Number of species known to be extinct
or extinct in the wild since 1500
Ghosts of species past
The Sixth Extinction
On at least five occasions, mass extinctions have occurred
across the globe, caused at different times by climate
change, volcanic eruptions, and possible asteroids. Today,
scientists agree we are in the midst of a sixth extinction,
and this time, we, the human race, are the cause.MollusksBirdsPlantsMammalsFishesInsectsAmphibiansReptilesCrustaceansArachnids3241451347971583622129Caribbean Monk Seal
The Caribbean monk seal was the
only seal native to the Caribbean
Sea and Gulf of Mexico. It was
overhunted for oil, and its food
sources were overfished. It was
last sighted in 1952.Passenger Pigeon
The passenger pigeon, the most
common bird in North America 200
years ago, was hunted to extinction
in the nineteenth century. The last wild
bird was shot in 1900, and the last
captive bird died in 1914.Golden Toad
Once common in the cloud forests
of Monteverde, Costa Rica, the
golden toad has not been seen since
1989. Pollution and global warming
likely contributed to its extinction.Xerces Blue Butterfly
The Xerces blue butterfly once
lived on sand dunes around San
Francisco—until its habitat was
destroyed by urban development.
It was last seen in 1943.Assessment available in