'On the brink' species revealed in Red List
The new Red List of Threatened Species has been unveiled at the Rio+20 sustainable development meeting, and East Asia has been confirmed as the world's main 'extinction hotspot'.
Snakes such as the kind cobra are being increasingly threatened by hunting for meat, skin and the pet trade, which marks a change from the usual biggest threat of loss of habitat.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature, which compiles the list, says it shows the importance of nature for human well-being.
IUCN director-general Julia Marton-LeFevre said: "A sustainable future cannot be achieved without conserving biological diversity, not only for nature itself but also for all seven billion people who depend on it."
Two thousand new species have been assessed for this edition of the Red List, while 41% of amphibians, 33% of reef-building corals, 25% of mammals and 13% of birds remain on the risk list.
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
