WASHINGTON— The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today finalized a rule removing 21 species from the list of threatened and endangered species under the Endangered Species Act because of extinction. The extinct species include eight of Hawaiʻi’s precious honeycreepers, the bridled white-eye and little Mariana fruit bat of Guam, a Texas fish, nine southeastern mussels […]
Tag: extinct species
Back from the brink of extinction: The Spix’s macaws are returning to the wild
It’s been 20 years since the last Spix’s Macaw has been seen in the wild, but the near-extinct species could be set to make a comeback. In a few days, the bird will be reinstated in a reserve, located in Caatinga in northeastern Brazil, thanks to a breeding and rehabilitation program. The Spix’s macaw, one […]
Australia confirms extinction of 13 more species, including first reptile since colonisation
The Australian government has officially acknowledged the extinction of 13 endemic species, including 12 mammals and the first reptile known to have been lost since European colonisation. The addition of the dozen mammal species confirms Australia’s unenviable position as the world’s capital for mammal extinction, lifting the total number of mammals known to have died […]
Petition: 31 Species Declared Extinct in Latest IUCN Red List Update
The International for Conservation of Nature updated its red list this week and includes 31 newly extinct species. There was some good news in the released report as well, however. The European Bison is showing signs of recovering and is no longer listed as “Vulnerable.” The report highlights the success that conservation efforts have had […]
De-extinction Versus Wildlife Conservation
How possible is de-extinction anyway? Due to how degraded and incomplete most samples of DNA are it would seem to a take a long time to amass enough DNA to complete a full genetic sequence for an animal genome (the genetic data found in gamete cells that are used in reproduction). However, after many samples […]
POLL: Should We Revive Extinct Species?
It sounds like something from a sci-fi B-Movie: scientists have moved a step closer to bringing the Tasmanian tiger back from extinction. Also known as the thylacine, or Tasmanian wolf, the world’s largest carnivorous marsupial died out in its native land sometime during the 1930s. Despite almost 4,000 reports of “sightings” since, including tantalisingly inconclusive […]