By the Numbers: Emerging Diseases and Conservation
100
percent more meat will likely be consumed in developing nations over the next 22 years, which would increase the land required for livestock and grain to 6.2 billion acres.
58
percent of the 1,407 human known pathogens are zoonotic, which means they can jump between humans and animals.
371
people have been diagnosed with avian influenza as of March 2008, resulting in 235 deaths.
5,000
western lowland gorillas have died from the Ebola virus over the past several years and 25 human cases were confirmed in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2007.
170
amphibian species have gone extinct in recent years. Nearly half of those that remain are under threat, in large part due to chytrid fungus.
550
cities will have populations of more than 1 million by 2015, and the world population is expected to be 10 billion by 2050.
50
percent of Tasmanian devils have fallen to facial tumor disease, a rate that may lead to extinction within 20 years.
32,600
ducks were killed in the Panyu district of China in September 2007 to prevent the spread of avian influenza.
5
times more malaria epidemics can occur in places like northwest India in periods of drought and floods, as during El Niño years.
By the Numbers
550
cities will have populations of more than 1 million by 2015, and the world population is expected to be 10 billion by 2050.
58
percent of the 1,407 known human pathogens are zoonotic, which means they can jump between humans and animals.
371
people have been diagnosed with avian influenza as of March 2008, resulting in 235 deaths.
5000
western lowland gorillas have died from the Ebola virus over the past several years and 25 human cases were confirmed in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2007.
