Extinction

A starfish floating on the coral reef, Dominican Republic.

One Million Species at Risk of Extinction, Threatening Human Communities Around the World, U.N. Report Warns

A global assessment compiled by hundreds of scientists found that humans are inflicting staggering damage on the world’s biodiversity

If listed under the Endangered Species Act, giraffes would become eligible for federal funding aimed at conservation, and limits would be placed on the import of the animal's body parts

The United States May List Giraffes as an Endangered Species

Last week, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced plans to conduct in-depth review of the popular animal's threat status

Researchers analyzed the orthodentin and the cementum in the sloth tooth. Pits mark locations where samples were collected for analysis.

Found: The Remains of a 27,000-Year-Old Sloth That Got Stuck in a Sinkhole

The sloth’s tooth, which was discovered in a deep pool in Belize, is helping scientists learn about the animal’s diet and the climate in which it lived

The Somali ostrich is prized for its meat, feathers, leather and eggs

Human Hunting Is Driving the World's Biggest Animals Toward Extinction

A new analysis found that 70 percent of Earth's largest creatures are decreasing in number, while 59 percent are at risk of extinction

This Ancient Reptile Had a Small Head, Tiny Eyes and a Platypus-Like Bill

Even paleobiologists find Eretmorhipis carrolldongi strange

The Last Wild Caribou of the Lower 48 Has Been Placed in Captivity

It will soon be released into another herd, but scientists do not know if caribou will even again inhabit the contiguous United States

R.I.P., George.

A Hawaiian Snail Named George, Believed to Be the Last of His Species, Has Died

His death highlights a larger concern: Scientists estimate that 90 percent of terrestrial snail diversity on the Hawaiian Islands has been lost

Although the asteroid strike that created Chicxulub crater in modern-day Mexico dramatically affected life on Earth, the fiery crash isn't the whole story of the fate of the dinosaurs.

We Still Don’t Know Why the Reign of the Dinosaurs Ended

The asteroid strike on the Yucatán Peninsula 66 million years ago is only part of the story

The so-called "Great Dying" depleted ocean oxygen levels, effectively suffocating nearly all of the planet's marine life

How Did the ‘Great Dying’ Kill 96 Percent of Earth’s Ocean-Dwelling Creatures?

Researchers say the prehistoric mass extinction event could mirror contemporary—and future—devastation sparked by global warming

The Georgia aster is one of many threatened plant species

Thousands of Little-Known Plant Species Are at Risk of Extinction

When researchers used machine learning to evaluate 150,000 plant species, they found that 10 percent were likely to qualify for the IUCN Red List

Artist’s impression of Elasmotherium.

Modern Humans Emerged As Ancient 'Siberian Unicorns' Died Out—But Their Demise Wasn't Our Fault

A new study has found that the ancient rhinoceros went extinct 39,000 years ago—not 100,000 years ago, as experts previously believed

The marsupial lion (Thylacoleo carnifex) stalked Australian forests tens of thousands of years ago.

How a Changing Climate May Have Killed Off the Marsupial Lion

The fearsome predator, related to koalas and wombats, ruled the wilds of Australia until the loss of its habitat helped drive it to extinction

Artist's rendition of Mirarce eatoni.

This Dino-Era Bird Was as Advanced as Modern Species. So Why Did It Disappear?

An enantiornithine fossil found in the western U.S. sat in storage for 25 years before it was officially described

Buffaloes at Rest recalls a time when bison were plentiful. When the print was created in 1911, only about 1,350 remained.

The Bison Returns to the Great American Plains

After years of fierce debate, the West’s greatest symbol will again roam the countryside

Asian elephants have less than a 33 percent chance of lasting beyond the 21st century

Earth Lost 2.5 Billion Years’ Worth of Evolutionary History in Just 130,000 Years

Even if humans curbed destructive actions within next 50 years, it would take between five to seven million years for mammal biodiversity to fully recover

Bones of the newly described Vorombe titan

Newly Described Elephant Bird Is the Biggest Yet

A new study is bringing long-overdue scientific rigor to the elephant bird’s family tree

The Catch of the Day Is a 10,000-Year-Old Gigantic Deer Skull

Last week, Irish fishermen pulled up the skull and horns of an extinct great elk, which could have 12-foot-wide antlers

Spix's macaw.

In the Last Decade, Four Birds Went Extinct and Four More Are Likely Gone

Habitat loss is the main culprit in killing off the birds, including Spix's macaw, the star of the popular 2011 film <i>Rio</i>

The moa, a species of giant flightless birds, went extinct soon after humans arrived in New Zealand during the 13th century

Oral History Suggests Māori Proverbs on Bird Extinction Mirrored Fears of Indigenous Group’s Own Decline

The moa, a giant flightless bird, served as symbol of extinction and reflection of Māori fears over encroaching European presence

DNA of Extinct Cave Bear Lives on in Modern Brown Bears

A new genetic study has found that the two species interbred

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