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Time of India
10 hours ago
- Science
- Time of India
Nature's red alert: 5 species that went extinct while we watched
The last few years were quite ominous for conservationists and wildlife lovers everywhere. Climate change, deforestation, and pollution have long been known as causes of extinction, but 2019 to 2024 saw a rapid increase in species going extinct. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The official announcement of extinction is not to be taken lightly and takes years, and very often decades, of intensive surveys and ecological information. The following are five species that were officially confirmed as extinct between 2019 and 2024, using official sources such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and national environmental departments. Chinese Paddlefish (Psephurus gladius) Credit: Wikipedia Confirmed extinct: July 2022 (IUCN) Last spotted: Early 2000s Habitat: Yangtze River, China One of the world's largest freshwater fish, the Chinese paddlefish, was officially declared extinct in 2022. Reaching more than 7 meters in length, it was a top predator in the Yangtze River for millions of years. But dam building (particularly the Gezhouba Dam), overfishing, and habitat fragmentation put an end to its life. No one has been seen despite exhaustive search campaigns since 2003. The paddlefish was considered "functionally extinct" in 2019 before it was delisted from the IUCN Red List in 2022. Mountain Mist Frog (Litoria nyakalensis) Announced extinct: October 2020 (IUCN) Last recorded: 1990 Distribution: Queensland, Australia This rare frog had previously inhabited the rainforests of uplands in northeastern Australia. It started declining in the latter half of the 20th century due to the transmission of chytrid fungus, a highly lethal pathogen on amphibians globally. By 1990, the species was completely extinct. It was officially declared extinct by the IUCN in 2020, after intense surveys had failed to provide any indication of its continuation. Poʻouli (Melamprosops phaeosoma) Credit: Wikipedia Declared extinct: 2021 (U.S. Fish & Wildlife), 2024 (IUCN) Last seen: 2004 Habitat: Maui, Hawaii The Poʻouli, a honeycreeper native to Hawaii, was a bird that inhabited forests with exceptional feeding habits and a distinctive look. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now It was first discovered in 1973, and its population quickly dwindled because of habitat loss, introduced predators such as rats and cats, and disease transmitted by mosquitoes. The last recorded specimen died in captivity in 2004. In 2021, the U.S. formally recommended its delisting as an endangered species because it had gone extinct. IUCN also verified the status of extinction in 2024. Campo Grande Tree Frog (Boana cymbalum) Declared extinct: 2023 (IUCN) Last spotted: Only once in 1968 Habitat: São Paulo, Brazil Recorded from a single locality and observation in 1968, this Brazilian tree frog has not been seen since targeted searching. Urbanization at speed, pollution, and deforestation of forested habitats led to its suspected extinction. In 2023, the IUCN officially declared the Campo Grande tree frog to be extinct, another case of how biodiversity can be lost before a species can even be scientifically examined. Cheongpung Blind-Beetle (Coreoblemus parvicollis) Declared extinct: 2023 (IUCN) Last observed: Unknown Habitat: Cheongpung, South Korea A subsurface cave beetle restricted to a limited region of South Korea, the beetle went unnoticed when it silently became extinct after environmental alterations due to dam construction and flooding in the area. Its extinction was authenticated by the IUCN in 2023. Lacking its unknown nature, very little information is available, which is usually true with underground or micro-endemic organisms. Is this nature warning us against a bigger threat? These five species are among the hundreds that could be lost this decade. Every extinction carries a greater message: the Earth's biodiversity is in trouble. Over 47,000 species are threatened with extinction, and many will likely go silently into oblivion without ever being globally noticed, states the IUCN Red List. Whereas extinction is irreversible, activist conservation, restoration of habitats, and international cooperation can reverse this trend. The question remains: Will we do so before the next one is erased from the list.
Wales Online
3 days ago
- Science
- Wales Online
Man catches huge rare shark off Welsh beach
Man catches huge rare shark off Welsh beach The shark is a very rare find but its discovery might be a sign of something more troubling Alex with his majestic catch (Image: Alex Mcglynn/The Hooky 2 ) A massive shark weighing around 40lbs was pulled off the Welsh coast in a rare and unexpected find. Local angler Alex Mcglynn caught the tope shark in Swansea Bay and said he'd never seen one in the area in his 20 years of fishing. Alex, a biology graduate form University of South Wales with a focus on marine biology, has been fishing ever since he was introduced to the hobby as child by his father. He said: 'So I've been fishing for years, since I was like five years old, my father got me into it. "I worked in a tackle shop in Swansea for a number of years as well. I'm online, and I'm big in the social Facebook groups, and I heard on the grapevine that somebody said that they caught a tope off of Swansea Bay, which is really rare. So, we went down there with that target in mind to try and catch one, and obviously we were successful.' The tope shark is incredibly hard to catch on sandy beaches (Image: Alex Mcglynn/The Hooky 2 ) Apart from just being rare, the tope shark is also listed as critically endangered by the IUCN Red List and is a Priority Species under the UK Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework. Never miss a Swansea story by signing up to our newsletter here He said: 'They're a vulnerable species in general, but tope numbers are increasing. They are generally a deep water shark, so you catch them off the boats, that sort of thing.' Article continues below Though tope sharks are a rare find close to the shore, west Wales is among some of the places where it is a little easier to find the marine animals. 'If you were to catch them of the shore, your best bet is generally off west Wales, where you've got deep water in close, off rock marks down there,' Alex said. 'It is rare to catch some off sandy beaches in shallower water. "What we've got in Swansea is such big tides. You've got the advantage that you can walk out at low tide, cast out into the deep water and as the tide comes in, your bait's in deeper and deeper water. So that's sort of the advantage of why you can get the bait so far out in Swansea Bay.' Alex believes that there are several reasons why the fish might have made their way into the Swansea beach. 'It's definitely a combination of factors. Obviously, waters are warming up, climate change and the increased water temperatures are going to bring more shark activities, not just tope sharks but in general,' he explained. 'In the south coast of Cornwall, they're getting pelagic species [fish that live in the open ocean] such as tuna coming in close as well. 'Off the coast of west Wales you're getting lots of blue sharks coming in, or beagle sharks. So shark numbers in general are increasing." Overfishing of prey fish could also be reason for sharks to close to the shore, according to Alex. 'Another thing is that a primary food source for a tope shark would be mackerel which are becoming overfished,' Alex said. 'So you are getting a decline in those numbers of their primary food source. 'So tope may be coming into coastal waters in search for alternative food sources. You get a lot of juvenile bass that they might be feeding on, or blackfish.' This, Alex says, can also have a negative impact on the overall biodiversity of waters. 'If you look at biodiversity, the increased tope shark could mean there'd be less of other species in a sense, because they feed on pretty much anything. They will eat crabs, crustaceans, small juvenile fish. It does have an effect on the the fish stocks.' However, he does not believe that these sharks would pose any risk to humans. 'In terms of like a threat to swimmers or anything like that, I can't imagine there being any issues on that side of things. I don't think there were any cases of tope sharks ever attacking any people, so there's definitely no danger of people going swimming in Swansea Bay.' As the shark had to be released soon after its capture Alex could not weigh it properly, but he estimates it to be around 40lbs or more. His catch, filmed for his YouTube channel YouTube channel, 'The Hooky 2' has generated significant interest, being one of his fastest growing videos, but he urged people to be aware of the proper 'catch and release' methods before getting into the hobby. 'I want to promote fishing as much as possible. It's a great sport, something I'm really passionate about,' he said. 'But you just want to make sure that it's done properly just for the safety of the angler and obviously the fish as well. When you're actually landing the fish, make sure they're not taken out of the water for a long time. I've actually got the video of me landing the shark. "Admittedly I'm quite excited at the time catching the shark because it is a really rare catch. However, I try to make sure that I keep those principles as well. So I always keep the fish in the water, just taking it up briefly for photos." He added: 'Make sure it recovers its strength before you release it. In terms of fishing tackle, make sure you've got strong enough fishing tackle. So, strong enough rods, strong enough line. At the minimum, I'm using a 25lb line. Article continues below 'I'm also using a wire bite trace, they will bite through any normal fishing line, so you've got to use a wire-bite trace, just so you don't have any sharks with hooks left in their mouths. 'I would recommend barbless hooks as well if possible, just to make sure that it comes out easily. And then obviously using the appropriate sort of appliance to remove the hook. If it is the case where a shark does swallow a hook, the best thing to do is not try and pull it out, just cut the line and the hooks will rust away eventually anyway.'
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Science
- The Hindu
New flowering plant species discovered in Aravali hills landscape near Jaipur
A new flowering plant species with unusual morphological characteristics has been discovered in the rocky and semi-arid landscape of Aravali hills near Jaipur, shedding light on the region's hidden biodiversity. Classified as Portulaca bharat, the plant adds to the list of Indian endemics. With no other populations currently known, Portulaca bharat has been provisionally assessed as 'data deficient' under the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List guidelines. The plant's narrow endemism and specific habitat requirements make it highly vulnerable to habitat degradation and climate change. The plant was first spotted by researcher Nishant Chauhan, a committee member of the Satpura Biodiversity Conservation Society (SBCS), who noticed a unique Portulaca-like succulent growing from the rock crevice on the dry and rocky hill slopes near the historic Galtaji temple on the outskirts of Jaipur. Mr. Chauhan collected a few live specimens, which were subsequently cultivated under the controlled conditions in Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur and later in Lucknow to monitor growth patterns, flowering, and morphological stability across environments. 'After a detailed study and comparison with known species, the plant has been confirmed as a new species to science,' Mr. Chauhan told The Hindu on Monday. The species has been described and published in the latest issue of international scientific journal, Phytotaxa, after a thorough examination of the herbarium collections at the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) and other institutions. The genus Portulaca currently comprises about 153 species worldwide, primarily found in tropical and subtropical regions. These succulent plants are known for their toughness, water-storing tissues, and adaptation to extreme environments. In India, 11 species are currently known, including four endemics, mostly distributed in dry and semi-arid habitats. Mr. Chauhan, whose work focuses on the documentation and conservation of threatened plant species, said Portulaca bharat is currently only known from a single location in the Galtaji hills. 'Only 10 individuals of this species were found in the wild. The discovery calls for enhanced field surveys, habitat protection, and ex situ conservation efforts, especially in neglected dry zones like the Aravalis,' he said. The Aravali Range, one of Earth's oldest geological formations, plays host to numerous micro-endemic species and ecologically significant habitats. The discovery of Portulaca bharat from this underexplored and dry deciduous ecosystem has indicated to the hidden biodiversity of the Aravalis and underlined the urgency of protecting it. Portulaca bharat has opposite and slightly conclave leaves and pale-yellow flowers becoming creamish-white towards apex, with the presence of glandular hairs on stamen filaments and thick roots. 'Naming the plant Portulaca bharat after the country serves as a symbolic reminder of India's rich and still-unfolding natural heritage. This species adds to the list of Indian endemics and opens up new avenues for studies in phytogeography, ecology and evolutionary biology,' Mr. Chauhan said. Mr. Chauhan's colleagues in the research team were Amber Srivastava, research associate at BSI, and Sudhanshu Shekhar Dash and Sushil Kumar Singh, both of whom are scientists with BSI in Kolkata and Dehradun, respectively. Mr. Chauhan, hailing from Shimla, earlier pioneered the first ex situ introduction of the critically endangered plant Commiphora wightii in Himachal Pradesh in 2024 and also rediscovered two plant species previously presumed extinct.
Miami Herald
4 days ago
- Science
- Miami Herald
Creature with ‘horned' eyelids discovered on China mountain. It's a new species
Researchers on an expedition to survey amphibians in southern China encountered several unfamiliar frogs with 'horned' eyelids on a mountain peak. Five males and three females were collected for analysis and later revealed to be members of a new species, according to a study published June 13 in the peer-reviewed journal Herpetozoa. Boulenophrys yezhongensis, also called the Yezhong horned toad, was discovered in Yezhong Nature Reserve and can only be found on 'a single peak within the Wumeng Mountain Range,' according to researchers. The new species is described as having a 'shield-like' snout that sticks out beyond its lower jaw, 'horn-like' growths on the upper eyelids, slender limbs, rough wart-covered skin and 'copper-brown' irises, according to the study. The existence of the Yezhong horned toad is likely the result of isolation-driven speciation, according to the study. This process can happen when members of one species are geographically separated and isolated from the rest of the group and develop into a new species. The Yezhong horned toad is separated from the nearest related populations by just over 7 miles of 'valleys crossed by the deeply incised Beipan River,' researchers said. No populations of the new species were found in 'adjacent low-elevation regions,' researchers said. According to the study, the Yezhong horned toad lives roughly 2,600 feet higher in elevation than the nearest related species. This elevation difference also brings an average temperature difference of about 40 degrees. The Yezhong horned toad has adapted to survive at high elevations in a narrow range of cold temperatures, which researchers said is an 'extinction risk' in tropical mountain ecosystems that may be impacted by climate change. Researchers recommended the new species be listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List considering its extremely limited distribution and single known location. Yezhong Nature Reserve is in Shuicheng County in China's Guizhou Province. The research team included Jing Liu, Chao-Bo Feng, Tuo Shen, Shi-Ze Li, Yanlin Cheng, Gang Wei, Bin Wang and Haijun Su.
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Health
- Indian Express
15-year-old male gaur dies at Delhi Zoo, played key role in breeding efforts
A 15-year-old male Indian gaur which played a critical role in the breeding programme at the National Zoological Park (NZP) in Delhi died Sunday morning due to age-related issues, officials informed. The gaur had been kept under special care inside a holding cell over the past few days as its health condition began to decline. The animal was brought to Delhi Zoo from the Mysuru Zoo in 2014 as part of a conservation exchange and went on to become a dominant breeding bull in the enclosure. 'It had been under observation and veterinary care for the past few days. Unfortunately, it passed away this morning due to senility,' said Dr Sanjeet Kumar, director, Delhi Zoo. 'The gaur was one of our most significant contributors to the captive breeding programme. More than 75 per cent of the 15 gaurs currently housed in NZP are its direct progeny.' Zoo authorities have said that samples from the deceased animal will be sent to the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) for further investigation to rule out any underlying health issue. The Indian gaur, also known as the Indian bison, is the largest extant bovine species and is classified as Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List. Dr Kumar said the zoo will continue to prioritise the health and genetic diversity of the gaur population through its conservation and breeding practices. Meanwhile, the Delhi Zoo has proposed a new adoption scheme that will allow visitors to adopt animals for periods as short as a day. The plan, currently awaiting approval, aims to replace the zoo's existing year-long adoption model with more flexible options, including monthly, quarterly, half-yearly, and daily terms, according to officials. 'At present, the adoption is only available for a one-year term and involves a formal stamp paper agreement. We are proposing changes that would allow people to adopt animals for a shorter duration, from a single day to a few months,' Dr Kumar said earlier.
