Mountain Gorilla Its life

Prospects look better for the mountain gorilla, after years of conservation measures, including anti-poaching and veterinary patrols.

And numbers of two large whales are recovering, following hunting bans.

However, other flora and fauna is declining.

Species getting closer to extinction include several types of fish, a globally important timber tree, and one of the world's largest and smelliest flowers.

The fin whale, western gray whale, mountain gorilla and Rothschild's giraffe are among the animals where numbers are rising.

The latest assessments by the International Union for Conservation of Nature - IUCN come as governments convene in Egypt for the Convention on Biological Diversity.

IUCN Director General, Inger Andersen, said the recoveries we are seeing illustrate the power of conservation action.

"These conservation successes are proof that the ambitious, collaborative efforts of governments, business and civil society could turn back the tide of species loss," she said.

Almost 100,000 plants and animals have now been evaluated for extinction threats by the IUCN. Of these, around a quarter are on the edge of extinction.

The "winners" in the new Red List include:

The mountain gorilla
There were around 600 mountain gorillas left in the wild in 2008; but numbers have now risen to over 1,000 after intensive conservation efforts. These include anti-poaching patrols and vets trained to give care to gorillas in the wild.

The gorilla is restricted to protected areas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Uganda. Threats remain, including poaching, civil unrest and diseases passed on by humans.

But while mountain gorillas are increasing in number, the great ape remains endangered.

Dr Liz Williamson of the IUCN primate specialist group said conservation action must continue.

"Coordinated efforts through a regional action plan and fully implementing IUCN Best Practice guidelines for great ape tourism and disease prevention, which recommend limiting numbers of tourists and preventing any close contact with humans, are critical to ensuring a future for the mountain gorilla.