At present, there are more than 44,000 species around the world that are facing the possibility of extinction. Keeping a watchful eye over them is the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), composed of governments and civil society organisations. Since 1964, the IUCN has compiled the Red List of Threatened Species, a comprehensive guide to the state of nature and the likelihood of plant and animal extinction. From ‘least concern’ to ‘extinct’, each species that’s assessed by the IUCN is placed on the scale to indicate their conservation status.
For example, to be categorised as ‘critically endangered’ a species needs to meet specific conditions, such as fewer than 250 mature individuals, a population reduction of 70 per cent or more in the past ten years or a population that continues to decline by 25 per cent or more over three years. This informative tool not only lists species’ status in the world, but also acts as a reference for many different agencies and organisations to enact policy changes and protections in the hopes of protecting wildlife.
The IUCN list is filled with 157,100 species, of which 28 per cent are ‘threatened with extinction’. The IUCN aims to assess a further 160,000 species and transform the IUCN Red List into a ‘barometer of life’. Here are just some of the many critically endangered animals that are facing extinction.
DUSKY GOPHER FROG (RANA SEVOSA)
This story is from the Issue 190 edition of How It Works UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Issue 190 edition of How It Works UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
THE POWER OF WATER
We're hooked on fossil fuels. But hydroelectric power is becoming an increasingly important replacement for coal and oil
EXPLORING THE MOON'S CAVES
Earth's rocky neighbour is home to a network of unexplored caves, and scientists are keen to take a peek inside
HOW TO ELECT THE PRESIDENT
The campaigns, votes and elections that put someone in America's most powerful office
WHAT IS MORNING SICKNESS?
Why some pregnancies can cause nausea and vomiting
20 WEIRDEST SCIENCE MYSTERIES
From dark matter to deep-sea crabs, science still can't fully explain these strange quirks of nature
THE TRIANGULUM GALAXY SHINES IN A NEW HUBBLE IMAGE
A nearby galaxy is shining with star formation in a new image from the Hubble Space Telescope.
The world's fastest charger fully powers smartphones in five minutes
Scientists have revealed the fastest battery-charging technology in the world for smartphones, which can fully charge a smartphone in less than five minutes.
Real-time brain stimulation slashes Parkinson's symptoms by half in trials
Brain stimulation that rapidly adjusts in real-time can dramatically reduce Parkinson’s symptoms, an early trial suggests.
The hottest ocean temperature in 400 years threatens the Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is facing the hottest sea surface temperatures in four centuries.
Massive medieval coin hoard worth about 150 sheep' discovered
Archaeologists in Germany have unearthed over 1,500 medieval silver coins after a citizen noticed what looked like ‘small metal plates’ while digging during a construction project.
