A yew tree in the Himalayas that produces the chemotherapy drug, Taxol, is in danger of extinction. An update to the IUCN Red List, has moved the tree, named Taxus contorta, from Vulnerable to Endangered. Overharvesting for medicine and fuelwood have placed the species in serious danger.
Craig Hilton-Taylor with the Red List told the Guardian that it doesn’t have to be this way: “The harvesting of the bark kills the trees, but it is possible to extract Taxol from clippings, so harvesting, if properly controlled, can be less detrimental to the plants. Harvest and trade should be carefully controlled to ensure it is sustainable, but plants should also be grown in cultivation to reduce the impact of harvesting.”
Taxus contorta has lost at least half of its range in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Tibet, and Afghanistan, and is believed to still be in decline.
Taxol is used to treat several kinds of cancer, including breast, ovarian, and lung cancer. It has also been used to fight AIDS-related Kaposi’s sarcoma.
Scientists overwhelmingly agree that the Earth is facing a serious loss in biodiversity and perhaps an outright mass extinction, if threats to the world’s species are not quickly addressed.
CITATION: Thomas, P. 2011. Taxus contorta. In: IUCN 2011. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.2. . Downloaded on 10 November 2011.
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