Tag Archive for 'Extinction'

Simple schematic representation of the mutilation of the Tree of life because of generic extinctions and extinction risks. The bottom half of the tree depicted as dead branches shows examples of the extinct genera, and the upper half shows examples of genera at risk of extinction. Extinct genera: (I) lower row left - Delcourt’s giant gecko (Hoplodactylus, left), of which the only specimens known were found in a museum without a label, but probably they were found in New Zealand; and saddle-backed Rodrigues giant tortoise (Cylindraspis, right) from Rodrigues Island in the Indian Ocean. Lower row right - Yunnan Lake newt (Cynops, left) from China; and the gastric brooding frogs (Rheobatrachus, right) from rainforests in Queensland, Australia. (II) Second bottom-up row left - thylacine (Thylacinus, left), the largest carnivorous marsupial, last known from Tasmania; and Yangtze River dolphin or baijii (Lipotes, right) from China, one of very few freshwater dolphins. Second bottom-up row right - elephant birds (Aepyornis, left), the largest birds surviving to modern times, represent also both an extinct genus and family (Aepyornithidae) endemic to Madagascar; and Moho birds (genus Moho, right) represent also both an extinct genus and family (Mohidae) from Hawaii. Endangered genera: (III) Third bottom-up row left - King cobra (Ophiophagus, left) from Asia; and gavial (Gavialis, right) from India and Nepal. Third bottom-up row right - Alpine newt (Ichthyosaura, left) from Europe; and Mahogany frog (Abavorana, right) from the Malay Peninsula. (IV) Upper row left: volcano rabbit (Romerolagus, left) known from few mountains close to Mexico City, and elephant (Loxodonta, right) from Africa. Upper row right - ‘i’iwi or scarlet honeycreeper (Drepanis, left) from Hawaii; and kakapo (Strigops, right) a flightless parrot from New Zealand. Image credit: Marco Antonio Pineda.

Study: Human-Driven Sixth Mass Extinction is Eliminating Entire Animal Genera

Sep 18, 2023 by News Staff

Mass extinctions during the past 500 million years rapidly removed branches from the tree of life and required millions of years for evolution to generate...

Sardinian dwarf mammoth, Sardinian giant otter, deer, Sardinian dhole and giant pica. Image credit: Peter Schouten, http://studioschouten.com.au.

Study: Island-Dwelling Dwarfs and Giants are More Vulnerable to Extinction than Other Species

Mar 10, 2023 by Enrico de Lazaro

Islands often contain distinctive ecological conditions that can lead to unusual evolutionary trajectories such as dwarf mammoths and giant rats. In new...

The South Andean deer, Hippocamelus bisulcus, is returning to former habitat thanks to collaborative conservation efforts (Alejandro Vila)

Conservation Efforts Save South Andean Deer from Extinction

Apr 17, 2013 by News Staff

A new study published in the journal Oryx shows that collaborative approaches to conservation can give hope to endangered species such as the South Andean...

Restoration of the Lesser Megalapteryx, also known as the Upland moa, Megalapteryx didinus. The Lesser Megalapteryx was the last moa species to become extinct (Lionel Walter Rothschild)

Late-Holocene Bird Extinction Linked to Human Colonization

Apr 9, 2013 by Enrico de Lazaro

A new research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that more than 1,000 bird species became extinct on Pacific islands...

Study Suggests Humans Caused Extinction of Australian Megafauna

Mar 26, 2012 by James Freeman

A team of researchers led by Dr. Susan Rule of the Australian National University has found that human arrival rather than climate change caused the extinction...