Five Species Likely to Become Extinct in the Next 40 Years
Conservationists estimate that one-eighth of all bird species, one-fifth of mammal species and one-third of amphibian species are at risk of extinction
- By Erica R. Hendry
- Smithsonian magazine, August 2010
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(Brad Wilson / IUCN)
Rabb’s Fringe-Limbed Treefrog Ecnomiohyla rabborum
Location: Panama
Estimated number in wild: One
The big-footed frogs have been devastated by a fungal disease that swept into the area in 2006. Scientists know of only one in the wild, identified by its call. Some live in captivity but have not bred.
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Comments (26)
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"humans are the rarest of the rare"? lol. gee, who said that? oh yea, a human did.
Posted by danny508 on December 1,2011 | 04:44 PM
Humans are the scourge of the earth. We take more than we need or deserve and then ask for more.
Posted by Gongadesh on September 3,2011 | 07:42 AM
Humans are actually the rarest of the rare. Those who think humans should go extinct should take a chill on their stance or find some way to change into some other life form - preferably one that doesn't speak. If humans were to become extinct, the probability of another species evolving to possess anywhere near the capabilities of humans in terms of consciousness and abilities to manipulate its surroundings and communicate is practically zero. Nothing compares. Although nature constantly driving towards convergent evolution to fill similar niches, there will never be another like us if we go. Even the hominids that have come and gone do not compare, and our closest living relatives, the chimps, bonobos and other great apes, only develop language, scientific knowledge, and culture in fictional stories after man gives them these gifts - we get to see this in the new Planet of the Apes movie coming out soon! We too are part of the natural progression of things. I concur that we can do a better job with how we treat the planet and our fellow beings, as it is only in the best interest of mankind to do so, but extinction of the human species - come on! Time to go hang out at the mall and do some people watching - fascinating.
Posted by Dave on July 28,2011 | 03:47 AM
The way so many kinds of creatures are disappearing or dwingling away makes me believe that we are "out of whack."
Posted by Linda on September 14,2010 | 09:06 PM
I agree with M.S.
Sure, extinction is a natural process (e.g. dinosaurs) and it has happened so many times in Earth's history. Some species make it and some just don't. But those are extinctions that happen due to natural causes like disease and climate change. I think that the treefrog falls into that type of extinction.
But when humans are involved in the ending of a species due to the destruction of their habitat from pollution, poaching, illegal animal smuggling, or making stuff like monkey balm, then it's a completely different matter. There is nothing "natural" in that. Someday, it's possible that our great great grandchildren will think that all animals live in the zoo and that rainforests are a fairy tale.
Posted by Steffi F. on August 30,2010 | 07:22 AM
Of course, let's make sure we get the poor human species on this list. Give it a rest. Of course, extinctions occur naturally but when they are caused by human carelessness, it's inexcusable. The passenger pigeon and the dodo weren't lost to natural processes.
There are six billion of us and we're going to make sure we take every other species out before we go. We are the worst thing to ever happen to this planet.
Posted by M.S. on August 19,2010 | 02:57 PM
The sooner humans go extinct the better for every other living thing on planet Earth. Maybe the next species to attain "intelligence" will really be intelligent, and not just some psychotic, mutant, monkey freaks with a fetish for death and destruction.
Posted by j r on August 6,2010 | 06:59 PM
There are 6.5 Billion humans on earth growing an an exponential rate. In order to save species that have limited range, it would seem only logical to curb the species which is most resopnsile for other species extinction. For example, the Mexican illegals care absolutely nothing for endangered species, and would kill the last one of a species out of pure ignorance and lack of consideration of some lowly form of life. The elitists which clammer for multiplicity among humans, give little thought that the only people to survive in a complex world, should be those with the intelligence to understand why biodiversity is so important not only for our own biological survivel but also for our psycholoogical sanity.When man is the only viable organism left on earth, the dspair of it all will create a madness of extinction.
Posted by Phil Glidden on August 6,2010 | 01:18 PM
Since the beginning of this planet and life on it there have been massive extinctions. This is normal. If they had not occured then man would not be here today. These extinctions made room for man and the other species that are here today to develop. Global warming is also a normal circumstnce which has been occuring regularly throught the times. This also causes extinctions and is quite normal. Extinctions are not a man made occurance, although on a very small scale man may push species away.
Its highly unlikely man will destroy himself or the world. We are just too small to be able to do that. This planet has been around for billions of years and has gone through catastropic changes which were much bigger than we can do to this planet and it got through those changes quite fine. Changes are naturally and there's nothing that says we humans are to be here permanently.
Posted by wade sabean on August 6,2010 | 04:24 AM
We don't need an ecosystem and we certainly do not need lesser creatures slowing down or impeding the progress of this Great Society. It is time we did what everyone knows in the back of their mind is correct- use chemicals to destroy all of the indigenous life on the planet so that we may inspire Humans to explore the Cosmos! Hail Scientism!
Posted by Mao Chinger on August 6,2010 | 03:15 AM
what a shame, animals play a huge part in the circle of life and if some start disappearing due to extinction whether its by the hand of man or by nature (but its usually man) it throws the whole balance of things off and i would really hate to see dolphins go extinct such a beautiful creature and i feel like dolphins have a natural connection to us humans, their some of the friendliest creatures in the sea, i've seen how their butchered by the japanese for dolphin meat or whatever the hell it is they use them for and its absolutely horrible, they kill endagered whales, they kill dolphins and they play a huge part in these creatures on the verge of being extinct, don't have anything against the japanese persay but the ones responsible need to stop the killing of whales and dolphins
Posted by brenda on August 5,2010 | 08:24 PM
"For then (the last days which we are now in) there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh (animal or human) would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened." Matt 24:21,22
Posted by Lynn D. on August 5,2010 | 07:57 PM
This was an exceptionally poor choice to use in this article. There is no indication this species EVER was viable.
In my opinion it's misleading to highlight this frog as one of the "Five species most likely to become extinct" as it muddies the political, social, and scientific issues associated with the issue. For example, MANY readers would see this cute creature and assume it became endangered only because of something done by humans to threaten its existence...the WE are driving it to extinction.
This species was only JUST DISCOVERED in 2005.
It's numbers were already so low it was virtually guaranteed to die-out. The fungus in 2006 accelerated the process.
There are thousands of species we humans NEVER even find out about that exist for awhile and die-out because they didn't make the cut AND/OR exist in a temporary, ever-changing environmental bubble...one which cannot be sustained long-term in nature.
Posted by Jack on August 5,2010 | 07:24 PM
Where is the Human species in that list?
Posted by Steve on August 5,2010 | 06:41 PM
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