14 DAY TRIAL // A few days back, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) released an updated version of its Red List. According to this update, another 715 species are in danger of falling off the biodiversity map at some point in the not so distant future.
These 715 species are now listed in the “threatened” category, and are labeled as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered, Mongabay says.
Hunting activities, deforestation and environmental pollution are the reasons why these plants and animals risk going extinct.
Since it was created, the Red List has documented 70,923 of the plant and animal species scattered all across the globe. Of these, 20,934 are considered to be threatened.
Commenting on this updated version of the IUCN's Red List, researcher Jane Smart says that, “The overall picture is alarming.”
“We must use this knowledge to its fullest – making our conservation efforts well targeted and efficient – if we are serious about stopping the extinction crisis that continues to threaten all life on Earth,” she added.