KAZALCI OKOLJA

Key message
Neutral

Despite the country’s small surface area, species diversity in Slovenia is extremely high. The abundance among numerous plant and animal species is decreasing, with some species becoming endangered with the possibility of extinction. For example, more than four fifths of all known amphibians and reptiles in Slovenia, as well as almost half of all mammals (this represents 41 species) are on the Red List of Threatened Species.


This indicator shows the number of threatened species by individual systematic group in Slovenia.

International comparability is limited as a consequence of the introduction of new criteria for including species into categories of threat by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 1994. Old criteria have been applied in the Rules on the inclusion of endangered plant and animal species in the Red List since 2002.

 


Charts

Figure NB02-1: Changes to the ratio between the number of endangered species and the overall number of known animal species
Sources:

Varstvo narave, Rdeči seznam ogroženih živalskih vrst v Sloveniji [Nature Conservation, Red List of endangered animal species in Slovenia], No. 17, 1992, Rules on the inclusion of endangered plant and animal species in the Red List (OG of the RS, No. 82/2002)

Show data
mammals 1992 mammals 202 - birds 1992 birds 2002 - reptiles 1992 reptiles 2002 - amphibians 1992
endangered species number 43 41 114 136 22 20 20
other known species number 26 48 93 97 5 4 2
known species number 69 89 207 233 27 24 22
amphibians 2002 - fish 1992 fish 2002
endangered species number 19 39 62
other known species number 2 59 211
known species number 21 98 273
Figure NB02-2: Changes to the ratio between the number of endangered species and the overall number of known higher plant species
Sources:

Varstvo narave, Rdeči seznam ogroženih praprotnic in semenk SR Slovenije [Nature Conservation, Red List of endangered vascular cryptograms and phanerograms in the SR of Slovenia], No. 14/15, 1989, Rules on the inclusion of endangered plant and animal species in the Red List (OG of the RS, No. 82/2002), Mala flora Slovenije: Praprotnice in semenke [Slovenian flora in brief: vascular cryptograms and phanerograms], 1984.

Show data
higher plants 1989 higher plants 2002
endangered species number 333 635
other known species number 2667 2631
known species number 3000 3266

Goals

  • To preserve a high level of biodiversity and to halt the decline of biodiversity by 2010.
  • To maintain or achieve a favourable state of threatened species and habitat types.
     

Slovenia is renowned for its great biodiversity. It is estimated that there are approximately 13,000–5,000 animal species, as well as more than 3,200 higher plant species in Slovenia. This indicator represents only a rough estimate of the numbers of species. Changes in trends cannot be assessed, as the amount of all known species in Slovenia in the years 1992 and 2002 differs because of new scientific findings and not due to an actual variation in the number of species. The same goes for the number of threatened species.

A threatened species is a plant or animal species whose abundance is determined as decreasing to such an extent that the species may disappear in part or all of its range. There are several categories of threat: endangered species are directly threatened, the existence of vulnerable species depends on the existence of their ecosystem, while rare species are only potentially endangered.

An endangered species is a species that is at risk of extinction should the endangerment continue. It is a species whose abundance has fallen to a critical level and is decreasing extremely rapidly. Endangered species include the following: the Great Pasque flower (Pulsatilla grandis), the brown bear (Ursus arctos), the Eurasian eagle owl (Bubo bubo), the sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) and the fire-bellied toad (Bombina bombina).

A vulnerable species is a species whose abundance has been on the decrease or has decreased in a large part of its range. Vulnerable species settle in areas very sensitive to human impact. They include the following: the Blagay’s daphne (Daphne blagayana), the wildcat (Felis silvestris), the goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), the long-nosed viper (Vipera ammodytes) and the European green toad (Bufo viridis).

A rare species is a potentially endangered species due to its rarity. If threatened, the species can quickly progress into the endangered species category. Rare species include the following: the bay laurel (Laurus nobilis), the Brandt’s bat (Myotis brandtii), the carrion crow (Corvus corone corone), the green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the black proteus (Proteus anguinus parkelj).

 

 


Methodology

The data are based upon a regulation which has been compiled on the grounds of external scientific expert studies. The list includes species, in some cases subspecies as well. When new data concerning endangerment become available, it would be reasonable to revise the regulation according to the new IUCN criteria. A monitoring system has not yet been prescribed. The National Programme of Environmental Protection foresees a revision of the Red List of Endangered Species by 2008.

Rules on the inclusion of endangered plant and animal species in the Red List, OG of the RS, No. 82/2002, Environmental Agency of the Republic of Slovenia.

Varstvo narave, Rdeči seznami ogroženih živalskih vrst v Sloveniji [Nature Conservation, Red List of endangered animal species in Slovenia], No. 17, 1992, Environmental Agency of the Republic of Slovenia.

Varstvo narave, Rdeči seznam ogroženih praprotnic in semenk SR Slovenije[Nature Conservation, Red List of endangered vascular cryptograms and phanerograms in the SR of Slovenia], No. 14/15, 1989, Environmental Agency of the Republic of Slovenia.

Martinčič A., Sušnik F., Ravnikar V., Strgar V., Wraber T., Praprotnik N.: Mala flora Slovenije: Praprotnice in semenke [Slovenian flora in brief: vascular cryptograms and phanerograms], DZS, 1984.

Pregled stanja biotske raznovrstnosti in krajinske pestrosti v Sloveniji [Review of biodiversity and landscape diversity in Slovenia], Environmental Agency of the Republic of Slovenia, 2001.

Date of data source summarization