Conservation of Biodiversity (HL IB Biology)

The Caribbean monk seals (Neomonachus tropicalis) was a species of seal that existed in large populations for hundreds of years around gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. 

The last confirmed sighting of the Caribbean monk seals was in 1952 and since then it has been declared to be extinct. 

State the type of extinction that occurred to the Caribbean monk seal.

In a similar location to the Caribbean monk seal but on the other side of Mexico in the Gulf of California lives a small species of porpoise called the vaquita (Phocoena sinus).

Similarly to the monk seal, the numbers of vaquita have been gradually declining over the years. The graph below shows the numbers of vaquita from 1997 to 2018. 

Describe the decline the numbers of vaquita over time. 

The number of vaquita declined from 567 total individuals in 1997 to 245 individuals in 2008, then the number of vaquita declined from 30 total individuals in 2016 to 19 individuals in 2018.

Calculate the rate of decline in vaquita numbers:

From 1997 to 2008.

From 2016 to 2018.

[2]

From 1997 to 2018.

[2]

The vaquita have been described as 'critically endangered' by the ICUN, an organisation that has been monitoring the decline of the species. 

Explain the process that species must go through in order to be considered a priority for conservation. 

[2]