IUCN Red List 2025: Eight more animal species officially extinct

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) presented a new update of the Red List of Threatened Species on 10 October 2025 – this time at the World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi. The updated list now includes 172,620 species worldwide, among them 48,646 classified as threatened and 935 listed as extinct.

In addition to numerous reassessments and changes in conservation status, the update also contains a sad message: eight animal species and one plant species have now been officially classified as extinct – fewer than in the previous year, when 19 animal species (+1 plant) were newly added to this category.

At a glance: Newly extinct species according to the IUCN Red List 2025

• Slender-billed Curlew (Numenius tenuirostris) – bred in western Siberia, wintered in southern Europe and North Africa – last confirmed sighting in 1995 in Morocco
• Christmas Island Shrew (Crocidura trichura) – Christmas Island, Indian Ocean – no records since 1985
• Nullarbor Long-nosed Bandicoot (Perameles papillon) – Nullarbor Plain, southern Australia – probably extinct between 1920 and 1960
• Southern Long-nosed Bandicoot (Perameles notina) – southeastern Australia – no records since the late 19th century
• Southwestern Long-nosed Bandicoot (Perameles myosuros) – southwestern Australia – last collected in 1907
• Cone snail Conus lugubris – São Vicente, Cape Verde – last sighting in 1987
• Madeira Large White (Pieris wollastoni) – Madeira, Portugal – missing since 1986
• Land snail Leptaxis vetusta – Azores, Portugal – only fossil records, no finds for over 50 years
• Ebenaceae species Diospyros angulata – Mauritius – missing since the mid-19th century

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Slender-billed Curlew – first bird extinction on mainland Europe since 1500

The Slender-billed Curlew is now officially considered extinct with the IUCN Red List 2025 update. The last confirmed sighting dates back to 1995 in Morocco. An international study, published in November 2024 in the journal IBIS, had already confirmed the extinction with a probability of 96%.

The migratory bird bred in the wetlands of western Siberia and wintered in wetlands around the Mediterranean and in North Africa. Regular observations were also reported from France, Italy, Greece, and the Netherlands.

Its disappearance is mainly attributed to the drainage of breeding habitats, the loss of wetlands, and hunting. The Slender-billed Curlew is thus the first continental bird species in Europe to have gone extinct in modern times due to human influence.

Christmas Island Shrew – fourth of five endemic mammal species lost

The Christmas Island Shrew, a small endemic mammal of the remote Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean, is now officially extinct. After being briefly rediscovered in 1985, it remained missing despite intensive search efforts. It is thus the fourth of five endemic mammal species on the island to have been lost.

The Maclear’s Rat and the Christmas Island Rat disappeared at the beginning of the 20th century, followed in 2009 by the Christmas Island Pipistrelle. Only the Christmas Island Flying Fox (Pteropus natalis) has survived so far – but it has been listed as “critically endangered” on the Australian Red List since 2014.

The causes of the collapse of the island’s fauna are diverse. Diseases introduced after the introduction of the black rat played a role, as did invasive species – including cats, the yellow crazy ant, and the wolf snake. These factors not only contributed to the extinction of the shrew but also threaten other animal groups.

For example, the Christmas Island Forest Skink has been considered extinct since 2014, several bird species are highly threatened, and even the famous red land crabs, known for their annual migrations to the sea, are increasingly under pressure.

Three Australian marsupials – victims of European settlement

Three Australian marsupial species were assessed for the first time and immediately placed in the category “Extinct”: the Southwestern Long-nosed Bandicoot (marl), the Southern Long-nosed Bandicoot, and the Nullarbor Long-nosed Bandicoot. All three disappeared in the early 20th century as a result of the massive environmental changes following European settlement of Australia.

The Southern Long-nosed Bandicoot was distributed across grasslands in southern Australia. There have been no records since the late 19th century. Its decline coincided with the expansion of intensive livestock grazing and the introduction of cats – a combination that proved fatal for many small Australian marsupials.

The Southwestern Long-nosed Bandicoot was last collected in 1907 and likely disappeared shortly thereafter. In addition to cats, diseases and possibly hunting pressure are discussed as causes. The red fox, which only reached Western Australia around 1910, probably played no role at that time.

The Nullarbor Long-nosed Bandicoot was described only in 2018 based on museum specimens and bone remains. Its scientific name papillon (“butterfly”) refers to a dark pattern on the rump. Females were significantly larger than males – a relatively rare case among mammals, possibly linked to competition for scarce resources in the arid Nullarbor region.

The extinction of the species is thought to be due to introduced predators such as cats and foxes, as well as habitat destruction caused by livestock grazing and rabbits. The exact timing of its disappearance is unclear; estimates range from the 1920s to the 1960s.

The loss of these three species exemplifies a broader pattern: in 2024, Australian biologist Andrew Burbidge counted at least 40 extinct mammal species and six subspecies that have disappeared since the beginning of European settlement in 1788 – more than on any other continent. The victims include not only large species such as the Thylacine, but also numerous smaller, ground-dwelling marsupials like the long-nosed bandicoots.

Cone snail Conus lugubris – extinct along the coasts of Cape Verde

The cone snail species Conus lugubris is also now considered extinct. It was restricted to the northern coast of the island of São Vicente. Since 1987, no specimens have been found – despite targeted surveys conducted annually up to 2024.

The cause of its disappearance was primarily the destruction of its already very limited habitat through coastal development and tourism.

It is also notable that, although a marine species, it thus joins the numerous terrestrial losses on the Macaronesian Islands. According to a recent study, at least 220 endemic, land-dwelling species of Cape Verde, the Azores, the Canary Islands, Madeira, and the Selvagens have gone extinct since human settlement – including land snails, insects, birds, reptiles, and mammals. The example of Conus lugubris shows how closely marine and terrestrial ecosystems on islands are interconnected – and how severely both suffer from human impacts.

Two more species from the Macaronesian Islands extinct

The Madeira Large White was endemic to the Portuguese island of Madeira and is considered one of the first butterflies in Europe to have gone extinct as a result of human activities. The species – regarded by some researchers as a subspecies of the widespread Large White (Pieris brassicae) – was last observed in 1986 and was not found again despite repeated surveys in subsequent decades. After around 15 years without records, scientists reported the species’ definitive extinction in 2007.

The exact causes of extinction remain uncertain. In addition to habitat loss through development and agriculture, experts also cite the extensive use of fertilizers and pesticides as contributing factors. One hypothesis suggests that the Madeira Large White was wiped out by the introduction of the Small White (Pieris rapae) in the 1950s, along with a virus. A second explanation points to the introduction of the cabbage white parasitoid wasp (Cotesia glomerata), a parasite introduced for biological pest control.

Also newly classified as extinct is the land snail Leptaxis vetusta from the Azores. It was endemic to the island of Santa Maria and has only been found as a fossil – despite repeated survey campaigns over the past five decades. It is speculated that L. vetusta may in fact be a fossil species, but until this is conclusively clarified, it remains listed on the Red List.

Diospyros angulata – lost ebony relative from Mauritius

The tree species Diospyros angulata is also now officially considered extinct. It was endemic to Mauritius and belongs to the ebony tree genus, whose dark, dense wood was once highly sought after. Only two herbarium specimens of the species are known – from the years 1839 and 1851. Despite targeted searches since the 1980s, no living specimen has been found.

The disappearance of Diospyros angulata is emblematic of the loss of many plant species on Mauritius, caused by deforestation, introduced species, and the conversion of native forests into sugarcane plantations. The species thus joins the long list of tropical island plants that vanished before they could be adequately studied.

Two species return from the EX list

The current IUCN Red List update is not only shaped by newly confirmed extinctions. Two species that had been considered lost for decades were reassessed in 2025 and placed in a lower threat category. They are no longer classified as extinct.

Namibcypris costata – a tiny survivor underground in Namibia

The tiny ostracod species Namibcypris costata, measuring only 0.8 millimetres, was discovered in 1987 in springs of the southern Kaokoveld in northwestern Namibia and was considered extinct since 1996. It lives in subterranean freshwater and was likely collected at the surface only by chance.

Recent assessments show that its habitat – underground spring systems – is highly threatened but not completely destroyed. The IUCN therefore cautiously classifies the species as critically endangered.

The region is sensitive to pollution and interventions in the water balance, and even spring restoration measures may have affected the population. Whether the species still exists is unclear – but the possibility of a relict population cannot be ruled out.

Does Perrin’s Cave Diving Beetle still exist?

The groundwater beetle Siettitia balsetensis, better known as the Perrin’s Cave Diving Beetle, was also moved in the new update from extinct to data deficient.

The blind beetle, measuring just 2.25 millimetres, was first described in 1904 in the French municipality of Le Beausset – as the first groundwater-dwelling beetle species in the world. Its habitat lay in the karst fissures and underground water systems of southern France. The last confirmed record dates from 1945.

Because the habitat is poorly studied and difficult to access, experts consider it plausible that the species may still exist in little-explored areas. However, field studies are lacking to confirm this.

Significance of the reclassifications

Both cases show that extinction declarations are often associated with uncertainties – especially for species that live hidden lives. While Namibcypris costata offers cautious optimism due to its highly sensitive habitat, the case of Siettitia balsetensis highlights how fragmentary our knowledge of underground ecosystems still is. Such reclassifications are relatively rare, but they underline that some species may still have a chance to be rediscovered.

A global warning signal

Every newly extinct species is an irretrievable loss – and a sign of how urgently the remaining biological diversity must be protected. Even though the number of newly confirmed extinctions in 2025 is lower than in the previous year, the trend remains worrying: despite numerous new discoveries and species descriptions, species continue to disappear irreversibly – increasingly endemic island species such as the Madeira Large White and the Azorean land snail Leptaxis vetusta.

The IUCN Red List is the most important global instrument for assessing the extinction risk of species and monitoring biodiversity trends. It classifies species into nine categories – from “not evaluated” to “extinct” – and thus forms the basis for international conservation measures and political decisions aimed at preserving biodiversity.

Source

• IUCN (2025, 10 October). Arctic seals threatened by climate change, birds decline globally – IUCN Red List update. https://iucn.org/press-release/202510/arctic-seals-threatened-climate-change-birds-decline-globally-iucn-red-list