One Million Species at risk of extinction

A 2019 landmark United Nations-backed report finds that One Million species face extinction, many within decades, because of human activities. Without drastic action to conserve habitats, the rate of species extinction — already tens to hundreds of times higher than the average across the past ten million years — will only increase.

Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)

 
 

  • A species is considered “Extinct” by the IUCN when there is no reasonable doubt that the last individual has died.

  • A species is considered “Extinct in the Wild” by the IUCN when it is known only to survive in cultivation, in captivity or as a naturalised population well outside the past range.

  • “Critically Endangered” species have been categorized by the IUCN as facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. As of 2021, there are at least 8,404 species concerned (only based on the ones that have been assessed).

  • “Endangered” species are wild populations that have been categorized by the IUCN as very likely to become extinct in their known native ranges in the near future.

  • “Vulnerable” Species have been categorized by the IUCN as threatened with extinction unless the circumstances that are threatening their survival and reproduction improve. It is therefore considered as facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.

  • A species is “Near Threatened” when it has been evaluated against the criteria but does not quality for Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable now, but is close to qualifying for or will qualify for a threatened category in the near future.

  • A species is categorised as “Least Concern” by the IUCN when it has been evaluated against the Red List criteria and does not qualify for Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, or Near Threatened.

  • A species is “Data Deficient” when there is inadequate information to make a direct or indirect assessment of its risk of extinction based on its distribution and/or population status.

 
 

Vaquitas are an example of nearly extinct species. It is now estimated that less than 10 of this critically endangered cetacean remain in the wild (2022).

They have gone from thriving in the ocean (Triumph) to now being only a limited number (Trauma) and are threatened to likely become extinct soon (Tears).

The same fate is faced by many more species today, threatening biodiversity and life on Earth.

“The evidence is crystal clear": Nature is in trouble. Therefore we are in trouble.”

— Sandra Díaz, one of the co-chairs of the 2019 Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services

“Preemptive Lacrimation”

I make people cry

While their tears still have potency

To help avoid the loss

The precipitation of the crying

A Living Wake wake up call

Cry for me now while I can still know

You cared for me, all the at risk species

Enough to transmute tears into resolve?

Enough to feel the missing acutely, preemptively

To be where you don’t want to be

Even if not yet interminably

So you don’t have to be: full circle

Must not go around again

Living a bad dream awake in fright

Vowing never to let it occur, and never recur

Keep what you will cry for if they disappear 

Cry for them now, grieve the loss

That you can get over, the next time you see

They are still here, even barely

You will know what to do next

Hold them dear - dear enough to care

Care enough - care enough to act

Intervene

Cry for yourself

Your progeny, future generations

Without which they will be deprived

Of today’s wonders of nature

Tears that can still galvanise

Make intent stronger

Your mind can take you tripping

At least you can come back

Shocked by the future vision

Tears flow, spurred into action

Make tracks

That future still unwritten

Clear your eyes for a better vision

Still there’s a list

That makes my eyes water…

Vaquita

Irrawaddy Dolphin

Red Wolf

Javan and Sumatran Rhinoceros 

Saola 

South China Tiger

Amur Leopard

Spix’s Macaw

The list is not exhaustive

But it’s exhausting

 

Red List tears

Critically Endangered

 

Cry so it won’t come to pass

Bitter tears

Lest we regret

So you can cry in the future

Tears of joy

Sweet success

 

I make people cry 

Not because I love it

Because I love them 

All the sentient creatures

For their plight

I cry first

 

I make people cry

So I don’t have to cry alone  

By Anthony E. Lovell