Scientists count 881 animal species as having gone extinct since around 1500, dating to the first records held by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) – the global scientific authority on the status of nature and wildlife. Many other species just fade away in the wild. The endlings mentioned above are well-known because scientists realized that these species were declining and attempted to save them. Lose too many species and the results could be catastrophic, leading an entire system to collapse. This is the case with “foundation species” that play a key part in structuring communities, such as corals, or “keystone species” like beavers that have a big impact on their environments, relative to their numbers. If that function was crucial to the health of an ecosystem, the animals’ disappearance can cause a landscape to transform. Whatever role that species played within an ecosystem is lost too, whether that’s pollinating certain plants, churning nutrients in soil, fertilizing forests or keeping other animal populations in check, among other things. When an animal species is lost, a whole set of characteristics disappears along with it - genes, behaviors, activities and interactions with other plants and animals that may have taken thousands or millions - even billions - of years to evolve. 19 has the potential to help, and scientists are urging the world’s nations to ensure the deal is a success. A new global deal to protect nature agreed on Dec.

Humans are driving this extinction crisis through activities that take over animal habitats, pollute nature and fuel global warming.

As species vanish at a rate not seen in 10 million years, more than 1 million species are currently on the brink. Nature is in crisis, and it’s only getting worse.

La pinta island tortoise