Prominent scientific journal Nature published a special analysis on Wednesday that shows that 41 per cent of all amphibians on the planet now face extinction, while 26 per cent of mammal species and 13 per cent of birds are also under threat of disappearing. The updated data is additional to the numerous species that are already on the verge of extinction. The Sumatran elephant, bonobos, bluefin tuna and loggerhead turtle are all on the earth's current list of critically endangers species.
The authors of the report have identified human activity as the primary factor that underpins the next wave of extinction. The Earth has undergone five previous great extinctions, all of which were caused by geological or astronomical events. For example, the Cretaceous-Jurassic extinction was triggered by an asteroid striking Earth, leading to the disappearance of dinosaurs 65 million years ago—the next expected great extinction will be the first time that humans will be responsible.
According to Nature, the impact of humans began during prehistoric times, with mammoths. This was followed by passenger pigeons—which were the most abundant bird in North America at one time—and then, more recently, the golden toad, Tasmanian tiger and Baiji river dolphin have all fallen away under the heavy hand of human civilisation. The list of species that are next in line consists of thousands of endangered prospects.
Marine ecologist Derek Tittensor, from the World Conservation Monitoring Center, also points out that climate change will exacerbate the problem. However, Nature states that the effects of climate change "will probably accelerate extinctions in as-yet unknown ways."
In conclusion, Nature calls upon governments to immediately undertake a global census of species and their rates of extinction. It believes that humans and the planet will be in a dire, "incalculable" situation if the current threat is allowed to flourish.