Knowledge awaits. Not only is Ainsworth's salamander presumed to be extinct, but this amphibian is known from only two specimens, collected in Mississippi in 1964 and later stored in the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She is double majoring in Journalism and Film & Television, and she is interested in being a travel writer and writing human-interest stories around the world. in Environmental Science. The splendid poison frog finds its home in the humid lowland and montane forests of western Panama. It is endemic to the eastern end of Cordillera de Talamanca, western Panama. Northern white rhinos inhabited parts of Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, and Uganda and are a subspecies of white rhinoceros. Amomum sumatranumA relative of cardamom, this plant from Sumatra was only scientifically collected once, back in 1921, and the forest where that sample originated has now been completely developed. The splendid poison frog is another vivid amphibian once native to Costa Rica that has since gone extinct at least partially due to an outbreak of chytridiomycosis. It was North Americas biggest woodpecker. In the 1970s and 80s, overfishing and construction severely decreased the species population size. This ancient fish species has lived since the Lower Jurassic period and survived the mass extinction that killed off the dinosaurs and many reptiles. Still, when it comes to endangered amphibians, one should never say die: The inch-long torrent frog may yet stage a stirring comeback. It feeds on the keratin thats part of a frogs skin. Most of his species went extinct because they were used as an onboard food source for 19th-century whalers, as well as due to habitat destruction. Aloe silicicolaLast seen in 1920, this plant from the mountains of Madagascar enters the IUCN Red List as extinct in the wild due to a vague reference that it still exists in a botanical garden. Smooth handfish (Sympterichthys unipennis)One of the few extinctions of 2020 that received much media attention, and its easy to see why. 6 Endangered Animals Recently Declared Extinct - AZ Animals The species thrives in natural habitats such as humid lowland and montane forests. Of course, proving a negative is always hard, and scientists are often cautious about declaring species truly lost. Scientistsdescribed this species in 2019 after examining decades-old specimens, noting that it hadnt been observed since the 1930s. David Ellis. Sumatran rhino. The term extinct refers to a particular animal or plant species having died out, and there being no more individuals alive anywhere in the world. Laura Moss is a journalist with more than 15 years of experience writing about science, nature, culture, and the environment. Its natural habitats are humid lowland and montane forests. Nick Athanas. However, the clone died just seven minutes later due to lung defects. This extinction occurred due to a chain of events caused by humans. The Oophaga Speciosa popularly known as Splendid Poison Frog went extinct in 2020. This essay first appeared on The Revelator on January 6, 2021, John R. Platt is the editor of The Revelator. They can also be found in northern and central South America, as well as Bolivia and southern Brazil. Explore our digital archive back to 1845, including articles by more than 150 Nobel Prize winners. Roystonea stellateScientists only collected this Cuban palm tree a single time, back in 1939. longipes." Here are the 15 extinct species: Barbodes disa last seen in 1964. Chiriqui harlequin frog (Atelopus chiriquiensis) and splendid poison frog (Oophaga speciosa)Last seen in 1996 and 1992, these frogs from Costa Rica and Panama fell victim to the chytrid fungus and were declared extinct in December. Lord Howe long-eared bat (Nyctophilus howensis)This island species is known from a single skull discovered in 1972. The Spixs macaw is a recently extinct animal from near the Rio So Francisco in Bahia, Brazil. Recent audio recordings provide some hope that a few birds may yet survive. If everyone can do their bit in preserving and conserving the wildlife habitats, then we will have saved these species. . 2019: e.T22720863A153774712. It is now classified as extinct. According to a recent National Geographic article, there are no proven medical benefits of rhinoceros horns in humans. Some of these had been reported before, but for most this is the first time theyve been declared extinct. Scientists describe the decline in species on the planet as the 6th mass extinction. And theres reason for that hope: When we devote energy and resources to saving species, it often works. Wynberg conebush(Leucadendron grandiflorum)This South African plant hasnt been seen in more than 200 years and was long considered theearliest documented extinction from that country, although it only made it to the IUCN Red List recently. Enter your email in the box below to get the most mind-blowing animal stories and videos delivered directly to your inbox every day. Animals are going extinct at historical rates due mostly to human interference, experts say. This year the IUCNthe organization that tracks the extinction risk of species . These birds are believed to have gone extinct for familiar reasons. In 1996, there was a fungal outbreak. Invasive species are a much larger threat to the extinction of new species. It grew in a habitat now severely degraded by agriculture and livestock farming. Dozens of frogs, fish, orchids and other speciesmany unseen for decadesmay no longer exist because of humanitys destructive effects on the planet. The demise of the Bramble Cay melomys population was aided by more frequent storm surges. An award-winning environmental journalist, his work has appeared in Scientific American, Audubon, Motherboard, and numerous other magazines and publications. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The Galapagos National Park searched for a mate for George for over three decades to try to save the Pinta subspecies, but they could not find one. Cryptic treehunters were usually found in grasslands, woodlands and humid forests. The black-legged dart frog (Phyllobates bicolor) and the strawberry poison dart frog (Oophaga pumilio) are showcased in these photos.The IUCN lists 79 species of Dendrobatidae at risk. The extermination of the passenger pigeon was part of the motivation for the birth of 20th century conservation. 1.Splendid Poison Frog (Extinction Year: 2023) Splendid Poison Frog is also known as the splendid poison-arrow frog is a position frog native to the eastern end of the Cordillera de Talamanca, western Panama. The Splendid Poison Frog (Dendrobates speciosus) is a species of poison dart frog. Thank you for reading! Sadly, that makes the splendid poison frog one of the most recently extinct animals on the planet. 7 Recently Extinct Animals In The World - Utah Pulse China's baiji (Lipotes vexillifer), or Yangtze River dolphin, is listed as critically endangered, possibly extinct. The western black rhino, which was the most uncommon of the black rhino subspecies, went extinct in 2011. Corrie Barklimore. Julie is a content writer and editor at Environmental Advanced Sciences. 2023 Scientific American, a Division of Springer Nature America, Inc. Sadly, that makes the splendid poison frog one of the most recently extinct animals on the planet. It is common for males to be very aggressive when defending territories for foraging and oviposition sites (Wells 2007). What We've Lost: The Species Declared Extinct in 2020 In 2003, scientists announced that the first attempt to clone the Pyrenean ibex had failed. Wildfires may have also played a role, but the species limited distribution also made it easier to kill it off: The restricted range of the species also made it very vulnerable to small local disturbances, and hence the last few individuals were easily destroyed, according to the IUCN. In 2017 the IUCN declared the baiji critically endangered. The Sumatran rhino was officially declared extinct in mainland Malaysia in 2015 and in Malaysian Borneo in 2019. Folch, J. et al. WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. When mosquitos are invasive, they wreak havoc on ecosystems. As previously mentioned about northern white rhinoceros, illegal animal parts traffickers poached the recently extinct animals to extinction for their horn, erroneously believed to have medicinal effects. The last animal died in the Amsterdam Zoo in 1883. Eyewitnesses reported that skies would darken when flocks flew overhead on sunny days. Scientists and the Brazilian government are working on a planned release of the parrots to the wild in 2021. 2020: e.T39319A45814470. Chitala lopisA large fish from the island of Java, this species hasnt been seen since 1851 (although many online sources use this taxonomic name for other featherback fish species that still exist). What We've Lost: The Species Declared Extinct in 2020 Thanks for reading Scientific American. The splendid poison frog ( Oophaga speciosa ) is an extinct species of poison dart frog that was endemic to the eastern end of Cordillera de Talamanca, western Panama. Its official extinction has made waves in the birding community. These frogs are often referred to as poison arrow or poison dart frogs, and they are the brightest colored frogs in the world. They used to be a popular pet so some of these frogs may exist in captivity. The list includes Marshallia grandiflora, a large flowing plant from the American Southeast that was declared its own species this past year. 2018: e.T103824084A130691117. The last sighting of this birdanother type of honeycreeper, like the poo-uli mentioned aboveoccurred in 1988. Oophaga speciosa has a snout-vent length ranging from 28-31 mm. Human invasion such as with logging and construction in the area decreased the species population significantly. What are 6 endangered animals recently declared extinct? The Pyrenean ibex (Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica) is one of two extinct subspecies of the Spanish ibex. "Global Extinction Rates: Why Do Estimates Vary So Wildly?." The rhino was listed as critically endangered in 2008, but a survey of the animal's last remaining habitat in northern Cameroon failed to find itor even indicators of its presence. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Accessed on25 April 2022. They are found in The Neotropics. Its believed this event is what wiped the frogs out. The extinction of the Vegas Valley leopard frog has a plot twist worthy of a Vegas-themed TV crime drama. Its sole habitat was the location of the earliest colonial farms, including vineyards. As a group, amphibians are the most endangered animals on the face of the earth, especially susceptible to human depredation, fungal disease, and loss of their natural habitats. This wonderfully-named creature is one of three Central American frog species to have been newly declared extinct. Thanks for reading Scientific American. Handfish are an unusual group of species whose front fins look somewhat like human appendages, which they use to walk around the ocean floor. Splendid poison frog on The IUCN Red List site -, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Splendid_poison_frog, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/55201/54344718. In the future, she intends to keep writing journalistic articles as well as creative screenplays. ), Shark Quiz - 47,459 People Couldn't Ace This Quiz, Watch a Gargantuan Komodo Dragon Effortlessly Swallow a Wild Boar, Watch a Gigantic Python Attack a Range Rover and Refuse to Give Up, Watch A Lioness Save Her Zookeeper When The Male Lion Attacks Him Point-Blank, Watch This Huge Komodo Dragon Flex Its Power and Swallow a Shark Whole, 6 Endangered Animals Recently Declared Extinct. Poison Frog is a fantastic creature. 2020: e.T55201A54344718. The IUCN says one remaining cultivated population exists, so theyve declared it extinct in the wild., Lost shark (Carcharhinus obsoletus)This species makes its second annual appearance on this list. PLOS One. In 2003, her DNA was cloned into a new ibex, becoming the first species to be unextinct. However, the clone died minutes after it was created due to lung issues. The recently extinct animal is the first dolphin species driven to extinction by humans, says Whale and Dolphin Conservation. 7 Extinct Animals in the World - Animal Grow Attempts to impregnate the two females with sperm from other white rhino subspecies have been unsuccessful, although zoologists continue to try other fertilization techniques as well as stem cell technology. She has a B.S. Jean-Raphal Guillaumin. and splendid poison frog (Oophaga speciosa)Last seen in 1996 and 1992, these frogs from Costa Rica and Panama fell victim to .