One-third of world species face extinction

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London: Over a third or 17,291 out of 47,677 species assessed in an international biodiversity study are now threatened with extinction, researchers have warned.

These species under threat of extinction include 21% of all known mammals, 30% of all known amphibians and 12% of all known birds, according to the latest update of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

Besides, 70% of plants, 28% of reptiles, 37% of freshwater fishes and 35% of invertebrates assessed so far are also facing the threat.

“The scientific evidence of a serious extinction crisis is mounting,” an official IUCN release on Tuesday quoted Jane Smart, director of IUCN’s Biodiversity Conservation Group, as saying.

“January sees the launch of the international year of biodiversity. The latest analysis of the IUCN red list shows the 2010 target to reduce biodiversity loss will not be met.”

“It’s time for the governments to start getting serious about saving species and make sure it’s high on their agendas for next year, as we’re rapidly running out of time,” he warned. According to the IUCN list, of the world’s 5,490 mammals, 79 are extinct or extinct in the wild, with 188 critically endangered.

Amphibians are the most threatened group known to date, with 1,895 of the 6,285 species on the list in danger of extinction and 39 already extinct or extinct in the wild.

There are 1,677 reptiles on the list, of which 469 are threatened with extinction and 22 are already extinct or extinct in the wild.

Of the 12,151 plants on the list, 8,500 are threatened with extinction and 114 are already extinct or extinct in the wild.