Conservation study: Many cactus species threatened with extinction

 From ScienceRecorder.com:

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and its partners compiled the first comprehensive global assessment of cacti, which shows that 31 percent of cactus species are threatened with extinction and are among the most threatened taxonomic groups assessed on the IUCN List of Threatened Species. They are even more threatened than many mammals and birds.

More than half of the world's 1,480 cactus species are utilized by humans. The illegal trade and unsustainable harvesting of live plants and seeds for horticulture and private collections affect 47 percent of threatened cactus species.

The study's authors highlight the need to expand arid land area coverage and raise awareness about the importance of sustainable practices in order to better preserve the species.

Read more about this study here.