1. What is the EDGE of Existence program?

The EDGE of Existence is a conservation programme based at the Zoological Society of London. We are the only global conservation initiative to focus on threatened species that represent a significant amount of unique evolutionary history. We aim to raise awareness of these so-called ‘EDGE species,’ to implement conservation actions for those which are currently receiving little or no conservation attention, and to help aspiring conservationists in developing countries to preserve their own unique biodiversity by providing them with training and financial support to implement conservation projects for EDGE species.  

2. Please brief our readers about the scientific framework which you use to identify globally endangered species.

EDGE stands for ‘Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered’ and the species that we prioritise must qualify in both categories to be classified as an EDGE species. Species with no close relatives tend to be more unusual in the way they look, live and behave, as well as their genetic make-up. These traits would be lost if the species were to go extinct because they are not represented in other species. Although it is tragic to lose any species, those with more close relatives have the majority of their physical and behavioural traits represented by other species, so less evolutionary history is lost should they go extinct. This ‘Evolutionary Distinctiveness’ (ED) is measured using a phylogeny, or family tree, to work out a numerical score that shows the amount of unique evolutionary history each species represents.

The ‘Global Endangerment’ part of the equation is measured using the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This uses objective criteria (looking at factors including population size, trends, and threats such as decline in habitat quality) to rate species on a scale of extinction risk. The most common species with healthy populations are classified as ‘Least Concern,’ getting progressively closer to extinction through ‘Near Threatened,’ ‘Vulnerable,’ Endangered’ and ‘Critically Endangered.’ Species that are Critically Endangered receive a higher score than less threatened species, which in turn receive a higher score than those not currently threatened with extinction. 

The two scores – ED and GE – are combined to make the final EDGE score, by which species are ranked.
 
3. Right now, how many globally endangered species are there? How fast is the list growing?

To date we have assessed mammals and amphibians using the EDGE methodology. Currently 521 species, or 12% of all mammals, are on our conservation priority list. This includes remarkable species such as the egg-laying long-beaked echidna and elusive pygmy hippopotamus, as well as more well-known threatened species such as elephants and rhinos.  

Of the amphibians, 799 species, 14% of the total, meet the EDGE criteria. This includes the enormous Chinese giant salamander (which grows to over 1.85 metres!) and the beautiful South African ghost frogs.   

We are currently working to update the EDGE mammal list – the new list will take into account developments in the understanding of the mammal evolutionary relations, and Red List assessments that have been updated since the original list was calculated in 2006. We are also working on expanding the programme by developing EDGE lists for additional species groups, including birds, corals, and sharks.
    
4. What types of efforts have you undertaken in the Conservation of Endangered Species? How effective have they been?

EDGE has been very successful in raising awareness of the high-raked EDGE species, both through our own website (www.edgeofexistence.org), including the EDGE blog, and through coverage in the international press. This is critical in gaining support for projects conserving unusual EDGE species. We aim to raise awareness of species that are often overlooked by other conservation efforts, focussing on the less-well know animals such as the Hispaniolan solenodon and burrowing purple frog, rather than species which already receive significant attention, such as tigers or pandas. Our website contains information about the top 100 EDGE species in each group, as well as information about conservation efforts for these species, which is an excellent educational tool.

On the ground, we support ‘EDGE Fellows’ to carry out projects on top-priority species, providing technical, institutional and financial support for their work. EDGE Fellows are aspiring conservationists to whom we give support in planning and carrying out a project on an EDGE species. An annual training course in London helps EDGE Fellows to improve their conservation skills, and inspire them to be their country’s next conservation leaders.

We are also undertaking more in-depth and long-term conservation projects in situations where we have sufficient capacity and in-country support. These include projects for the slender loris in Sri Lanka, the Bactrian camel in Mongolia, the Chinese giant salamander in (you guessed it!) China, and the pygmy hippo in West Africa.  

5. How extensive are your efforts? In how many countries are you operating?

To date we have supported, or continue to support, 17 EDGE Fellows in 13 countries, working on conservation projects for such diverse creatures as the elegant hirola antelope in Kenya, mouth-brooding Darwin’s frogs in Chile, and uniquely venomous Hispaniolan solenodon in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. We aim to continue to expand the programme, and hope to have supported 100 EDGE Fellows by 2015. This support has wide-ranging effects beyond the direct skills gained by EDGE Fellows, as they transfer this knowledge to their colleagues and peers, contributing further to the conservation of these ‘forgotten’ species.   

6. What can normal people do to help in protecting endangered species?

Raising awareness of the status of endangered species, and therefore causing people to change their behaviour to reduce their impact on the environment, is a major way that everyone can help protect threatened species. The Moms who visit the Bixymoms.com are in a fantastic position to help, by raising their children to appreciate nature, and to consider how their actions and way they live impacts the environment.  

Also, availability of funding is one of the main hurdles to EDGE achieving its conservation aims, so a great contribution to help guarantee the future of unique endangered species is for people to donate to support our projects through the EDGE website. This can be either directly (http://www.edgeofexistence.org/support/default.php) or by becoming an EDGE Champion who organising an event for conservation, either as an individual or as a group/school project (http://www.edgeofexistence.org/support/champions_information.php). Becoming an EDGE Champion is another great way to raise awareness of the protection needed for endangered species.  

7. How hopeful are you of the total success of your efforts? When will we be able to see a world free of endangered species?

We have to have ambitious and optimistic aims for the success of our project, because every day new threats are impacting on endangered species. As the EDGE of Existence programme grows, our influence will reach even further a-field, and will have a greater effect.

The people of the world can make the decision to make our home free of endangered species, and the sooner this turning point comes, the more likely we are to be successful in our pursuit of sustainable co-existence with biodiversity. I, for one, hope that the world embraces this challenge soon.