IUCN Red List: 48,600 species threatened with extinction
The latest IUCN Red List update reveals that over 48,600 species worldwide are threatened with extinction—a sharp reminder that biodiversity is in real trouble.
This highlights just how quickly things can change.
Arctic seals and forest birds
Arctic seals like the hooded seal have moved from vulnerable to endangered as warming temperatures melt their sea ice homes.
Birds aren't faring much better: 61% of bird species are seeing their numbers drop, mostly because forests are being cleared for farming and logging.
Madagascar's unique wildlife
Fourteen more species from Madagascar—an island famous for animals found nowhere else—have just been labeled near threatened.
It's a clear sign that local habitat pressures keep growing.
Good news for green sea turtles
It's not all bad news. Thanks to focused conservation work, green sea turtle populations have jumped up by 28% since the 1970s, so they're now considered vulnerable instead of endangered.
The report shows that when people act together for nature, it really can make a difference.