A study conducted by AZE (Alliance for Zero Extinction) scientists working in collaboration with an international network of experts have so far identified 595 sites that must be effectively protected to prevent the extinction of 794 of the world’s most threatened species. The AZE aims to prevent imminent species extinctions by identifying and safeguarding the places where Endangered and Critically Endangered species are restricted to single remaining sites. The criteria for selecting sites are:

1. Endangerment - An AZE site must contain at least one Endangered (EN) or Critically Endangered (CR) species, as listed by the IUCN Red List.
2. Irreplaceability - An AZE site should only be designated if it is the sole area where an EN or CR species occurs, or contains the overwhelmingly significant known resident population of the EN or CR species, or contains the overwhelmingly significant known population for one life history segment (e.g., breeding or wintering) of the EN or CR species.
3. Discreteness - The area must have a definable boundary within which the character of habitats, biological communities, and/or management issues have more in common with each other than they do with those in adjacent areas.

AZE is first focusing on species that face extinction either because their last remaining habitat is being degraded at a local level, or because their tiny global range makes them especially vulnerable to external threats.

Why am I mentioning this? Well, it seems Jamaica has 5 such sites with 9 species that have made the AZE list. Only 2 of the sites are currently under protected status.

1. JM1 - Blue and John Crow Mountains (protected)
   • Eleutherodactylus alticola (Common name: Lynn’s Robber Frog) - critically endangered
   • Eleutherodactylus andrewsi (Common name: Andrews’ Robber Frog) - endangered
   • Eleutherodactylus nubicola (Common name: Portland Robber Frog) - endangered
   • Pterodroma caribbaea (Common name: Jamaica Petrel or Blue Mountain Duck) - critically endangered (last seen in 1879)
2. JM2 - Cockpit Country (protected)
   • Eleutherodactylus griphus (Common name: Trelawny Parish Robber Frog) - critically endangered
   • Eleutherodactylus sisyphodemus (Common name: Quick Step Robber Frog) - critically endangered
3. JM3 - Hellshire Hills (unprotected)
   • Cyclura collei (Jamaica ground iguana) - critically endangered
4. JM4 - Portland Ridge (unprotected)
   • Eleutherodactylus cavernicola (Common name: Portland Cave Robber Frog) - critically endangered
5. JM5 - St. Clair Cave (unprotected)
   • Phyllonycteris aphylla (Common name: Jamaican flower bat) - critically endangered

To find out more about AZE, see: http://www.zeroextinction.org and for the map of all the world sites: http://www.zeroextinction.org/aze_map.pdf.