| Tom Levitt, MSN Environment Editor |
The world's ecological hotspots
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Conservationists have struggled to cope with the sheer number of degraded habitats across the world - how can they protect the many unique ecosystems and all the wildlife that lives there?
In an attempt to focus efforts, Conservation International has identified a list of critical ecological hotspots that are crucial to protecting the world's biodiversity - from the lush tropical rainforests of the Amazon to the vast Tibetan Plateau.
Each one is home to a wide and often unique array of species, such as the pygmy hippo, the mimic octopus or the golden lion tamarin. Animals you are unlikely to find in your local zoo or wildlife park.
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