Distribution of threatened-unprotected vertebrates as a basis for conservation planning

Abstract

The distribution of threatened species often serves to drive conservation decisions. Much of the distribution of many threatened species is already protected. These species may need fostering, but not necessarily further protected areas. We propose a simple and generic means of assessing the degree of protection presently offered to a threatened species, namely, the proportion of its distribution that is unprotected. This index classifies threatened species into two classes: most of their distribution range is either (1) inside protected areas (protected), or (2) outside of protected areas (unprotected). We propose that evaluation of land for planning and conservation should be based chiefly on the distribution of those threatened species that are not yet protected by the current reserve network. Our approach is exemplified in a case study of vertebrate species in Israel. We constructed a "hotspots map" using only the threatened species that have more than 60% of their distribution unprotected (n = 57), and compared it to a similar map with all threatened vertebrates (n = 118). This latter map had all hotspots around the Rift Valley in the eastern part of the country, while the former map had some hotspots in the western parts of the country as well. This study highlights the importance of a clear decision regarding which species should be used in prioritizing areas for conservation.