Share of assessed animal and plant species threatened in 2020

It is believed that tropical forests are home to over two thirds of terrestrial species of flora and fauna, despite covering just seven percent of the planet's surface. Of the tens of thousands of species assessed of their threat level, those found in the tropics have a considerably higher chance of being under threat than those in non-tropical regions. Of the animal groups surveyed, amphibian species lived under the greatest threat at 41 percent in the tropics, while bird species faced the lowest threat level, at 13 percent - however, birds were the only animal group whose figures worsened compared to studies from previous years.

The threat to plants was much greater than animals, with almost half of all tropical plant species living under threat compared to a quarter of those in non-tropical areas. The higher threat level to plants and amphibians is reflective of their dependency on tropical environments, often requiring dark and humid conditions for survival, whereas other animal species may be better suited to adapt or migrate.