International Union for Conservation of Nature recently updated their red list of threatened species putting a spotlight on hundreds of plant and animal species who are facing the threat of habitat destruction.

Here we explain the process of mass extinction.

Scientists believe the earth is experiencing another "mass extinction event" since non-avian dinosaurs died out 65 million years ago.

More than 40% per cent of amphibians and one-quarter of all mammals are currently at risk of disappearing entirely from our planet.

It’s the result of changes set in motion by human activity and climate change, with life in the oceans particularly affected.

Coral reefs, home to over a quarter of all marine species, could disappear by 2050, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, which compiles an annual ‘red list’ of the world’s most endangered wildlife.

Antarctic blue whales, the largest creatures on the planet, are critically endangered, just one step away from extinction.

With possibly as few as 10 left in the world, the vaquita, the planet’s smallest porpoise, is probably the species most at risk of extinction. The mammal gets caught in illegal fishing nets and drowns.

Some 60 per cent of freshwater species such as crocodiles, hippos, and river dolphins are classified as threatened and lacking adequate protection.

The reclusive pangolin has become the most trafficked mammal on earth due to soaring demand in Asia for its scales for traditional medicine and its meat which is considered a delicacy.

More than half of all primates are under threat of extinction due to habitat destruction, the illegal wildlife trade and hunting.

Four out of six of the Earth’s great apes are endangered or critically many wild cats are also on the cusp of extinction, including the Sumatran tiger and Javan leopard.

All five surviving species of rhinoceros in the wild are threatened, mainly by poaching. The northern white rhino is already extinct in the wild, with less than a handful left in captivity.

The number of Asian elephants has fallen by at least 50% over three generations, there are less than 50,000 left in the wild.

The future of four out of eight bear species is also cause for concern: the giant panda and polar bears are both vulnerable’.

Source: International Union for the conservation of Nature, CITES, WWF, International Rhino Foundation.

International Union for Conservation of Nature recently updated their red list of threatened species putting a spotlight on hundreds of plant and animal species who are facing the threat of habitat destruction.

International Union for Conservation of Nature recently updated their red list of threatened species putting a spotlight on hundreds of plant and animal species who are facing the threat of habitat destruction. Here we explain the process of mass extinction. Scientists believe the earth is experiencing another "mass extinction event" since non-avian dinosaurs died out 65 million years ago. More than 40% per cent of amphibians and one-quarter of all mammals are currently at risk of disappearing entirely from our planet. It’s the result of changes set in motion by human activity and climate change, with life in the oceans particularly affected. Coral reefs, home to over a quarter of all marine species, could disappear by 2050, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, which compiles an annual ‘red list’ of the world’s most endangered wildlife. Antarctic blue whales, the largest creatures on the planet, are critically endangered, just one step away from extinction. With possibly as few as 10 left in the world, the vaquita, the planet’s smallest porpoise, is probably the species most at risk of extinction. The mammal gets caught in illegal fishing nets and drowns. Some 60 per cent of freshwater species such as crocodiles, hippos, and river dolphins are classified as threatened and lacking adequate protection. The reclusive pangolin has become the most trafficked mammal on earth due to soaring demand in Asia for its scales for traditional medicine and its meat which is considered a delicacy. More than half of all primates are under threat of extinction due to habitat destruction, the illegal wildlife trade and hunting. Four out of six of the Earth’s great apes are endangered or critically many wild cats are also on the cusp of extinction, including the Sumatran tiger and Javan leopard. All five surviving species of rhinoceros in the wild are threatened, mainly by poaching. The northern white rhino is already extinct in the wild, with less than a handful left in captivity. The number of Asian elephants has fallen by at least 50% over three generations, there are less than 50,000 left in the wild. The future of four out of eight bear species is also cause for concern: the giant panda and polar bears are both vulnerable’. Source: International Union for the conservation of Nature, CITES, WWF, International Rhino Foundation.

Is earth experiencing another 'mass extinction event'?

As the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) prepares to unveil a thorough diagnosis of the health of Earth&#39;s plant and animal species, here are some already known facts about the Earth.&nbsp;

Two species of vertebrate, animals with a backbone, have gone extinct every year, on average, for the past century.

Scientists say Earth is undergoing a &quot;mass extinction event&quot;, the first since the dinosaurs disappeared some 65 million years ago, and only the sixth in the last half-a-billion years.&nbsp;

About 41 per cent of amphibian species and more than a quarter of mammals are threatened with extinction.

About half of coral reefs have been lost in the last 30 years.

The global populations of 3,706 monitored vertebrate species -- fish, birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles -- declined by nearly 60 per cent from 1970 to 2012.

25,821 species of 91,523 assessed for the 2017 &quot;Red List&quot; update were classified as &quot;threatened&quot;.

Of these, 5,583 were &quot;critically&quot; endangered, 8,455 &quot;endangered&quot;, and 11,783 &quot;vulnerable&quot;.

African elephant numbers dropped to 415,000 in 2016, down about 111,000 over 10 years.

There are an estimated 8.7 million plant and animal species on our planet. This means about 86 per cent of land species and 91 per cent of sea species remain undiscovered.

Of the ones we do know, 1,204 mammal, 1,469 bird, 1,215 reptile, 2,100 amphibian, and 2,386 fish species are considered threatened.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Also threatened are 1,414 insect, 2,187 mollusc, 732 crustacean, 237 coral, 12,505 plant, 33 mushroom, and six brown algae species.

Annual economic losses as a result of deforestation and forest degradation alone may be as high as $4.5 trillion (3.6 trillion euros).

A conference of the UN&#39;s Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) agreed in Nagoya, Japan in 2010 on a 20-point plan to turn back biodiversity loss by 2020.

The plan&#39;s so-called &quot;Aichi Biodiversity Targets&quot; include halving the rate of habitat loss, expanding water and land areas under conservation, preventing the extinction of species on the threatened list, and restoring at least 15 per cent of degraded ecosystems.

SOURCES: WWF Living Planet Report, IUCN Red List, PLoS Biology, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, CBD, UNEP.

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About 41 per cent of amphibian species and more than a quarter of mammals are threatened with extinction

As the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) prepares to unveil a thorough diagnosis of the health of Earth's plant and animal species, here are some already known facts about the Earth. Two species of vertebrate, animals with a backbone, have gone extinct every year, on average, for the past century. Scientists say Earth is undergoing a "mass extinction event", the first since the dinosaurs disappeared some 65 million years ago, and only the sixth in the last half-a-billion years. About 41 per cent of amphibian species and more than a quarter of mammals are threatened with extinction. About half of coral reefs have been lost in the last 30 years. The global populations of 3,706 monitored vertebrate species -- fish, birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles -- declined by nearly 60 per cent from 1970 to 2012. 25,821 species of 91,523 assessed for the 2017 "Red List" update were classified as "threatened". Of these, 5,583 were "critically" endangered, 8,455 "endangered", and 11,783 "vulnerable". African elephant numbers dropped to 415,000 in 2016, down about 111,000 over 10 years. There are an estimated 8.7 million plant and animal species on our planet. This means about 86 per cent of land species and 91 per cent of sea species remain undiscovered. Of the ones we do know, 1,204 mammal, 1,469 bird, 1,215 reptile, 2,100 amphibian, and 2,386 fish species are considered threatened. Also threatened are 1,414 insect, 2,187 mollusc, 732 crustacean, 237 coral, 12,505 plant, 33 mushroom, and six brown algae species. Annual economic losses as a result of deforestation and forest degradation alone may be as high as $4.5 trillion (3.6 trillion euros). A conference of the UN's Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) agreed in Nagoya, Japan in 2010 on a 20-point plan to turn back biodiversity loss by 2020. The plan's so-called "Aichi Biodiversity Targets" include halving the rate of habitat loss, expanding water and land areas under conservation, preventing the extinction of species on the threatened list, and restoring at least 15 per cent of degraded ecosystems. SOURCES: WWF Living Planet Report, IUCN Red List, PLoS Biology, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, CBD, UNEP.

Earth is undergoing 'mass extinction event', the first since dinosaurs disappeared, Scientists say

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