The 'Destruction' of Earth's Animals Occurring Faster Than Expected

A group of scientists warns in a new study that the sixth mass extinction of animal species on Earth is happening at a faster rate than previously expected and will lead to the 'biological annihilation' of wildlife. According to a report by AFP, the study recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA shows that over 30% of vertebrate animals (fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals) are declining both in species diversity and in numbers. Rudolf Deiro, a Stanford University professor and one of the authors of the study, stated, 'This situation is, in fact, biological annihilation on a global scale.' Researchers say that mammals have lost at least one-third of their natural habitats. 40% of these mammal species, including deer, rhinos, gorillas, and big cats, are now confined to 20% of the lands that were previously their habitats. The study reminds us that the loss of biodiversity has intensified in most parts of the world. It notes that several mammal species that were relatively secure a decade or two ago, including lions, giraffes, and cheetahs, are now at risk. According to the data from this research, the rate of extinction and widespread destruction of animals is considered the worst in the last quarter of Earth's history, following the sixth mass extinction event in the past half billion years. The last mass extinction occurred 66 million years ago when non-avian dinosaurs were wiped out by massive asteroid impacts. AFP adds that, on average, two species of vertebrates go extinct each year. This research goes beyond collecting evidence related to animal extinction, detailing the destruction and life map of 27,600 animal species, including 177 mammals, from 1990 to 2015. The highest rates of extinction or decline in animal numbers have occurred in tropical regions. Although fewer animals are lost in temperate and cold regions, the percentage relative to the total animal population is reported to be similar to or even higher than in tropical areas. In this process, about half of the Earth's animals have disappeared, and the authors of this research describe it as 'the widespread annihilation of the greatest diversity of animal life in Earth's history.' The reasons for this issue are quite clear: the increase in human population and habitat expansion, which has doubled since 1960 to reach 7.4 billion, has gradually consumed or polluted natural resources, leading other animals toward extinction. Major factors in the extinction or decline of animal populations include the destruction and limitation of their natural habitats, overconsumption, environmental pollution, and disease. Climate changes in the coming decades will become a serious threat, and under its impacts, such as rising temperatures or disrupted weather patterns, several animal species like polar bears will be seriously endangered.