One Quarter of Freshwater Animal Species Are at Risk of Extinction

According to the results of a new scientific study published on Wednesday, January 19, one quarter of animal species that inhabit freshwater environments, including various types of fish, are at risk of extinction due to threats such as pollution, dam construction, and agriculture. This research, published in the scientific journal 'Nature', notes that freshwater habitats, including rivers, aquifers, lakes, and wetlands, cover only one percent of the Earth's surface but are home to over 10 percent of known animal species. The extensive biodiversity in the Earth's freshwater environments is a significant factor in human survival and combating climate change, yet it is severely threatened. The study, which examined the living conditions and reproduction of over 23,000 species residing in freshwater, warns that a total of 24 percent of these animals are facing extinction. Details of the study indicate that approximately 30 percent of aquatic crustaceans, including crabs and shrimp, about 26 percent of fish, and around 23 percent of amphibians such as frogs and reptiles that inhabit freshwater are at risk of extinction. Previous scientific research believed that since the beginning of the 16th century, about 69 freshwater animal species had gone extinct, with an estimated 179 other species likely facing the same fate. However, the authors of the study published on Wednesday believe this assessment is overly optimistic, as many freshwater species that have gone extinct were never known. The study emphasizes that effective and urgent actions must be taken to prevent the continued extinction of these species. Environmental pollution, dam construction, extensive water resource extraction, changes in land use and agriculture, climate change and severe weather phenomena, disease outbreaks, and the rise of invasive species are the main threats to the survival of freshwater animals. According to the authors of this study, 'the extinction of species whose habitats are freshwater is often overlooked despite its importance.' The research reminds us that between 1970 and 2015, about 35 percent of freshwater resources such as wetlands, marshes, and small lakes have been destroyed, and the rate of destruction of these habitats has been three times that of forest destruction. About one-third of rivers longer than 1,000 kilometers no longer follow their entire natural course due to dam construction or utilization for purposes such as agriculture and providing water for people. The study emphasizes that until a few years ago, global environmental management did not give freshwater habitats and natural environments the same importance as the natural coverage of land or water in seas and oceans.