ok i was reading these comments for a school prodject and i read something that really confused me, it said that global warming was a nateral thing, but its not. global warming is happening because we humans are putting dangerus gasses into the air and those gasses are thining out the ozone layer, which protects us from the suns rays, and its the worst over the places like the arctic so its melting the ice and the snow that helps animals like the polar bear survive, so no global warming is not nateral and its still our falt that those animals are dieing

I Think that the orangutan will go extinct in the next 20 years! Even if they dont go extinct in that duration, I want to have an encounter with one soon. one day (my estimation is 150 years), every species we have discovered will go extinct. The ones we havent will not. I think all the undiscovered species would be bugs and other less favourites. If anyone has seen the tv series "PRIMEVAL" than you would understand. the world would probabally look lifeless, but before you know it, you would find your self being in a kill or be killed situation. If this is still up on the internet, and the last living human soul, good luck with your last duration of life!

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 Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/specialsections/40th-anniversary/Five-Species-Most-Likely-to-Become-Extinct-in-the-Next-40-Years.html#ixzz26YIpSLKQ

hello if everyone is so bothered about these animals, why are you not out there trying to help them?, or stopping people cutying their home downs? i would be doing this myself but as i am only 12 i am not able to......

"humans are the rarest of the rare"? lol. gee, who said that? oh yea, a human did.

Humans are the scourge of the earth. We take more than we need or deserve and then ask for more.

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.

The way so many kinds of creatures are disappearing or dwingling away makes me believe that we are "out of whack."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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

"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

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.

Where is the Human species in that list?

Hey, you forgot Homo Sapien Sapiens.

We are leading the race by continuous and unmindful acts of host-murder.

As all wise creatures know, murdering one's host in a symbiotic relationship is called suicide.

Those are beautiful creatures.

Anadianant
http://aadivaahan.wordpress.com

The best thing that could possibly happen for the planet is that human's extinct themselves. Unfortunately when we do, and I mean WHEN we do, we will leave a radiation poisoned Earth, among other poisons, for those who still live to inherit. We walk around claiming superiority with our big brains, but we in all ignorance and arrogance cannot help ourselves because our vastly bigger gray matter is useless in the head of a fool.

You forgot one. Human beings.

Round them all up and put them in a captive breeding program. That's the ONLY answer at this point. Why let another monkey species go extinct because Vietnamese on this island are obviously ignorant and superstitious. Where is World Wildlife Fund in this matter? Go in there and get them OUT. Reintroduce them somewhere else or put pressure on Vietnamese Government to protect this species.

A little meditation...if I may express...

When I see in the heavens all those planets that surround ours or that we surround and read about in Science books, about life that could be or was, ions of years in the past on them , and that discoveries and researches are gradually bringing proofs of that fact,I say to myself that maybe "our Garden of Eden" will become like those planets one day in time...The question...When and can it be prevented...and I feel like the poet who wrote..."Once there were green fields kissed by the sun...once there were valleys where rivers used to run..." Merci

I realize that different cultures have different ways, but, come on!!! I would like to think that if the locals can be educated about this animals plight, they perhaps might find a subsitue for the Monkey Balm!!

How very sad that my 5 grandchildren will only get to know some animals either from a book or a special on TV.....

My HEART HURTS to see such events taking place.Every life form should always be well taken care of,it's just ashame that we (humans) have to play a strong part in the destruction of our planet...The Mother Earth.She gave us a beautiful paradise,soon there will be nothing left.We have to WAKE-UP and we must do it now....

What a shame...

It is sad to loose any species, each one is a miracle of evolution. However,by it's very nature, evolution is the survival of those species who are able to adapt to the ever changing world. Mankind has altered the timetable for many species in our desire to subdue nature for our own purposes. We have not been on this planet for very long in the grand scheme of things, yet I doubt any other species has had such a profound effect on the planet. When will we learn that we do not Own the land, rather for a short time we have the priveledge of being the caretaker for the land. Animals (other people too!) are not here to serve us or meet our needs, but rather as our fellow travelers on the journey of life. We need to realize that we are not the center of the universe. For every thing we take from nature, we need to give back in an equal amount.

Sir: Animals are very very important, but I am more worried about humans becoming extinct in the next Ten years. We got careless countries with nuclear and biotechnology weapons that can destroy everybody, and everything with a push of a few buttons or some nut kissing people or shaking hands spreading a plague.

Beautiful animals, not much time left for them. I wonder for how many years the tiger will survive in the wild? its estimated at less than 5 years, I believe. While there is an increase in number of White Rhinos under strict laws and extensive programs, would it be difficult or any different to apply these measures for Tiger conservation and reverse the drastically dropping numbers?