Urgent Call to Preserve Biodiversity: 8,000 Species at Risk of Extinction by Century's End

A new study forecasts nearly 8,000 animal species could face extinction by 2100 due to extreme heat and land-use changes. Led by the University of Oxford, researchers examined 30,000 species, finding severe risks, especially in regions like the Sahel and Brazil. It emphasizes urgent conservation efforts.

A recent alarm raises urgency over biodiversity as a study predicts that close to 8,000 animal species could face extinction by the end of the century. This dire possibility emerges from the dual threats of extreme heat and land-use alterations, according to researchers from the University of Oxford.

The international team scrutinized nearly 30,000 species, including amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles, using data from the IUCN and habitat forecasts from the University of Maryland's LUH2 project. Findings indicate that unless conservation and mitigation strategies are adopted globally, these species may disappear.

Regions such as the Sahel, Middle East, and Brazil are particularly vulnerable. The study's outcomes, published in Global Change Biology, highlight the pressing need for informed conservation policymaking to tackle multiple threats that jeopardize global biodiversity.

(With inputs from agencies.)