GLAND, Switzerland, Nov. 2 (UPI) -- The International Union for Conservation of Nature says its Red List of Threatened Species now shows 17,291 species are threatened with extinction.
The IUCN said its list shows 21 percent of all known mammals, 30 percent of all known amphibians, 12 percent of all known birds are under threat, as are 28 percent of reptiles, 37 percent of freshwater fishes, 70 percent of plants and 35 percent of invertebrates assessed so far.
Of the world's 5,490 mammals, the organization said 79 are extinct or extinct in the wild, with 188 critically endangered, 449 endangered and 505 vulnerable.
"This year's IUCN Red List makes for sobering reading," said Craig Hilton-Taylor, manager of the group's Red List Unit. "These results are just the tip of the iceberg. We have only managed to assess 47,663 species so far; there are many more millions out there which could be under serious threat. We do, however, know from experience that conservation action works, so let's not wait until it's too late and start saving our species now."
More information is available at www.iucnredlist.org.
