A species becomes extinct when all the individuals in every existing population on Earth die. When this happens that species is gone forever. We have already exterminated or severely degraded substantially more than half of the populations of all species and their wild habitats. It starts with the arrival of people on the scene.
sixth mass extinction
Wildlife and Ecosystems in Crisis – The Earth Needs You Now
People have killed 60% of all animals on Earth since 1970 and burnt or cut down half the forests on the planet in the last 100 years. It is predicted that by 2050 there will no longer be any viable fish populations in the seas and oceans. The warming of the atmosphere and oceans, caused by toxic greenhouse gas emissions, has reached such high levels that unless we stop burning fossil fuels by 2030 it is certain that future generations will have to face irreversible extreme weather conditions as well as unprecedented scorching heat, freezing cold, drought, flooding and cyclones.
Sixth Mass Extinction of Life on Earth Caused by Humans
Human activity and exploitation as well as climate change and ocean acidification is causing populations of vertebrate animals and their habitats to crash. The study’s research reveals that this is in fact happening at an accelerated rate. We will soon enter a time period where most of the animal populations will reach unsustainably low numbers segregated in their terminally degraded habitats scattered around the globe.