See The Animals That Have Already Died Off As The Pace Of Extinction Speeds Up
We could lose nearly 40% of all animal species by 2050.
The woodland bison from West Virginia, Merriam's elk from Arizona, the Rocky Mountain grasshopper: These are some of the roughly 1,000 animals that have gone extinct over the last 500 years. And, the way things are going, they won't be the last. Scientists say the rate of extinction is quickening as a result of climate change, habitat loss, and the introduction of non-native species. One estimate showed we could lose 15%–37% of all species by 2050.