11.   Butterfly protection is being pioneered by a Council of Europe expert group, which is preparing recovery plans for rare species.

12.   Rare species of plants and animals hundreds of miles from Nevada may be threatened.

13.   It is home to a number of very rare species, including the nightjar, Dartford warbler, sand lizard and smooth snake.

14.   The WWF fear that this will lead to erosion, and that the habitats of various rare species will disappear.

15.   Rare species of cacti whose import is banned under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species were found on sale in four European countries.

16.   But now Oxford City Council says grazing in the winter months is wrecking the land encouraging the spread of thistles and ragwort and threatening the rare species.

17.   Rare species of wildlife are in danger of becoming extinct because of a big increase in theft.

18.   Last year rare species worth half a million pounds pounds have been stolen in raids around the country.

19.   Their wild kin, except for badgers and one or two rare species, have no such protection.

20.   Another increasingly rare native species, Drosophila miranda, has been of interest for the unusual evolution of its chromosomes.