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Alarming Numbers of Species Facing Extinction
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by Barbara McPherson | November 3, 2009 at 09:58 am
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The Union for Conservation of Nature, based in Switzerland has listed an alarming number of species now facing extinction. It examined over 47 000 organisms and found that of those over 17 000 face extinction.
The Switzerland-based International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) examined 47,677 of the world's animals and plants for its annual Red List of endangered species, released on Tuesday.
It found that 17,291 of them are at serious risk, including 21 per cent of mammals, 30 per cent of amphibians, 70 per cent of plants and 35 per cent of invertebrates.
"These results are just the tip of the iceberg," Craig Hilton-Taylor, manager of the IUCN Red List unit, said.
The IUCN spokesperson, Craig Hilton-Taylor pointed out that there are many more species that were not examined.
Animals living in fresh water have been particularly hard hit, with the extinction of amphibians particularly worrisome. The competition for clean, fresh water from growing human populations leave many organisms high and dry. Increasing industrial pollution in many waterways also contributes to the demise of vulnerable species.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (4)
at 13:41 on November 3rd, 2009
Wow, alarming when you hear the numbers.
at 14:01 on November 3rd, 2009
Alarming but true! Change in ecology owing to human intervention will only speed up the process rather than help the case of organisms if we don't wake up sooner.
at 13:48 on November 3rd, 2009
Awe this is so sad.
at 18:03 on November 3rd, 2009
The price for our abuse and destruction will be our own extinction and for the earth it would be a blessing would we disappear, no one would miss us. those that survive us may even have a party once humanity is no more.
Humanity is guilty of mass genocide of all life and should be triad and treated like any mass murdered is treated.