Earth could face sixth mass extinction within 100 years

Earth could face sixth mass extinction within 100 years
Ben Tufft
Sunday 14 December 2014

The earth could face a mass extinction by the next century if species continue to disappear at the current rate, according to a report by the scientific journal Nature.

Despite conservation attempts by governments across the world to save endangered species, thousands of animal types continue to face extinction every year.

Nature found that 41 per cent of all amphibian species are threatened with extinction, the highest at risk group. A more modest, but still alarming, 26 per cent of mammal species and 13 per cent of bird species are also threatened.

Habitat loss and degradation, as well as specific human activity such as hunting pose a significant hazard to wildlife sustainability and these pressures are only increasing. Similarly, it is thought that climate change will accelerate the rate of extinctions in the future.

More:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/earth-could-face-sixth-mass-extinction-within-100-years-9924117.html