Global Extinctions

EarthExtinctions have occurred in all animal and plant groups, but most well documented extinctions are mammals and birds. These animals are more loved by people, so people notice these disappearances faster than disappearances in other animal groups, like arachnids and worms.

Photo: "The Blue Marble" is a famous photograph of the Earth taken on 7 December 1972 by the crew of the Apollo 17 spacecraft en route to the Moon at a distance of about 29,000 kilometers. It shows Africa, Antarctica, and the Arabian Peninsula. This file is in the public domain because it was created by NASA. NASA copyright policy states that "NASA material is not protected by copyright unless noted".

The subjoined table shows the number of species and subspecies that recently became globally extinct according to this website and the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (Version 2011.1). Click on one of the list names to see the complete lists of recently extinct animals, plants and red algae.

Lists of Globally Extinct Species and Subspecies
List Name
The Sixth Extinction Website
IUCN Red List (Version 2011.1)
Species
Subspecies
Species
Subspecies
Mammals
85
43
76
7
Birds
166
69
132
0
Reptiles
28
5
21
1
Amphibians
34
0
37
0
Fish
63
12
59
0
Molluscs
324
11
313
8
Insects
66
5
59
0
Arachnids
3
0
0
0
Crustaceans
12
0
11
0
Worms
3
0
2
0
Plants & Red Algae
87
10
87
10
Total Number
871
155
797
26

 

References

IUCN (2011). IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2011.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 25 June 2011.

TSEW (2011). The Sixth Extinction Website. <www.petermaas.nl/extinct>. Downloaded on 17 November 2011.

 

Citation: Maas, P.H.J. (2011). Global Extinctions. In: TSEW (). The Sixth Extinction Website. <http://www.petermaas.nl/extinct>. Downloaded on .
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Updated: 17 November 2011

 

Latest News

17 November 2011. Long thought extinct, Hula Painted Frog (Discoglossus nigriventer) rediscovered in Israeli nature reserve. Read more: Haaretz.com.

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