The world is a harsh place, and all living things are constantly evolving to try to survive. Unfortunately, as the world changes, some animals just can’t evolve quickly enough to make it, and they go extinct.

This has been happening since the earliest life forms on Earth. Today, humans are a major cause of the change in the world, and that change happens very quickly, which means many plants and animals are going extinct due to our actions.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is the most well-respected group when it comes to monitoring the health of plants and animals and helping to direct conservation efforts.

When they put out an update to their Red List of Threatened Species, it will often include a list of animals that have been determined to be extinct. They use a number of factors to determine whether an animal is extinct, including how long it has been since a member of a species has been seen. With the most recent update to the list, they have declared a number of animals that were previously listed as critically endangered to be extinct.

In a statement about the updates, the following animals were among those declared extinct:

• The Christmas Island Shrew (Crocidura trichura)
• The Slender-Billed Curlew (Numenius tenuirostris)
• The Shark Bay Bandicoot (Perameles myosuros)
• The Nullarbor Barred Bandicoot (Perameles papillon)
• The South-Eastern Striped Bandicoot (Perameles notina)

Some of these animals, including the slender-billed curlew, were once seen across large parts of the world. This one, however, had not been seen since February 25, 1995. There was also a 2001 reported sighting, but it could not able to be confirmed.

With over 30 years passing since its last confirmed sighting, this is a good example of how careful the IUCN is when it comes to making a declaration that an animal is extinct.

While it is always a shame to see more animals go extinct, the report did include some good news. The IUCN noted that the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) has sufficiently recovered to be moved off its endangered list and reclassified as an animal of least concern.

Dr. Grethel Aguilar is the IUCN Director General, and in the statement, he said:

“Today’s Red List update, launched at the IUCN Congress in Abu Dhabi, shines a light on both the urgent challenges and the powerful possibilities before us. While species like Arctic seals and many birds face growing threats, the recovery of the green turtle reminds us that conservation works when we act with determination and unity.”

It is always sad when animals go extinct, but hopefully, it can serve as a strong reminder that everyone needs to do their part to help protect all plants and animals to ensure they are around in the future.

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