The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in September declared 23 species officially extinct, the largest single extinction declaration in the agency's history.
Most of the species on the list are birds and freshwater mussels, animals that were particularly vulnerable to habitat loss, human development and invasive species — all major threats to biodiversity.
Many of them, such as the ivory-billed woodpecker, have not been seen for decades and in some cases in over half a century. There will likely be more species added to that list if people don't do more to thwart extinction, advocates and scientists say.
As wildlife species vanish, 6 face a bleak future in Arizona
Most of the species on the list are birds and freshwater mussels, animals that were particularly vulnerable to habitat loss, human development and invasive species — all major threats to biodiversity.
Many of them, such as the ivory-billed woodpecker, have not been seen for decades and in some cases in over half a century. There will likely be more species added to that list if people don't do more to thwart extinction, advocates and scientists say.
As wildlife species vanish, 6 face a bleak future in Arizona