Brasilia, August 4 (RHC)-- Brazil's state-run Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio) launched a platform that gathers data on more than 5,000 species of Brazilian fauna assessed for extinction risk.

Called the Biodiversity Extinction Risk Assessment System (Salve), the initiative began to be developed in 2016.  It contains data on some 15,000 species, of which more than 5,000 are at risk of extinction.  The database is expected to help researchers and policymakers assess animal populations in all Brazilian biomes and better understand potential threats, such as fires, deforestation and hunting.

According to data released by the institute, Brazilian fauna has 364 species classified as Critically Endangered (CR), the highest risk category assigned by the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).

Among them are emblematic animals of the Brazilian fauna, such as the yellow woodpecker, the northern muriqui, the aruá-do-mato, the leaf frog, the leatherback turtle, the jararaca-ilhoa and the blue macaw.

Rodrigo Jorge, an environmental expert at the institute, described the initiative as a major step forward in the conservation of endangered species.  "We need to advance our estimates of the future of biodiversity in Brazil," he said noting that the number of threatened species has increased, but the range of species mapped has also expanded.

Jorge believes that the degradation of wildlife and natural habitats are among the main concerns, which he attributed to recent increases in deforestation rates.

"The need to reverse this trend is evident, so the current administration's stance of prioritizing the fight against deforestation brings good prospects for biodiversity conservation," the specialist said.

Among the nearly 15,000 species evaluated, there are complete and available records for 5,513 species. The institute plans to update the list of threatened species of Brazilian fauna sometime this year.  "Brazil is known for harboring the greatest biodiversity on the planet. By updating and making this data available, we will be able to intensify the conservation of our fauna," stated Jorge.