Tom Levitt, MSN Environment Editor

The world's ecological hotspots

Ring-tailed lemurs (Image © Chris Ison/PA Archive/Press Association Images)

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.

In our gallery below we take a closer look at some of these ecological hotspots and the wildlife that lives there.

Map: location of the ecological hotspots

The world's ecological hotspots (click to enlarge)

Poor

Excellent

Your rating helps other users gauge the value of an article

Share It

... opens a new window

MORE ON MSN ENVIRONMENT

Examples of invasive species include the Grey Squirrel (pa.press.net)

Invading species 'harming wildlife'

Hundreds of invasive species are posing one of the greatest threats to wildlife across the world, conservationists have warned.

More powerful hurricanes predicted
Fewer but more ferocious and destructive hurricanes are likely to occur in the next century as a result of global warming, a new climate study suggests.
£3m grant for Giant's Causeway
The "breathtaking" Giant's Causeway has been awarded a £3 million grant to help create new facilities for visitors, the Heritage Lottery Fund has announced.
Haiti to relocate quake victims
Haitian officials are planning a massive relocation of 400,000 people from makeshift camps to the outskirts of Port-au-Prince as the US government tackles repairs to the damaged main port - dual efforts to help residents survive the aftermath of the catastrophic earthquake.