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Article: Are so-called 'extinct' species really extinct, and will we rediscover any?
- Article from:
- The Independent (London, England)
- Article date:
- September 28, 2009
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2009 The Independent - London. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Why are we asking this now?
Because ornithologists have just launched an international quest
to rediscover a large group of "lost" bird species - believing that
some may not be lost after all.
Why does that matter?
Because the human pressure on the natural world is increasing to
such an extent that more and more creatures face being wiped out.
According to the Red List of the International Union for the
Conservation of Nature, 12 per cent of the world's birds, 21 per
cent of mammals, 30 per cent of amphibians, 31 per cent of reptiles,
37 per cent of fishes and 70 per cent of the world's plant species
are now threatened with extinction. Extinction is one of the great
blights of our times. Any ...