创新优势相结合,为濒危兽类的保护与管理提供指导与建议,从而为我国生物多样性保护和生态文明建设提供重要的科技支撑。     

黄河流域鸟类多样性现状、分布格局及保护空缺

黄河流域幅员辽阔, 多样的地理气候、植被类型及人类活动塑造了多样化的生物多样性格局。本研究以IUCN与国际鸟盟发布的鸟类分布图层为基础, 同时收集了黄河流域2009-2019年的鸟类实地观测记录, 包括观鸟记录、GBIF数据库、红外相机监测及其他实地调查的鸟类数据, 共得到35,026条鸟类实地观测有效记录。汇总结果显示, 黄河流域记录有鸟类物种662种, 占中国鸟类物种总数的45.81%。这些鸟类分属于23目83科, 其中雀形目物种数最多(384种, 占本目全国鸟种总数的46.83%), 其次为鸻形目(67种, 占50.00%)和雁形目(39种, 占72.22%)。黄河流域受威胁鸟类共计121种, 其中有37种和52种分别在IUCN红色名录和《中国脊椎动物红色名录》中被列为受威胁物种(即评估级别为极危、濒危或易危), 22种和73种被分别列为国家I级和II级重点保护野生动物。这些受威胁鸟种多为地栖性、体型大、营养级高或具有长距离迁徙习性的物种。黄河流域鸟类整体物种多样性由南向北递减, 以黄河上中游四川、甘肃、陕西的高原与山地内鸟种最为丰富, 而受威胁鸟类物种多样性热点区则在黄河中下游, 下游黄河三角洲及邻近平原区为受威胁鸟类最主要集中分布区。黄河流域内48个国家级自然保护区共覆盖鸟种数504种(占黄河流域鸟类总种数的76.13%), 其中受威胁鸟种92种(占黄河流域受威胁鸟种数的76.03%)。区域内国家级自然保护区大多分布在黄河上游, 对黄河下游的受威胁物种覆盖程度较低, 保护空缺较严重。对此, 我们建议着重加强中下游自然保护区建设与能力提升, 增加对中下游受威胁鸟种的保护力度, 在保护策略上应当积极探索高强度土地利用下的多样化保护机制。     

Areas of high diversity for the world’s inland-breeding waterbirds

Waterbirds are a globally-distributed, species-rich group of birds that are critically dependent upon wetland habitats. They can be used as ecosystem sentinels for wetlands, which as well as providing ecosystem services and functions essential to humans, are important habitats for a wide range of plant and animal taxa. Here we carry out the first global analysis of inland-breeding waterbird distributions using data from 471 waterbird species in 28 families to identify global areas of high waterbird diversity. First we identify the primary area of high diversity for all inland-breeding waterbird species to be in Eastern Africa. For globally threatened inland-breeding waterbirds, the area of highest diversity is in Eastern China. Second, we show that the current network of protected areas provides poor coverage for threatened waterbirds in Eastern and Central Asia, and Northern India. In contrast, there is a higher protected area coverage in most of Europe and Brazil. Targeting the specific areas that have the highest numbers of species and the poorest coverage of protected areas is vital for both waterbird and wetland conservation.     

Applying complementary species vulnerability assessments to improve conservation strategies in the Galapagos Marine Reserve

Marine biodiversity can be protected by identifying vulnerable species and creating marine protected areas (MPAs) to ensure their survival. A wide variety of methods are employed by environmental managers to determine areas of conservation priority, however which methods should be applied is often a subject of debate for practitioners and scientists. We applied two species vulnerability assessments, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list of threatened species and FishBase’s intrinsic vulnerability assessment, to fish communities in three coastal habitats (mangrove, rocky and coral) on the island of San Cristobal, Galapagos. When using the IUCN red list of threatened species, rocky reefs hosted the greatest number of vulnerable species, however when applying the FishBase assessment of intrinsic vulnerability mangroves hosted the greatest abundance of ‘very-highly’ vulnerable species and coral ecosystems hosted the greatest abundance of ‘highly’ vulnerable species. The two methods showed little overlap in determining habitat types that host vulnerable species because they rely on different biological and ecological parameters. Since extensive data is required for IUCN red list assessments, we show that the intrinsic vulnerability assessment from FishBase can be used to complement the IUCN red list especially in data-poor areas. Intrinsic vulnerability assessments are based on less data-intensive methods than the IUCN red list, but nonetheless may bridge information gaps that can arise when using the IUCN red list alone. Vulnerability assessments based on intrinsic factors are not widely applied in marine spatial planning, but their inclusion as a tool for forming conservation strategies can be useful in preventing species loss.     

Advantages and drawbacks of living in protected areas: the case of the threatened Erysimum popovii (Brassicaceae) in SE Iberian Peninsula

Protected areas help to develop regional and global strategies for the conservation of biodiversity. However, human-related activities, such as grazing, tourism, hardwood extraction, etc., may cause the decline of some species. In this study, we investigate whether inhabiting protected areas affect the conservation of Erysimum popovii, a narrow endemic and endangered plant, in Mediterranean environments with traditional human activities. We surveyed its entire distribution area in SE Spain, and located 31 populations, 16 within Nature Parks (Category V of the IUCN) and 15 in non protected areas. In each population we measured several variables related to habitat composition, pollinator community, herbivory damage and population viability. Our results show that populations in protected areas inhabit localities at higher altitudes and with more shrub cover. Most important, the abundance of a very effective pollinator type, beeflies, was significantly higher in protected populations. Curiously, damage by ungulates was also more intense in protected areas. The negative effect of herbivory offsets any positive effect played by pollinators in protected areas, and consequently there were not differences in population size or reproductive output inside and outside protected areas. It seems that allowing traditional uses in protected areas may entail negative effects for some vulnerable plant species.     

Integrating spatially explicit habitat projections into extinction risk assessments: a reassessment of Amazonian avifauna incorporating projected deforestation

Aim We aimed to complete the first systematic assessment of extinction risk based on projected population declines derived from spatially explicit habitat projections for any taxonomic group at a regional scale, to use the outputs to ascertain the efficacy of an existing protected area network in covering species of conservation concern, and identify gaps therein. Location This study focused on Amazonia; an area of exceptional biodiversity, currently experiencing the highest absolute rate of forest loss globally but where the proportion of species assessed as ‘threatened’ on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List in the region is below global averages. Methods For all forest‐dependent Amazonian bird species (814), we revised extinction risk estimates by combining data from a spatially explicit deforestation model with generation length estimates. By overlaying distribution maps for these revised threatened species, we identified crisis areas (areas of projected deforestation supporting the highest numbers of threatened species), refugia (areas projected to retain forest supporting the highest numbers of threatened species) and areas of high irreplaceability: short‐ and long‐term priorities for new protected areas (PAs). Results The number of species qualifying as threatened rose substantially from 24 (3%) to 64–92 (8–11%). Areas of particular concern are the crisis and highly irreplaceable areas within the ‘arc of deforestation’ in the southern Brazilian Amazon states of Rondônia, Mato Grosso and Pará. Main conclusions Through a novel application of the IUCN Red List criteria, we present a spatially accurate rendering of the extinction risks of Amazonian birds. Important areas in the Amazon are not secure. We identify priorities for expansion of the PAs network and key locations where protection should be enforced. We recommend a collaborative approach employing our methods to repeat this process for other taxonomic groups.