Sixth MASS EXTINCTION warning: HUMANS threatening near total wipe out of Earth's creatures

Mankind’s unbridled population growth and ever increasing demand for resources has already begun the countdown for the type of biological annihilation that saw the dinosaurs vanish 65

million years ago.

Five times over the past 540 million years, Earth has experienced destructive forces that have seen so-called biotic crises with a huge kill off of living creatures and plants.

A new report published today warns that “biological annihilation” is already underway with as many as half the number of individual animals that once shared the planet lost. 

The frightening spectre of the end of life as we know it is revealed in a new study published in the Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences journal and follows the work of experts at

Stanford and Mexico City universities.

All signs point to ever more powerful assaults on biodiversity in the next two decades

Headlines about the impending loss of the planet’s megafauna break on a daily basis with the wholesale slaughter of elephants, rhinos and giraffes for the illegal wildlife trade, but the

overview for huge numbers of living things is equally dismal. 

Over the last two million years, an average of two species every 100 years would extinct. 

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You

can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy

By studying the population declines of 27,600 land vertebrates and, in particular 177 mammal species, the scientists say they can show the “extremely high degree of population decay in

vertebrates, even in common species of low concern”.

The report emphasises the so-called anthropogenic – man-made – damage suffered by the creatures, explaining: “In the last few decades, habitat loss, overexploitation, invasive organisms,

pollution, toxification, and more recently climate disruption, as well as the interactions among these factors, have led to the catastrophic declines in both the numbers and sizes of

populations of both common and rare vertebrate species.”

But it later adds: “Much less frequently mentioned are, however, the ultimate drivers of those immediate causes of biotic destruction, namely, human overpopulation and continued population

growth, and overconsumption, especially by the rich.”

To highlight the plight of vanishing creatures, the scientists point to the dwindling numbers of iconic creatures, revealing how there are now only 7,000 cheetahs and 97,000 giraffes left

and that the African lion population has crashed by 43 per cent.

The report goes on to warn: “When public mention is made of the extinction crisis, it usually focuses on a few animal species – hundreds out of millions – known to have gone extinct, and

projecting many more extinctions in the future, but a glance at our maps presents a much more realistic picture: they suggest that as much as 50 per cent of the number of animal individuals

that once shared Earth with us are already gone, as are billions of populations.”

Making even gloomier reading is the scientists’ admission that their analysis is conservative and warns that time is running out by concluding: “Thus, we emphasise that the sixth mass

extinction is already here and the window for effective action is very short, probably two or three decades at most.

“All signs point to ever more powerful assaults on biodiversity in the next two decades, painting a dismal picture of the future of life, including human life.”

Reacting to the report, Mike Barrett, director of science and policy at WWF, said it highlights the need to take urgent action to save the planet’s wildlife.

He said: “For the first time since the demise of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago, we are facing a global mass extinction.

“WWF’s Living Planet Report revealed that by the end of this decade wildlife populations will have plummeted on average by a staggering 67 per cent from 1970 levels.

“From the destruction of forests to the poaching of iconic species, we cannot ignore the impact that humanity is having on the world. We know how to stop this. 

"It requires governments, businesses and every single one of us to rethink how we produce, consume and value the natural world. We must act now before it is too late.”

See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive.