© Shutterstock

What is extinction? -

In biology, extinction is the process by which a species or other group of organisms ceases to exist. This can happen naturally over time or be accelerated by factors such as environmental changes, loss of habitat, predation, or human activities.

© Shutterstock

What is local extinction? -

Local extinction occurs when a species or population disappears from a specific geographic area but still exists elsewhere in the world. An example of this is the red kite in the United Kingdom.

© Shutterstock

Arabian oryx -

The Arabian oryx, also known as the white oryx, was classified as extinct in the wild in the 1970s due to overhunting. 

© Getty Images

Arabian oryx -

Conservation efforts, which involved breeding the species in captivity and reintroducing it into the wild, increased the number of Arabian oryxes. Today, there are 1,200 in the wild and 6,000 to 7,000 in captivity.

© Getty Images

Blue iguana -

The blue iguana is only found in the Cayman Islands. The species was at risk of extinction due to development, human disturbance, increasing road traffic, and introduced animals. By 2002, only 15 or so remained.

© Shutterstock

Blue iguana -

Conservationist Fred Burton dedicated his life to protecting the animal through a breeding program. In 2018, the 1,000th blue iguana was released into the wild, and experts are now focusing on conservation.

© Shutterstock

Lesser long-nosed bat -

The lesser long-nosed bat was declared endangered in 1998 due to habitat loss and eradication programs meant to target rabies-carrying vampire bats. 

© Shutterstock

Lesser long-nosed bat -

Protection of the caves and mines where the bats live, both in the United States and in Mexico, restored their numbers, and in 2018, the lesser long-nosed bat was removed from the U.S. endangered species list.

© Shutterstock

Giant panda -

The giant panda population in the wild reached its lowest point in the 1980s, when it was estimated that only about 1,000 individuals remained. This decline was due to a combination of habitat destruction, poaching, and the species' low reproductive rate.

© Shutterstock

Giant panda -

Conservation efforts, such as habitat preservation, breeding programs, and legal protections, have helped stabilize and increase the giant panda population in the wild to around 1,850 individuals.

© Shutterstock

Echo parakeet -

Food and habitat loss and feral cats were to blame for the echo parakeet's decline in Mauritius. Their numbers, which were steadily declining since the late 17th century, had plummeted to about 20 by the 1980s.

© Shutterstock

Echo parakeet -

Fortunately, the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation launched various conservation projects and opened the Black River Gorges National Park, which is now home to a 700-strong population. In 2019, the species’ status was downgraded from "endangered" to "vulnerable."

© Shutterstock

Orange-bellied parrot -

In 2017, only three female orange-bellied parrots remained in the wild. However, in the winter of 2020, more than 118 birds were recorded flying north. It was the first time the orange-bellied parrot population topped 100 in over a decade.

© Getty Images

American bison -

Around 60 million bison once roamed North America, but by the end of the 19th century, there were fewer than 600 in the wild. They had been hunted almost to extinction by frontiersmen, taking a key resource for survival from the Native American people. 

© Shutterstock

American bison -

Today, there are approximately 500,000 American bison in the wild. There are numerous safeguards to ensure the species’ survival, including the National Bison Legacy Act of 2016.

© Getty Images

European bison -

Hunting and forest destruction meant European bison reached the brink of extinction in the wild by the 19th century. 

© Shutterstock

European bison -

Fortunately, there were some animals in captivity, and from 54 bison, new herds were created and reintroduced to the wild. 

© Shutterstock

Gray wolf -

Humans have nearly hunted the gray wolf out of existence for generations, but conservationists have fought hard to keep the population stable. Today, there are between 200,000 and 250,000 individuals globally.

© Shutterstock

West Indian manatee -

Boat collisions and habitat loss contributed to the West Indian manatee being listed as endangered in 1973. 

© Shutterstock

West Indian manatee -

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reclassified the West Indian manatee as "threatened" in 2017. Today, the estimated population is around 13,000 individuals.

© Shutterstock

Sea otter -

In 1911, there were only 2,000 sea otters left due to 200 years of trapping for their fur. However, dedicated and long-standing protections have meant the global population has increased to about 100,000.

© Shutterstock

Eurasian beaver -

The Eurasian beaver was hunted to extinction in the UK in the 16th century. Conservationists spent decades fighting for their reintroduction, and in 2021, a beaver family spanning three generations was spotted on the River Avon, marking the first natural establishment of beavers in 400 years. 

© Shutterstock

American alligator -

American alligators were once on the brink of extinction due to overhunting and habitat loss. They were listed as an endangered species in 1967. However, thanks to strong conservation efforts, legal protections, and habitat restoration, their numbers have rebounded, and they now have "Least Concern" status. 

© Shutterstock

Red kite -

Human persecution meant the red kite was wiped out in England and Scotland by 1879. Just a few individuals remained in Wales and conservation efforts started in earnest.

© Getty Images

Red kite -

In the past 30 years, red kites have been reintroduced to the Chilterns, East Midlands, Yorkshire, and north-east England. They are now one of the UK’s fastest-increasing species.

© Getty Images

Aleutian Canada goose -

By the 1950s, the Aleutian Canada goose population had dwindled to just a few dozen birds due to habitat loss, hunting, and predation by introduced species like foxes. Conservation efforts helped the population recover, and the Aleutian Canada goose is now classified as "Least Concern."

© Shutterstock

Spix's macaw -

In the early 2000s, the Spix's macaw was considered functionally extinct in the wild due to habitat loss, illegal trapping, and trade. However, significant strides in conservation have led to the reintroduction of a small number of Spix's macaws into their natural habitat.

© Shutterstock

Chequered skipper butterfly -

In the 1970s and 1980s, the Chequered skipper was believed to have been locally extinct in the UK. Conservation efforts, including habitat management and reintroduction programs, have helped the species make a remarkable recovery.

© Shutterstock

Chequered skipper butterfly -

The chequered skipper butterfly is no longer considered critically endangered in the UK, but it does remain a species of conservation concern.

© Shutterstock

Brown pelican -

In the mid-20th Century in the US, the population of brown pelicans dramatically declined due to the widespread use of the pesticide DDT. DDT was banned in the 1970s, and significant conservation efforts, including habitat protection and legal protections under the Endangered Species Act, allowed the brown pelican population to recover.

Sources: (CNN) (BBC) (Reader's Digest)

See also: Extinct human species: how different were they from us?

© Shutterstock