Rare species

A rare species is a group of organisms that are very uncommon or scarce. This designation may be applied to either a plant or animal taxon, and may be distinct from the term endangered orthreatened species. Designation of a rare species may be made by an official body, such as a national government, state, or province. However, the term more commonly appears without reference to specific criteria. The IUCN does not normally make such designations, but may use the term [1] in scientific discussion. Rarity rests on a specific species being represented by a small number of organisms worldwide, usually fewer than 10,000. However, a species having a very narrow endemic range or fragmented habitat also influences the [2] [3] concept. Rare species are not uncommon, since nearly 75% of known species are rare. A species may be endangered or vulnerable, but not considered rare if for exampleit has a large, dispersed population, but its numbers are declining rapidly or predicted to do so. Rare species are generally considered threatened because a small population size is more likely to not recover from stochastic events (things that could happen).

Rare Species Conservation Centre

The Rare Species Conservation Centre (RSCC) was a conservation centre and zoological gardens situated just outside Sandwich inKent, England, operated by The Rare Species Conservation Trust, a UK registered charity. Its purpose was to educate visitors and create awareness of the plight of some of the wor lds lesserknown rare and endangered species of animal. It is home to rare and unusual animals.

Animals
The RSCC houses species of birds, reptiles, mammals and amphibians from Africa, South America, Australasia and Asia including: Bali Starling, Victoria Crowned Pigeon, Cuban Flamingo,Madagascar Teal, Binturong, Brazilian Ocelot, Clouded Leopard, Cotton-top tamarin, Emperor tamarin, Crowned lemur, Fat-tailed dwarf lemur, Fossa, Goeldi's Monkey, Jaguarundi, Malayan Tapir,Owston's Civet, Potto, Pygmy Slow Loris, Red ruffed lemur, Slow Loris, Western Grey bamboo lemur, Rhinoceros Hornbill, the only Smooth-Coated Otters outside their native range, Sun Bears,New Guinea Singing Dogs, Radiated Tortoise, Pallas Cat, Black-footed Cats, Clouded Leopard, fishing cats, Snow Leopard.

A new study, published 28 May in the open access journal PLOS Biology, has revealed the potential importance of rare species in the functioning of highly diverse ecosystems. Using data from three very different ecosystems -- coral reefs, tropical forests and alpine meadows -- a team of researchers led by David Mouillot at the University of Montpellier 2, France, has shown that it is primarily the rare species, rather than the more common ones, that have distinct traits involved in unique ecological functions. As biodiversity declines, these unique features are therefore particularly vulnerable to extinction because rare species are likely to disappear first.
"These unique features are irreplaceable, as they could be important for the functioning of ecosystems if there is major environmental change," explained Dr Mouillot. Biodiverse environments are characterized by a large number of rare species. These rare species contribute to the taxonomic richness of the area, but their functional importance in ecosystems is largely unknown. Represented by few individuals or distributed over narrow geographic areas, rare species are generally considered to have little influence on the functioning of an ecosystem compared with more common species. Indeed, it is often assumed that they fulfill the same ecological roles as those of common species but have less impact because of their low abundance; a phenomenon known as 'functional redundancy'. This redundancy suggests that rare species merely serve as an "insurance" policy for the ecosystem, in the event of an ecological loss.