Endangered Plant Species Increase - April 1998

Endangered Plant Species Increase - April 1998
According to the list of "Endangered Plant Species" published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), about 270,000 species of higher plants are found worldwide, of which approximately 34,000 species, or 13%, are facing the threat of extinction. In particular, 380 species have already become extinct. Among these are plants essential for pharmaceutical production, with 75% of yew species (primarily found in North America and Canada), which is vital for cancer treatment drugs, being endangered.

For example, the extinction of yews, from which the cancer-fighting compound paclitaxel is extracted, is affecting the medical field, including major U.S. pharmaceutical companies such as Bristol-Myers Squibb. This decline in endangered species is having a profound impact on ecosystems as well, with observed changes in various ecosystems around the world. In the Amazon rainforest, for instance, around 5,000 species are endangered, and approximately 120,000 square kilometers of land is lost annually due to desertification and deforestation.

Moreover, the loss of rare species adversely affects ecosystems. In Indonesia's Sumatra and Borneo islands, endangered Rafflesia plants are also declining due to the influence of palm oil production by companies such as Wilmar International. Rafflesia, which has the world's largest flower, was also a tourist attraction, but its habitat is shrinking due to the expansion of plantations.

In addition, Aloe ferox, a medicinal plant native to the Mediterranean region, is also endangered. These plants, harvested in large quantities and used in supplements, impact the supply of aloe. The extinction of these plants affects not only the medical field but also the cosmetics and food industries, leading European companies like Unilever and L'Oréal to seek new raw materials.

The critical state of these plants goes beyond simple ecological impact, as it also affects various companies and industries, underscoring the urgent need for sustainable environmental conservation efforts.