Brazil's list of endangered animals swells

updated 5:59 p.m. ET Nov. 4, 2008

BRASILIA, Brazil - Brazil's new list of endangered animals is nearly three times as long as the last list 20 years ago, Environment Minister Carlos Minc said Tuesday, blaming development and deforestation for the change.

Among the 489 species added to the list are the blue whale, the albatross and the northeastern uru, a sort of wild chicken.

The new list names 627 creatures in danger of extinction, up from 218 on the last list in 1989.

"Industry is expanding, agriculture is expanding, people are occupying protected areas and our conservation units do not have the protection needed," Minc said.

Officials removed 79 species as no longer imperiled. Those include the the guara — similar to a coyote — and the pampas deer.

Animals on the list are legally protected, and the document helps guide land use and other policies.

Minc said the government is trying to slow deforestation in Amazon that he said is often caused by soy farmers and ranchers clearing land for crops and cattle. He also blamed illegal trafficking of exotic animals for helping swell the list.

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