New Conservation Strategy , Aims at Saving , Evolutionarily Distinct Species.<br />'Wired' reports that some conservationists say <br />saving species that are both evolutionarily distinct, <br />as well as endangered, should take priority.<br />Rikki Gumbs, a conservationist at the Zoological Society <br />of London, says efforts should be aimed at saving a number <br />of strange and wonderful species, like solenodon. .<br />Rikki Gumbs, a conservationist at the Zoological Society <br />of London, says efforts should be aimed at saving a number <br />of strange and wonderful species, like solenodon. .<br />These shrew-like creatures <br />are one of the only venomous <br />mammals alive today. .<br />About 76 million years ago <br />the two living solenodon species <br />diverged from their fellow mammals. .<br />In 2007, conservationists created a new <br />metric called EDGE, which stands for, “evolutionarily distinct <br />and globally endangered.”.<br />The term was developed as a means <br />of prioritizing species that represent <br />a broad span of evolutionary history. .<br />Species with high EDGE scores all are <br />evolutionarily distinct, have few living <br />ancestors and are extremely endangered.<br />One of these species is the Madagascar blind snake, <br />a burrowing reptile that split from its closest <br />living relative about 65 million years ago. .<br />There are a lot of species out there <br />that are overlooked, and when you get <br />to know them they are just as <br />charismatic and beautiful <br />as the ones we’re aware of. , Rikki Gumbs, Conservationist at <br />the Zoological Society of London, via 'Wired'.<br />On February 28, 2023, the new <br />measure, called EDGE2, was published<br />in the journal 'PLOS Biology.'
