population size

Hunted nearly to extinction during 20th century whaling, the Antarctic blue whale, the world's largest animal, went from a population size of roughly 200,000 to little more than 300.

"We have identified which species are most at risk of extinction due to natural hazards, which is a new aspect of our findings. We also highlight strategies to prevent these extinctions, such as captive breeding programs to increase the population size and translocation of those species," explains postdoc Fernando Gonçalves, one of two first authors behind the study.

That is because the map has already changed: the 40 seats of 2019 have been whittled down to 32 to try and make the constituencies more equal in terms of population size – although Ynys Môn has special status.

"If cownose rays continue to survive in Bermuda waters, the species' low fertility rate of one pup per year will limit its capacity for rapid population growth, which is why we greatly need a more accurate assessment of the current population size."

The number of members of the European Parliament each country gets to elect depends on the country’s population size.