How Many Animals Have Gone Extinct Due To Global Warming

Introduction

The world has an amazing array of plants and animals. It is vital for the sake of these biospheres that we work to protect them from the harmful effects of climatic change. However, for some species we are acting too late, as they have already gone extinct. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimates that at that place are 882 plants and animals that are extinct [1], but this statistic doesn't tell the whole story.

How many have gone extinct?

The outset officially recognised mammalian extinction (extinction of a mammal) was that of the Bramble Cay melomys in 2019. These small creatures were only know to have lived on a tiny island near the coast of Papua New Guinea, which due to rising sea levels has shrunk their habitat by nearly 97% [2]. This expanse of the world, known as the Torres Strait, sea levels are ascension at about twice the global boilerplate rate, endangering many more habitats and hence the species that alive there [2].

The melomys was merely known to exist on the tiny isle of Bramble Cay © Photo by Cameron De Jong for Geographical Magazine

The Bramble Cay melomys represents a sorry milestone in tracked extinctions, but with extinction science it is often hard to trace, or accurately decide species numbers. Many of the estimated extinctions that occur are in species that oasis't officially been found or named, but are identified later through museum and scientific records. And so far scientists have been able to identify at least 1.9 million animal species and 450,000 establish species, merely suggest that there are perchance millions more yet to exist named [3].

Likewise equally this, there is a long listing of species that are categorised every bit 'extinct in the wild' (EW). This is a categorisation past the IUCN, which states that a plant or beast is EW "when it is known only to survive in cultivation, in captivity or as a naturalised population (or populations) well exterior the by range" [1]. This categorisation is the last cease on the

IUCN's 'Red List'

before the extinction category.

In that location are currently 77 animals that are categorised as EW. Some examples of animals that are inside this category are:

• Black Softshell Turtle

• Père David'due south Deer (pictured)

• Hawaiian Crow

• Franklin Tree (pictured)

• Wyoming Toad

How does climate alter cause extinction?

Looking historically, extinction is a natural process. At some phase all things come, live and and then eventually dice out. However, extinction in at present happening upwardly to 100 times faster than the natural, historical level known as the evolutionary charge per unit [4] – and extinction rates are withal accelerating!

The key drivers of biodiversity loss have been highlighted as overfishing, pollution and climate change. With the single biggest contributing cistron being the destruction of natural habitats.

Overfishing

Overfishing is the unsustainable method of fishing, with besides many fish being caught to allow fish populations to recover. In large fishing operations, lots of other marine life may be afflicted, through the indirect touch on on entire ecosystems to the straight accidental fishing of animals not for consumption such as turtles and dolphins. It is estimated that 33% of fish stocks are being harvested at unsustainable levels, meanwhile there has been a fifty% loss of live coral cover in reefs since 1870 [five].

The dredge in activity. © Photo past NOAA on Unsplash

Climatic change

All plants and animals take a temperature range within which they are best suited and thrive. 1 of the central ways in which climate change causes extinction is through rising global temperatures, which mean that these species are no longer comfortable living in their traditional habitat. Forced to either adapt or move to escape this, many species are so put under a big amount of pressure to survive.

Aside from this cause, scientists have identified proximate causes (direct causes every bit a upshot of climate change) which are responsible for the extinction of multiple species. Some examples of these proximate causes are: the negative impacts of heat avoidance behaviour, climate-related loss of host and pollinator species, and the positive impacts of climate change on pathogens and competitors [six].

Habitat loss

Pollution, overfishing and climate change all contribute to habitat loss which has been cited every bit the biggest commuter in the declining rates of biodiversity, and the rocketing rates of extinction. 75% of the terrestrial environment (earth's state surfaces), have been severely contradistinct as a outcome of man actions [5] . At present 9% of the world'south species have bereft habitat for long term survival [5]. 1 of the clearest examples of habitat destruction is the deforestation that's occurring around the world – but well-nigh destructively in the Amazon.

Expressionless trees, years after a woods burn down, surrounded by fog © Photo past Meritt Thomas on Unsplash

To combat this…

Nature based solutions are a great way to combat habitat loss since they involve a nurturing, protective and holistic approach to fighting greenhouse gas emissions and their impacts. Through an understanding that the best fashion to do this is by preserving and replacing ecosystems and habitats, nosotros are able to both sequester carbon more than efficiently as well equally sustainably while protecting the planet's biodiversity.

The threat to us

Everything in the natural globe is interconnected with each other meaning that the extinction of i species has directly consequences on others. Every bit well as this according to the

BBC's Extinction – The Facts

, "Disease ecologists believe that if nosotros keep on this pathway, this year's pandemic will not exist a one-off issue" [4]. This is because the devastation of habitats and country clearances can drive the spread of diseases such as COVID-nineteen. The close proximity and resulting interactions betwixt humans and animals as a consequence of these land clearances are now increasingly common, and hence infections and diseases such equally COVID-xix can spread across species. In fact many scientists and ecologists agree that the greater we endanger other life on Earth, the greater we endanger ourselves by increasing the effects of climate change.

"in pushing other species to extinction, humanity is busy sawing off the limb on which it perches"

– Paul R. Erhlich [7]

How many more are currently at threat/in danger?

As information technology stands the IUCN Red listing notes that there are 882 extinct species, with a further 77 species extinct in the wild. However, there are a further 13,898 labelled as vulnerable, xi,732 categorised as endangered and 6,811 which are categorised equally critically endangered [1].

These numbers may seem surprising and there's a good reason why. When many of united states of america call up of endangered species, nosotros often call back of the popular or cute animals, but in that location are thousands of other animals within the same habitats that are equally as vital to a thriving ecosystem.

"how we choose which species live or die is deeply flawed, that our bias for preserving beautiful and fuzzy animals diverts precious resource from creatures that actually proceed our planet humming"

– National Geographic [eight].

Again, nature based solutions, which provide a holistic approach to protecting ecosystems, could be the key to preventing many extinctions. When all plants and animals are valued highly for their part within a habitat, then they are more probable to survive and hopefully thrive. It is cardinal to know that we have a say in the future of our planet and the life that lives on it to prevent extinction.

Sources

[1] IUCN. (2020). Scarlet List. https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?redListCategory=ex

[2] Clark Howard. (2019). Starting time mammal species recognised as extinct due to climate change. https://www.nationalgeographic.co.united kingdom/animals/2019/02/outset-mammal-species-recognized-extinct-due-climate-alter

[3] Dell'amore. (2014). Species Extinction Happening 1,000 Times Faster Considering of Humans? https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/5/140529-conservation-science-animals-species-endangered-extinction/

[4] Thomas. (2020). Extinction: The Facts. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000mn4n/extinction-the-facts

[5] United nations SDG Blog. (2019). Un Report: Nature'south Dangerous Pass up 'Unprecedented'; Species Extinction Rates 'Accelerating'. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/weblog/2019/05/nature-decline-unprecedented-report/

[vi] Cahill et al. (2013). How does climate change crusade extinction? https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rspb.2012.1890

[seven] Kolbert. (2014). The Sixth Extinction. https://world wide web.theguardian.com/books/2016/feb/01/100-all-time-nonfiction-books-of-best-the-sixth-extinction-elizabeth-kolbert.

[viii] Dell'amore. (2013). twenty,000 Species Are Near Extinction: Is information technology Fourth dimension to Rethink How We Decide Which to Relieve?. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/12/131216-conservation-environment-animals-science-endangered-species/

Source: https://earthly.org/en-US/how-many-species-are-extinct-due-to-climate-change

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