2026: IUCN lists 15 more animal species as extinct

Table of Contents

The IUCN has updated its Red List. Version 2026-1, published on July 9, 2026, lists a total of 15 more animal species in the “Extinct” (EX) category: six mammals, four fish, one insect species, and four snail species. Most of these are not recent extinctions; many of the species disappeared decades ago and are only now being officially recorded as extinct based on new findings or taxonomic reassessments.

At the same time, the 2026 IUCN update classified several species as “Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct)” [CR(PE)] for the first time. The update also reports contrasting trends: The numbat was downlisted thanks to long-term conservation measures, while the situation of the desert rain frog has worsened. The assessment of molluscs from deep-sea hydrothermal vents is also highly concerning, with nearly two-thirds considered threatened.

The Red List now comprises 175,909 assessed species. Of these, 49,505 are considered Vulnerable (VU), Endangered (EN), or Critically Endangered (CR). This means that nearly three out of ten assessed species face an elevated risk of extinction.

Mammals: 6 Australian marsupials now officially extinct

Four Australian mulgaras of the genus Dasycercus are newly listed in the “Extinct” category in the current update. Three of them were not scientifically described until 2023. The species Dasycercus cristicauda, known since the 19th century, was redefined as part of the same taxonomic revision. None of the four species disappeared recently: The most recent known specimens were collected at least 60 years ago. They are joined by two Australian bettongs of the genus Bettongia, whose taxonomy was revised in 2025.

• Crested-tailed mulgara (Dasycercus cristicauda) – arid regions of southern and central Australia – reliably documented only by a specimen collected in 1867 and subfossil remains
• Southern mulgara (Dasycercus archeri) – arid regions of southern and western Australia – known only from twelve specimens collected between 1920 and 1925, as well as subfossil remains
• Northern mulgara (Dasycercus woolleyae) – arid regions of northern central Australia – most recent known record from 1962
• Little mulgara (Dasycercus marlowi) – Simpson Desert in central Australia – known only from a specimen collected in 1965
• Brush-tailed bettong (Bettongia penicillata) – formerly widespread in arid and semi-arid regions of southern and eastern Australia – probably extinct since the 1920s due to predation by introduced red foxes and cats, as well as habitat loss
• Little bettong (Bettongia haoucharae) – arid regions of southern and central Australia – known only from subfossil and mummified remains; the date of extinction is unknown, but according to the IUCN, the species may have survived until around 1960

According to the IUCN, the five newly added species bring the number of Australian mammal species that have become extinct since European settlement to more than 40. No other continent has lost a comparably high proportion of its mammal fauna in modern times.

Small and medium-sized terrestrial mammals of arid and semi-arid regions are particularly affected. Introduced domestic cats and red foxes are among the primary causes. Other factors include altered fire regimes, grazing by introduced herbivores, habitat changes, and, in some regions, the persecution of native animals.

Fish: 4 species newly listed as “Extinct”

Four bony fish species moved from the “Critically Endangered” category to the “Extinct” category. These are not recent extinctions: The IUCN identifies all four reclassifications as the result of new findings or taxonomic reassessments. The species had not been reliably recorded for decades.

• Diyarbakir spined loach (Cobitis kellei) – known only from Göksu Creek in the upper Tigris drainage in Türkiye – recorded only once, in 1974, and not found again despite subsequent searches. Its habitat was affected by dams and major changes to the water regime.
• Long-spine bream (Acanthobrama centisquama) – occurred in Lake Amik in Türkiye and in the wetlands of the Al-Ghab Plain in Syria – disappeared in the early 20th century after these bodies of water and wetlands were largely drained and converted.
• Akstafa spring roach (Rutilus sojuchbulagi), a member of the carp family – known only from springs near Ağstafa in the Kura River basin in Azerbaijan – last recorded in 1948 and not found again in subsequent searches. Changes to and degradation of the springs due in part to agriculture and livestock farming are thought to have caused its extinction.
• Sevan trout (Salmo ischchan) – endemic to Lake Sevan in Armenia – classified as extinct following a taxonomic reassessment. Of the traditionally distinguished forms, the winter bakhtak and the bojak probably disappeared before the 1980s, mainly as a result of falling lake levels and the loss of their spawning grounds. Other forms previously assigned to Salmo ischchan are now sometimes treated as separate species.

In addition, the Galilean loach (Oxynoemacheilus galilaeus), endemic to Lake Muzayrib in Syria, was classified as “Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct)” [CR(PE)]. The species was last recorded in 2008. Between 2016 and 2018, its only known habitat dried up almost completely as a result of massive groundwater extraction. Because its continued survival has not yet been confirmed, the species is considered possibly extinct.

Insects: 1 species classified as extinct, 1 rediscovered

The 2026 IUCN update newly added one insect species to the “Extinct” category. Another species, which had also been considered extinct, was moved to the “Data Deficient” category following its rediscovery.

• Geometer moth (Eupithecia ogilviata), a species of geometer moth – known only from a specimen collected on the Azorean island of Faial in 1903. Because large parts of its habitat have been destroyed and repeated moth surveys in the island’s remaining and potentially suitable habitats failed to record it, the IUCN now classifies the species as extinct.

There is good news for the Volutine stoneyian tabanid fly (Stonemyia velutina): It had previously been considered extinct but was rediscovered in 2023 in Jose Basin in Fresno County, in California’s San Joaquin Valley. The IUCN update therefore moved it from “Extinct” to the “Data Deficient” (DD) category. Little is currently known about its distribution, population size, and threats. It is therefore impossible at present to assess whether the species is highly threatened or has simply been overlooked until now.

Snails: 4 species extinct, 1 possibly rediscovered, and 6 possibly extinct

The 2026 IUCN update newly assessed or reassessed a particularly large number of European molluscs and freshwater species. Four freshwater snail species were newly added to the “Extinct” (EX) category. Another species, previously considered extinct, is now once again listed as “Critically Endangered” (CR) following new finds. Six more snail species received the qualifier “possibly extinct” and are therefore listed in the CR(PE) category.

Many of these species are extremely range-restricted endemics—some are known only from a single spring, cave, or shoreline. Such species are particularly sensitive to water extraction, structural modification, pollution, or habitat loss.

Newly classified as extinct

• Theodoxus valentinus – a nerite snail that lived in calcium-rich streams and springs in the Valencia region of Spain. The species is said to have still been common until the early 1980s, but no living specimen has been recorded since 1982. Repeated searches were unsuccessful. Since its former habitats continue to be affected by heavy water extraction, pollution, and invasive species, the species is now considered extinct.
• Belgrandiella boetersi – a tiny freshwater operculate snail known only from the Fischbach Gorge near Schleedorf in the Austrian state of Salzburg. The species was last recorded in 1946 and has been listed as extinct on the Austrian Red List since 2007. Possible causes include groundwater extraction for the drinking water supply and the associated degradation of its habitat.
• Mercuria maceana – a small freshwater operculate snail known only from its type locality of C’an Tunis, also known as Casa Antúnez, near Barcelona in Catalonia (Spain). The original habitat probably disappeared as a result of port and industrial development and construction work ahead of the 1992 Olympic Games. The species has not been recorded since the 1980s.
• Parreys’ thermal snail (Microcolpia parreyssii) – a thermal spring snail found only in Lake Pețea in Romania, which was fed by warm springs. The lake dried up almost completely in 2014 as a result of excessive groundwater extraction. By September of that year at the latest, the already severely diminished wild population had disappeared. Attempts to breed specimens collected in 2013 and 2014 in captivity failed. The last specimen in human care died in early June 2016.

Possibly not extinct after all

The tiny freshwater operculate snail Graecoanatolica macedonica from Lake Dojran on the border between North Macedonia and Greece is no longer considered extinct. The species was added to the EX category in 2000 after decades of falling water levels, including a particularly severe drop in 1988, had seriously damaged its shoreline habitat. Several searches between 1992 and 2000 had been unsuccessful.

Shells attributed to the species were found again in 2009 and 2012. This suggests that a small remnant population may have survived in a groundwater-fed refuge. However, there is still no confirmed record of living animals.

The IUCN now lists G. macedonica as “Critically Endangered” (CR). Its range covers only about 43 km², it is known from just one location, and its habitat continues to be affected by water extraction. Further targeted searches and habitat restoration measures are therefore urgently needed.

Possibly extinct

Six more snail species are now listed as “Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct)” [CR(PE)]. Two of them are known only from Austria.

• Bythiospeum tschapecki – a subterranean spring and groundwater snail that probably occurred at only one location near Graz in Styria. Its known area of occupancy is no more than 4 km². The habitat was severely altered in the 1980s by the construction of a road tunnel. Before construction, the species was regularly found in material washed out of the groundwater system; it has not been recorded since. Because the impacts of the road above persist, habitat quality is expected to continue declining.
• Bythiospeum wiaaiglica – a groundwater snail from the northeastern Alps in southern Lower Austria, known only from its type locality near Schwarzenbach an der Pielach. Only empty shells have ever been found there, and none have been found for around 30 years. Potential groundwater pollution is considered a particular threat. Since subterranean water systems are difficult to study and may cover a larger area, the species’ continued existence cannot be completely ruled out.
• Aiguillette de Menton (Renea bourguignatiana) – a land snail with a very restricted range in the border region between southeastern France and northwestern Italy. It was recorded at two nearby sites within the same gorge in the 1980s. Living animals were apparently found only very rarely. Its known area of occupancy is about 8 km², and its entire range is less than 10 km². Urbanization and the spread of invasive plants are degrading its habitat.
• Stankovicia baicaliiformis – a freshwater snail from Lake Ohrid in North Macedonia and Albania. Its habitat is deteriorating as a result of pollution and increasing siltation. Fine silt increasingly covers the substrate suitable for the species. Despite repeated surveys, it has not been found since 2003. If it still exists, the population is likely to comprise fewer than 50 mature individuals.
• Pyrgohydrobia jablanicensis – a freshwater snail that occurred only in springs near Lake Ohrid in North Macedonia. The springs were dammed in the 1960s to create a small lake, severely altering the original ecosystem. While the species had previously been common, only a few specimens were found between the 1960s and 1980s. The last record dates from 2004. The habitat is also affected by nutrient inputs from agriculture and settlements.
• Travunijana tribunicae – a subterranean freshwater snail from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its known springs now lie beneath an artificial reservoir. The species has not been recorded since the reservoir was created in 1967. It may therefore already be extinct, although survival in inaccessible parts of the groundwater system cannot yet be completely ruled out.

The numbat shows that conservation can work

Alongside the documented extinctions, the IUCN update also contains positive news from Australia. The numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus), was downlisted from “Endangered” to “Near Threatened.”

The species was once widespread across much of southern Australia. The spread of feral cats and introduced red foxes reduced its population to only about 300 animals by the end of the 1970s. Control of introduced predators, predator-proof reserves, captive breeding at Perth Zoo, and the establishment of new populations have allowed the population to recover to an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 animals.

Nevertheless, the new classification does not mean the species is safe. Today, the numbat occupies only about 0.04% of its original range. Without continued control of cats and foxes, the progress achieved could quickly be lost.

Desert rain frog faces greater threat

The desert rain frog (Breviceps macrops), known from social media, was uplisted from “Near Threatened” to “Vulnerable” in the 2026 IUCN update. The species lives exclusively in a narrow coastal strip of Namibia and South Africa.

Diamond mining, energy projects, and other industrial developments are increasingly degrading its habitat. According to the IUCN, planned projects could affect up to one-third of its South African range and two-thirds of its Namibian range within the next 20 years. Trade in the animals and increasing heat and drought as a result of climate change could place additional pressure on the population. Without conservation measures, the IUCN expects the population to decline by about 20% within the next ten years.

Deep-sea mining threatens highly specialized molluscs

The first comprehensive assessment of molluscs from deep-sea hydrothermal vents paints a concerning picture. Of 201 assessed species found only at such vents, 125, or 62%, are threatened with extinction. They include snails, limpets, bivalves, and chitons, some of which live at depths of up to 5,000 meters. Many were discovered by scientists only within the past ten years.

The planned extraction of mineral resources from the seabed could directly destroy their narrowly restricted habitats. Sediment plumes can smother animals and their habitats, impairing their breathing and feeding.

The snail Lirapex felix was therefore added to the Red List as “Critically Endangered” for the first time. By contrast, more than 30 other deep-sea species are considered not threatened because their known populations occur within marine protected areas where mining is not permitted.

Current threats and past losses

The Australian marsupials newly classified as extinct show how difficult it can be to document species loss comprehensively: Some species disappear before science has recognized them as distinct or adequately documented their distribution.

Taxonomic research cannot reverse such losses. But it can reveal what biological diversity has already been lost. At the same time, it helps distinguish between surviving species more accurately, assess their populations more reliably, and target conservation measures more effectively.

The new Red List therefore not only documents current threats but also corrects our understanding of past losses. The fact that several species are officially recorded as extinct only decades after their disappearance also demonstrates how incomplete our knowledge of many animal groups still is.

This makes taxonomic research, the analysis of museum collections, and targeted searches in known habitats all the more important. After all, only species that are recognized and distinguished from one another can be protected in time.

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Sources

• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN): From desert frog to deep-sea molluscs, remarkable species at risk — IUCN Red List.
  https://iucn.org/press-release/202607/desert-frog-deep-sea-molluscs-remarkable-species-risk-iucn-red-list
• IUCN (2026): Table 7: Species changing IUCN Red List Status (2025–2026). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, Version 2026-1.