The Iberian lynx, the Mediterranean monk seal and the European mink – all critically endangered species - are only some of the 1 in 6 mammal species which are at risk of extinction in the Mediterranean, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List. The pressure group warns that the continued destruction of natural habitats across the Mediterranean region poses a grave threat to the region’s ecological diversity. Only 3% of the 320 mammal species assessed were on the increase - largely due to the efforts of conservationists.