Extinct and endangered animals since 1500
More than one million insect species have been scientifically described to date. That sounds like an enormous number, but it may represent only a small fraction of the true diversity. A new PNAS study concludes that at least 14 to 20 million insect species may exist worldwide. Previous estimates, by
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Europe aims to protect more nature and restore damaged ecosystems. But even if key conservation targets are met, the populations of many bird and butterfly species that are still common today could continue to decline through 2050. A Nature Ecology & Evolution modeling study published in July 2026 reached this
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Many people are now reporting something similar: where numerous butterflies still flew over meadows, gardens, roadside verges or embankments in summer a few years ago, today there are often only a few—or none at all—to be seen. Such observations are initially personal and local; they depend on the weather, the
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May 5, 2026, ABQ BioPark in Albuquerque, New Mexico: The last known caterpillar of the Sacramento Mountains checkerspot butterfly dies—and with it, perhaps, the chance to save an entire butterfly subspecies from extinction. Researchers had hoped that the caterpillar would still transform into an adult butterfly. Then it might have
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Wind turbines are a key pillar of the energy transition. They generate electricity without burning fossil fuels and therefore help reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and curb climate change. During operation they produce neither CO₂ emissions nor air pollutants, require little water, and today rank among the most cost-effective forms of electricity
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For years, there has been talk of insect decline. People describe silent summer nights, clean windshields, and meadows where hardly anything is buzzing anymore. What was initially dismissed as a subjective impression has now been confirmed: several long-term studies show that insect biomass in Central Europe has declined sharply. The
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The current Red List of Butterflies and Burnet Moths documents a worrying trend: almost every second one of the 207 species and subspecies occurring in Germany is now threatened with population decline or already extinct. A total of ten species are considered lost, while another 93 fall into one of
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The new European Red List of Butterflies 2025 makes it clear: Europe’s butterflies are under increasing pressure—and many species are close to disappearing. The current assessment shows not only a serious deterioration since 2010, but also how strongly habitat loss, intensive agriculture and climate change are affecting populations. A continent
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Franklin’s bumblebee had the unfortunate distinction of having the smallest range of all bumblebee species in North America—and probably even worldwide. It occurred only in a narrow strip between the Pacific coast and the mountain ranges of the Sierra Nevada and the Cascade Range to the east, in southern Oregon
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When night falls, the day begins for many animals: bats go hunting for insects, frogs start their mating calls— and moths take on an often overlooked role in the ecosystem. They pollinate flowers that are specifically adapted to nocturnal pollinators: these plants open only in the evening and deliberately attract
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