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[[Image:ExtinctDodoBird.jpeg|thumb|The [[Dodo]], shown here in a 1651 illustration by [[Jan Savery]], is an often-cited example of [[Holocene extinction event|modern extinction]].<ref name="Diamond">{{cite book | last = Diamond | first = Jared | authorlink = Jared Diamond | title = [[Guns, Germs, and Steel]] | publisher = [[W. W. Norton]]|date = 1999| isbn = 0-393-31755-2 | pages=43–44 |chapter=Up to the Starting Line }}</ref>]]

In [[biology]] and [[ecology]], '''extinction''' is the death of every member of a [[species]] or group of [[taxon|taxa]]. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of that species (although the [[population bottleneck|capacity to breed and recover]] may have been lost before this point). Because a species' potential [[Range (biology)|range]] may be very large, determining this moment is difficult, and is usually done retrospectively. This difficulty leads to phenomena such as [[Lazarus taxon|Lazarus taxa]], where a species presumed extinct abruptly "re-appears" (typically in the [[fossil|fossil record]]) after a period of apparent absence.

Through [[evolution]], new species arise through the process of [[speciation]] — where new varieties of organisms arise and thrive when they are able to find and exploit an [[ecological niche]] — and species become extinct when they are no longer able to survive in changing conditions or against superior competition. A typical species becomes extinct within 10 million years of its first appearance,<ref name="Newman">Newman, Mark. "[http://www.lassp.cornell.edu/newmme/science/extinction.html A Mathematical Model for Mass Extinction]". [[Cornell University]]. May 20, 1994. URL accessed July 30, 2006.</ref> although some species, called [[living fossil]]s, survive virtually unchanged for hundreds of millions of years. Extinction, though, is usually a natural phenomenon; it is estimated that 99.9% of all species that have ever lived are now extinct.<ref name="Newman" /><ref name="Raup"> Raup, David M. ''Extinction: Bad Genes or Bad Luck?'' W.W. Norton and Company. New York. 1991. pp.3-6 ISBN 978-0393309270 </ref>

Prior to the dispersion of humans across the earth, extinction generally occurred at a continuous low rate, [[mass extinction]]s being relatively rare events. Starting approximately 100,000 years ago, and coinciding with an increase in the numbers and range of humans, species extinctions have increased to a rate unprecedented since the [[Cretaceous–Tertiary extinction event]].<ref name="MSNBC">[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6502368/ Species disappearing at an alarming rate, report says]. [[MSNBC]] URL accessed July 26, 2006</ref> This is known as the [[Holocene extinction event]] and is at least the sixth such [[Extinction event#Extinction events|extinction event]]. Some experts have estimated that up to half of presently existing species may become extinct by 2100.<ref name="Wilson">[[E.O. Wilson|Wilson, E.O.]], ''The Future of Life'' (2002) (ISBN 0-679-76811-4). See also: [[Richard Leakey|Leakey, Richard]], ''The Sixth Extinction : Patterns of Life and the Future of Humankind'', ISBN 0-385-46809-1 </ref>

{{conservation status}}

== Definition ==

A species becomes extinct when the last existing member of that species dies. Extinction therefore becomes a certainty when there are no surviving individuals that are able to reproduce and create a new generation. A species may become [[functional extinction|functionally extinct]] when only a handful of individuals survive, which are unable to reproduce due to poor health, age, sparse distribution over a large range, a lack of individuals of both sexes (in [[sexual reproduction|sexually reproducing]] species), or other reasons.

[[Image:LepidodendronOhio.jpg|thumb|External mold of the extinct ''[[Lepidodendron]]'' from the [[Upper Carboniferous]] of [[Ohio]].<ref name="Lepidodendron">Davis, Paul and Kenrick, Paul. Fossil Plants. Smithsonian Books, Washington D.C. (2004).
Morran, Robin, C.; A Natural History of Ferns. Timber Press (2004). ISBN 0-88192-667-1</ref>]]

Pinpointing the extinction (or [[pseudoextinction]]) of a species requires a [[Species#Definitions of species|clear definition of that species]]. If it is to be declared extinct, the species in question must be uniquely identifiable from any ancestor or daughter species, or from other closely related species. Extinction of a species (or replacement by a daughter species) plays a key role in the [[punctuated equilibrium]] hypothesis of [[Stephen Jay Gould]] and [[Niles Eldredge]].<ref>See: Niles Eldredge, ''Time Frames: Rethinking of Darwinian Evolution and the Theory of Punctuated Equilibria'', 1986, Heinemann ISBN 0-434-22610-6</ref>

In [[ecology]], ''extinction'' is often used informally to refer to [[local extinction]], in which a species ceases to exist in the chosen area of study, but still exists elsewhere. This phenomenon is also known as extirpation. Local extinctions may be followed by a replacement of the species taken from other locations; [[wolf reintroduction]] is an example of this. Species which are not extinct are termed [[Extant taxon|extant]]. Those that are extant but threatened by extinction are referred to as [[threatened]] or [[endangered species]].

An important aspect of extinction at the present time are human attempts to preserve critically endangered species, which is reflected by the creation of the [[conservation status]] [[extinct in the wild|"Extinct in the Wild" (EW)]]. Species listed under this status by the [[World Conservation Union]] (IUCN) are not known to have any living specimens in the wild, and are maintained only in [[zoo]]s or other artificial environments. Some of these species are functionally extinct, as they are no longer part of their natural habitat and it is unlikely the species will ever be restored to the wild.<ref name="Maas">Maas, Peter. "[http://www.petermaas.nl/extinct/wilduk.htm Extinct in the Wild" ''The Extinction Website''. URL accessed [[January 26]] 2007.</ref> When possible, modern [[zoology|zoological]] institutions attempt to maintain a [[viable population]] for species preservation and possible future [[reintroduction]] to the wild through use of carefully planned [[breeding program]]s.

The extinction of one species' wild population can have knock-on effects, causing further extinctions. These are also called "chains of extinction".<ref>{{cite paper |url=http://theory.ph.man.ac.uk/~ajm/qui05a.pdf |title=Deleting species from model food webs |accessdate=2007-02-15 |format=pdf |work= |author=Quince, C. et al.}}</ref>

=== Pseudoextinction ===
{{main|Pseudoextinction}}

Descendants may or may not exist for extinct species. Daughter species that evolve from a parent species carry on most of the parent species' [[genotype|genetic information]], and even though the parent species may become extinct, the daughter species lives on. In other cases, species have produced no new variants, or none that are able to survive the parent species' extinction. Extinction of a parent species where daughter species or subspecies are still alive is also called ''[[pseudoextinction]]''.

Pseudoextinction is difficult to demonstrate unless one has a strong chain of evidence linking a living species to members of a pre-existing species. For example, it is sometimes claimed that the extinct ''[[Hyracotherium]]'', which was an early horse that shares a common ancestor with the modern [[horse]], is pseudoextinct, rather than extinct, because there are several [[Extant taxon|extant]] species of ''[[Equus (genus)|Equus]]'', including [[zebra]] and [[donkeys]]. However, as fossil species typically leave no genetic material behind, it is not possible to say whether ''Hyracotherium'' actually [[Evolution of the horse|evolved into more modern horse species]] or simply evolved from a common ancestor with modern horses. Pseudoextinction is much easier to demonstrate for larger taxonomic groups.

== Causes ==

[[Image:Ectopistes migratoriusMCN2P28CA.jpg|thumb|upright|The [[passenger pigeon]], one of hundreds of species of [[extinct birds]], was hunted to extinction over the course of a few decades.]]

[[Image:Panthera tigris balica.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Bali Tiger]] was declared extinct in 1937 due to hunting and habitat loss.]]

There are a variety of causes that can contribute directly or indirectly to the extinction of a species or group of species. "Just as each species is unique," write Beverly and Stephen Stearns, "so is each extinction... the causes for each are varied — some subtle and complex, others obvious and simple".<ref name="Stearns">{{cite book | last = Stearns | first = Beverly Peterson and Stephen C. | title = Watching, from the Edge of Extinction | publisher = [[Yale University Press]] | year = 2000 | isbn = 0300084692 | pages=x |chapter=Preface }}</ref> Most simply, any species that is unable to [[Survival skills|survive]] or [[reproduction|reproduce]] in its environment, and unable to move to a new environment where it can do so, dies out and becomes extinct. Extinction of a species may come suddenly when an otherwise healthy species is wiped out completely, as when [[toxic]] [[pollution]] renders its entire [[habitat]] unlivable; or may occur gradually over thousands or millions of years, such as when a species gradually loses out in competition for food to better adapted competitors.

Assessing the relative importance of genetic factors compared to environmental ones as the causes of extinction has been compared to the [[nature-nurture debate]].<ref name="Raup" /> The question of whether more extinctions in the [[fossil]] record have been caused by [[evolution]] or by catastrophe is a subject of discussion; Mark Newman, the author of ''Modeling Extinction'' argues for a mathematical model that falls between the two positions.<ref name="Newman" /> By contrast, [[conservation biology]] uses the [[extinction vortex]] model to classify extinctions by cause. When concerns about [[human extinction]] have been raised, for example in Sir [[Martin Rees]]' 2003 book ''[[Our Final Hour]]'', those concerns lie with the effects of [[climate change]] or [[technology|technological]] disaster.

Currently, environmental groups and some governments are concerned with the extinction of species caused by humanity, and are attempting to combat further extinctions through a variety of [[conservation movement|conservation]] programs.<ref name="MSNBC" /> Humans can cause extinction of a species through [[Ecology#Ecological crisis|overharvesting]], [[pollution]], [[habitat destruction]], introduction of new [[predator]]s and food [[competitors]], overhunting, and other influences. According to the [[World Conservation Union]] (WCU, also known as IUCN), 784 extinctions have been recorded since the year 1500, the arbitrary date selected to define "modern" extinctions, with many more likely to have gone unnoticed.<ref name="IUCNno">[[World Conservation Union]]. "[http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/red_list_2004/GSAexecsumm_EN.htm 2004 Red List]". ''IUCN Red List of Threatened Species''. URL accessed September 20, 2006.</ref>

=== Genetics and demographic phenomena ===

{{see also|Extinction Vortex|Genetic erosion}}
[[Population genetics]] and demographic phenomena affect the evolution, and therefore the risk of extinction, of species. Species with [[Small population size|small populations]] are much more vulnerable to these types of effects.{{Fact|date=June 2007}} Limited geographic range is the most important determinant of [[genus]] extinction at background rates but becomes increasingly irrelevant as [[#Mass extinctions|mass extinction]] arises.<ref>{{cite journal| author=Payne, J.L. & S. Finnegan | year=2007 | title=The effect of geographical range on extinction risk during background and mass extinction. | journal=[[PNAS|Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci.]] | volume=104 | issue=25 | pages=10506–11 | doi=10.1073/pnas.0701257104 | pmid=17563357}}</ref>

[[Natural selection]] acts to propagate beneficial genetic traits and eliminate weaknesses. It is nevertheless possible for a deleterious mutation to be spread throughout a population through the effect of [[genetic drift]].

A diverse or "deep" [[gene pool]] gives a population a higher chance of surviving an adverse change in conditions. Effects that cause or reward a loss in [[genetic diversity]] can increase the chances of extinction of a species. [[Population bottleneck]]s can dramatically reduce genetic diversity by severely limiting the number of reproducing individuals and make [[inbreeding]] more frequent. The [[founder effect]] can cause rapid, individual-based speciation and is the most dramatic example of a population bottleneck.

=== Genetic pollution ===
{{main|Genetic pollution}}

Purebred, naturally evolved, region specific wild species can be threatened with extinction in a big way<ref>[http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=33232 Hybridization and Introgression; Extinctions; from "The evolutionary impact of invasive species; by H. A. Mooney and E. E. Cleland" Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001 May 8; 98(10): 5446–5451. doi: 10.1073/pnas.091093398. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, v.98(10); May 8, 2001, The National Academy of Sciences]</ref> through the process of genetic pollution - i.e., uncontrolled [[Hybrid (biology)|hybridization]], [[introgression]] genetic swamping which leads to homogenization or replacement of local genotypes as a result of a numerical and/or [[Fitness (biology)|fitness]] advantage of the introduced plant or animal.<ref>[http://www.nativeseednetwork.org/article_view?id=13 Glossary: definitions from the following publication: Aubry, C., R. Shoal and V. Erickson. 2005. Grass cultivars: their origins, development, and use on national forests and grasslands in the Pacific Northwest. USDA Forest Service. 44 pages, plus appendices.; Native Seed Network (NSN), Institute for Applied Ecology, 563 SW Jefferson Ave, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA]</ref> Nonnative species can bring about a form of extinction of native plants and animals by hybridization and introgression, either through purposeful introduction by humans or through habitat modification, bringing previously isolated species into contact. These phenomena can be especially detrimental for rare species coming into contact with more abundant ones, where the abundant ones can interbreed with them, swamping the entire rarer gene pool and creating hybrids, thus driving the entire original purebred native stock to complete extinction. Such extinctions are not always apparent from [[morphology (biology)|morphological]] (outward appearance) observations alone. Some degree of [[gene flow]] may be a normal, evolutionarily constructive process, and all constellations of genes and genotypes cannot be preserved however, hybridization with or without introgression may, nevertheless, threaten a rare species' existence.<ref>[http://arjournals.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.27.1.83 Extinction by Hybridization and Introgression; by Judith M. Rhymer , Department of Wildlife Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, Maine 04469, USA; and Daniel Simberloff, Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306, USA; Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, November 1996, Vol. 27, Pages 83-109 (doi: 10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.27.1.83)], [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0066-4162(1996)27%3C83:EBHAI%3E2.0.CO;2-A#abstract]</ref><ref>[http://www.rirdc.gov.au/reports/AFT/01-114.pdf Genetic Pollution from Farm Forestry using eucalypt species and hybrids; A report for the RIRDC/L&WA/FWPRDC; Joint Venture Agroforestry Program; by Brad M. Potts, Robert C. Barbour, Andrew B. Hingston; September 2001; RIRDC Publication No 01/114; RIRDC Project No CPF - 3A; ISBN 0 642 58336 6; ISSN 1440-6845; Australian Government, Rural Industrial Research and Development Corporation]</ref>

Widespread genetic pollution also leads to weakening of the naturally evolved (wild) region specific gene pool leading to weaker hybrid animals and plants which are not able to cope with natural environs over the long run and fast tracks them towards final extinction.

The [[gene pool]] of a [[species]] or a [[population]] is the complete set of unique [[alleles]] that would be found by inspecting the genetic material of every living member of that species or population. A large gene pool indicates extensive [[genetic diversity]], which is associated with robust populations that can survive bouts of intense [[selection]]. Meanwhile, low genetic diversity (see [[inbreeding]] and [[population bottlenecks]]) can cause reduced [[fitness (biology)|biological fitness]] and an increased chance of extinction amongst the reducing population of purebred individuals from a species.

=== Habitat degradation ===
{{main|Habitat destruction}}

The degradation of a species' [[habitat (ecology)|habitat]] may alter the [[fitness landscape]] to such an extent that the species is no longer able to survive and becomes extinct. This may occur by direct effects, such as the environment becoming [[toxicity|toxic]], or indirectly, by limiting a species' ability to compete effectively for diminished resources or against new competitor species.

Habitat degradation through toxicity can kill off a species very rapidly, by killing all living members through [[contamination]] or [[Sterilization (microbiology)|sterilizing]] them. It can also occur over longer periods at lower toxicity levels by affecting life span, reproductive capacity, or competitiveness.

Habitat degradation can also take the form of a physical destruction of niche habitats. The widespread destruction of [[tropical rainforest]]s and replacement with open pastureland is widely cited as an example of this;<ref name="Wilson" /> elimination of the dense forest eliminated the infrastructure needed by many species to survive. For example, a [[fern]] that depends on dense shade for protection from direct sunlight can no longer survive without forest to shelter it. Another example is the destruction of ocean floors by [[bottom trawling]].<ref>Clover, Charles. 2004. ''The End of the Line: How overfishing is changing the world and what we eat''. Ebury Press, London. ISBN 0-09-189780-7 </ref>

Diminished resources or introduction of new competitor species also often accompany habitat degradation. [[Global warming]] has allowed some species to expand their range, bringing unwelcome competition to other species that previously occupied that area. Sometimes these new competitors are predators and directly affect prey species, while at other times they may merely outcompete vulnerable species for limited resources. Vital resources including [[water]] and food can also be limited during habitat degradation, leading to extinction.

[[Image:Bufo periglenes1.jpg|thumb|The [[Golden Toad]] was last seen on [[May 15]] [[1989]]. [[Decline in amphibian populations]] is ongoing worldwide.]]

=== Predation, competition, and disease ===

Humans have been transporting [[animal]]s and [[plant]]s from one part of the world to another for thousands of years, sometimes deliberately (e.g., [[livestock]] released by sailors onto islands as a source of food) and sometimes accidentally (e.g., [[rat]]s escaping from boats). In most cases, such introductions are unsuccessful, but when they do become established as an [[Invasive species|invasive alien species]], the consequences can be catastrophic. Invasive alien species can affect [[Endemic (ecology)|native]] species directly by eating them, competing with them, and introducing [[pathogen]]s or [[parasite]]s that sicken or kill them or, indirectly, by destroying or degrading their habitat. Human populations may themselves act as invasive predators. According to the "overkill hypothesis", the swift extinction of the [[megafauna]] in areas such as [[New Zealand]], [[Australia]], [[Madagascar]] and [[Hawaii]] resulted from the sudden introduction of human beings to environments full of animals that had never seen them before, and were therefore completely unadapted to their predation techniques.<ref name="Lee">Lee, Anita. "[http://geography.berkeley.edu/ProgramCourses/CoursePagesFA2002/geog148/Term%20Papers/Anita%20Lee/THEPLE~1.html The Pleistocene Overkill Hypothesis]." ''University of California at Berkeley Geography Program.'' URL accessed January 11, 2007.</ref>

=== Coextinction ===
{{main|Coextinction}}

Coextinction refers to the loss of a species due to the extinction of another; for example, the extinction of [[parasites|parasitic]] insects following the loss of their hosts. Coextinction can also occur when a species loses its [[pollinator]], or to [[predators]] in a [[food chain]] who lose their prey. "Species coextinction is a manifestation of the interconnectedness of organisms in complex ecosystems ... While coextinction may not be the most important cause of species extinctions, it is certainly an insidious one".<ref name="Koh">Koh, Lian Pih. ''[[Science (journal)|Science]]'', Vol 305, Issue 5690, 1632-1634, 10 September 2004.</ref>

=== Global warming ===
{{main|Global warming}}
{{see also|Effect of climate change on plant biodiversity}}
There is also discussion about the long term affects of global warming on the extinction process. Currently, studies have shown that global warming may drive one quarter of all land animals and plants to extinction by 2050.<ref name="Bhattacharya">Battachatya, Shaoni. [http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn4545-global-warming-threatens-millions-of-species.html]." URL accessed September 15, 2008. </ref>

The ''white lemuroid possum'', only found in the mountain forests of northern Queensland, has been named as the first mammal species to be driven extinct by man-made [[global warming]]. The White Possum has not been seen in over three years. These possums cannot survive extended temperatures over 30 degrees C, which occurred in 2005. A final expedition to uncover any surviving White Possums is scheduled for 2009.<ref>[http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,24742053-952,00.html White possum said to be first victim of global warming]</ref>

== Mass extinctions ==
{{main|Extinction event}}
[[Image:Extinction Intensity.svg|thumb|350px|Apparent fraction of [[genus|genera]] going extinct at any given time, as reconstructed from the [[fossil record]]. Does not attempt to include recent [[Holocene extinction event]].]]

There have been at least five mass extinctions in the history of life on earth, and four in the last 3.5 billion years in which many species have disappeared in a relatively short period of geological time. The most recent of these, the Cretaceous–Tertiary extinction event 65 million years ago at the end of the [[Cretaceous]] period, is best known for having wiped out the non-avian [[dinosaur]]s, among many other species.

=== Modern mass extinction ===
{{main|Holocene extinction event}}

{{see|Deforestation}}

According to a 1998 survey of 400 biologists conducted by [[New York]]'s [[American Museum of Natural History]], nearly 70 percent believed that they were currently in the early stages of a human-caused mass extinction,<ref name="AMNH">[[American Museum of Natural History]]. "[http://www.well.com/~davidu/amnh.html National Survey Reveals Biodiversity Crisis - Scientific Experts Believe We are in the Midst of the Fastest Mass Extinction in Earth's History]". URL accessed September 20, 2006.</ref> known as the [[Holocene extinction event]]. In that survey, the same proportion of respondents agreed with the prediction that up to 20 percent of all living populations could become extinct within 30 years (by 2028). Biologist [[E. O. Wilson]] estimated <ref name="Wilson" /> in 2002 that if current rates of human destruction of the biosphere continue, one-half of all species of life on earth will be extinct in 100 years.<ref name="Ulansey">Ulansey, David, "[http://www.well.com/user/davidu/extinction.html The current mass extinction]" repeats this statement with links to dozens of news reports on the phenomenon. URL accessed January 26, 2007.</ref> More significantly the rate of species extinctions at present is estimated at 100 to 1000 times "background" or average extinction rates in the [[evolution]]ary time scale of planet [[Earth]].<ref>J.H.Lawton and R.M.May, ''Extinction rates'', [[Oxford University]] Press, Oxford, UK</ref>

== History of scientific understanding ==

[[Image:Dilophosaurus.jpg|thumb|''[[Dilophosaurus]]'', one of the many extinct dinosaur genera. The cause of the [[Cretaceous–Tertiary extinction event]] is a subject of much debate amongst researchers.]]

In the 1800s when extinction was first described, the idea of extinction was threatening to those who held a belief in the [[Great Chain of Being]], a [[theology|theological]] position that did not allow for "missing links".<ref name="Viney" />

The possibility of extinction was not widely accepted before the 1800s.<ref name="Viney">Viney, Mike. "[http://www.csmate.colostate.edu/cltw/cohortpages/viney_old1/extinction.html Extinction Part 2 of 5]". [[Colorado State University]]. URL accessed September 12, 2006.</ref><ref name="Berkeley"> Academy of Natural Sciences, "Fossils and Extinction" (http://www.ansp.org/museum/jefferson/otherPages/extinction.php) and U.C. Berkeley "History of Evolutionary Thought - Extinction" http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evosite/history/extinction.shtml.</ref> The devoted naturalist [[Carl Linnaeus]], could "hardly entertain" the idea that humans could cause the extinction of a species.<ref name="Koerner85">{{cite book | last = Koerner | first = Lisbet | title = Linnaeus: Nature and Nation | publisher = [[Harvard University Press]] | year = 1999| isbn = 0-674-00565-1 | pages=85 |chapter=God's Endless Larder }}</ref> When parts of the world had not been thoroughly examined and charted, scientists could not rule out that animals found only in the fossil record were not simply "hiding" in unexplored regions of the Earth.<ref name="Watson">''Ideas: A History from Fire to Freud'' ([[Peter Watson (business writer)|Peter Watson]] Weidenfeld & Nicolson ISBN 0-297-60726-X)</ref> [[Georges Cuvier]] is credited with establishing extinction as a fact in a 1796 lecture to the [[French Institute]].<ref name="Berkeley" /> Cuvier's observations of fossil bones convinced him that they did not originate in extant animals. This discovery was critical for the spread of [[Uniformitarianism (science)|uniformitarianism]],<ref name="Watson2">Watson, p.16</ref> and lead to the first book publicizing the idea of evolution <ref name="Chambers">[[Robert Chambers]], 1844, ''Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation'', 1994 reprint: University of Chicago Press ISBN 0-226-10073-1</ref> though Cuvier himself strongly opposed the theories of evolution advanced by [[Lamarck]] and others.

== Human attitudes and interests ==

Extinction is an important research topic in the field of [[zoology]], and [[biology]] in general, and has also become an area of concern outside the scientific community. A number of organizations, such as the [[WWF (conservation organization)|Worldwide Fund for Nature]], have been created with the goal of preserving species from extinction. [[Government]]s have attempted, through enacting laws, to avoid habitat destruction, agricultural over-harvesting, and [[pollution]]. While many human-caused extinctions have been accidental, humans have also engaged in the deliberate destruction of some species, such as dangerous [[virus]]es, and the extirpation of other problematic species has been suggested.

Biologist Bruce Walsh of the [[University of Arizona]] states three reasons for scientific interest in the preservation of species; genetic resources, ecosystem stability, and [[ethics]];<ref name="Walsh" /> and today the scientific community "stress[es] the importance" of maintaining biodiversity.<ref name="CREOcare">Committee on Recently Extinct Organisms. "[http://creo.amnh.org/care.html Why Care About Species That Have Gone Extinct?]". URL accessed July 30, 2006.</ref><ref name="Walsh">Walsh, Bruce. [http://nitro.biosci.arizona.edu/courses/EEB105/lectures/extinction/extinction.html Extinction]. Bioscience at University of Arizona. URL accessed July 26, 2006.</ref>

In modern times, commercial and industrial interests often have to contend with the effects of production on plant and animal life. However, some technologies with minimal, or no, proven harmful effects on ''[[Homo sapiens]]'' can be devastating to wildlife (for example, [[DDT]]).<ref name="INCHEM">International Programme on Chemical Safety (1989). "[http://www.inchem.org/documents/ehc/ehc/ehc83.htm DDT and its Derivatives -- Environmental Aspects]". Environmental Health Criteria 83. URL accessed September 20, 2006.</ref> [[Biogeography|Biogeographer]] [[Jared Diamond]] notes that while [[big business]] may label environmental concerns as "exaggerated", and often cause "devastating damage", some corporations find it in their interest to adopt good conservation practices, and even engage in preservation efforts that surpass those taken by [[national park]]s.<ref name="DiamondCollapse">{{cite book | last = Diamond | first = Jared | authorlink = Jared Diamond | title = Collapse | publisher = Penguin | year = 2005| isbn = 0-670-03337-5 | pages=15–17 |chapter=A Tale of Two Farms }}</ref>

Governments sometimes see the loss of native species as a loss to [[ecotourism]],<ref name="Drewry">Drewry, Rachel. "[http://www.insideindonesia.org/edit51/orang.htm Ecotourism: Can it save the orangutans?]" ''Inside Indonesia''. URL accessed January 26, 2007.</ref> and can enact laws with severe punishment against the trade in native species in an effort to prevent extinction in the wild. [[Nature preserve]]s are created by governments as a means to provide continuing habitats to species crowded by human expansion. The 1992 [[Convention on Biological Diversity]] has resulted in international [[Biodiversity Action Plan]] programmes, which attempt to provide comprehensive guidelines for government biodiversity conservation. Advocacy groups, such as The Wildlands Project<ref name="WildlandsProject">[http://www.wild-earth.org/cms/page1090.cfm The Wildlands Project]. URL accessed January 26, 2007.</ref> and the Alliance for Zero Extinctions,<ref>[http://www.zeroextinction.org/ Alliance for Zero Extinctions]. URL accessed January 26, 2007.</ref> work to educate the public and pressure governments into action.

People who live close to nature can be dependent on the survival of all the species in their environment, leaving them highly exposed to extinction [[risk]]s. However, people prioritize day-to-day survival over species conservation; with human [[overpopulation]] in tropical [[developing country|developing countries]], there has been enormous pressure on forests due to [[subsistence agriculture]], including [[slash-and-burn]] agricultural techniques that can reduce endangered species's habitats.<ref>{{citebook | first1= Anne | last1= Ehrlich | title = Extinction: The Causes and Consequences of the Disappearance of Species | publisher= Random House, New York | year= 1981 | isbn= 0-394-51312-6}}</ref>

=== Planned extinction ===<!-- This section is linked from [[Gene knockout]] -->
Humans have aggressively worked toward the extinction of many species of viruses and bacteria in the cause of disease eradication. For example, the [[smallpox]] virus is now essentially extinct in the wild<ref>[http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/smallpox/ WHO Factsheet] [http://ftp.who.int/gb/pdf_files/WHA52/ew5.pdf WHO meeting agenda] Scientists certified it eradicated in December 1979, WHO formally ratified this on 8 May 1980 in resolution WHA33.3</ref> — although samples are retained in laboratory settings, and the [[polio]] virus is now confined to small parts of the world as a result of human efforts to cure the disease it causes.<ref name="polio">Global Polio Eradication Initiative. "[http://www.polioeradication.org/history.asp The History]". URL accessed January 24, 2007.</ref>

[[Olivia Judson]] is one of six modern scientists to have advocated the deliberate extinction of specific species. Her September 25, 2003 ''[[New York Times]]'' article, "A Bug's Death", advocates "specicide" of thirty [[mosquito]] species through the introduction of a genetic element, capable of inserting itself into another crucial gene, to create [[recessive]] "[[Gene knockout|knockout genes]]". Her arguments for doing so are that the ''[[Anopheles]]'' mosquitoes (which spread [[malaria]]) and ''[[Aedes]]'' mosquitoes (which spread [[dengue fever]], [[yellow fever]], [[elephantiasis]], and other diseases) represent only 30 species; eradicating these would save at least one million human lives per annum at a cost of reducing the [[genetic diversity]] of the [[Family (biology)|family]] [[Culicidae]] by only 1%. She further argues that since species become extinct "all the time" the disappearance of a few more will not destroy the [[ecosystem]]: "We're not left with a wasteland every time a species vanishes. Removing one species sometimes causes shifts in the populations of other species - but different need not mean worse." In addition, anti-[[malaria]]l and [[Mosquito#Mosquito control|mosquito control programs]] offer little realistic hope to the 300 million people in [[developing nation]]s who will be infected with acute illnesses this year. Although trials are ongoing, she writes that if they fail: "We should consider the ultimate swatting."<ref name="Judson">{{cite news | last = Judson | first = Olivia | title = "A Bug's Death" | work = [[New York Times]] | date = September 25, 2003 | url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9805E5DF143DF936A1575AC0A9659C8B63&n=Top%2fNews%2fScience%2fTopics%2fMosquitoes | accessdate = 2006-07-30 }}</ref>

=== Cloning ===
{{Unreferenced section|date=March 2009}}
Recent technological advances have encouraged the hypothesis that using DNA from the remains of an extinct species, through the process of [[Cloning#Cloning extinct and endangered species|cloning]], this species may be "brought back to life". Proposed targets for cloning include the [[mammoth]], [[thylacine]], and the [[dodo]]. In order for such a program to succeed, a sufficient number of individuals would have to be cloned, from the DNA of different individuals (in the case of sexually reproducing organisms) to create a viable population. Though [[bioethics|bioethical]] and [[philosophy|philosophical]] objections have been raised, the cloning of extinct creatures seems a viable and exciting outcome of the continuing advancements in our science and technology.

In 2003, scientists attempted to clone the extinct [[Pyrenean Ibex]] (C. p. pyrenaica). This initial attempt failed; of the 285 embryos reconstructed, 54 were transferred to 12 mountain goats and mountain goat-domesticated goat hybrids, but only two survived the initial two months of gestation before they too died.

In 2009, a second attempt was made to clone the Pyrenean Ibex; one clone was born alive, but died seven minutes later, due to physical defects in the lungs.

The concept of cloning extinct species was popularized in the successful novel and movie [[Jurassic Park]].

== See also ==
{{ExtinctionPortal}}

* [[Gene pool]]
* [[Genetic erosion]]
* [[Genetic pollution]]
* [[Habitat fragmentation]]
* [[IUCN Red List]]
* [[List of extinct animals]]
* [[List of extinct plants]]
* [[Living Planet Index]]
* [[Red List Index]]
* [[Refugium (population biology)]]
* [[Timeline of extinctions]]
* [[Voluntary Human Extinction Movement]]

== Notes and references ==
{{reflist|2}}

== External links ==
{{wiktionary|extinction}}

{{commonscat|Extinct animals}}

{{wikiquote|Extinction}}
* [http://creo.amnh.org/ Committee on recently extinct organisms]
* [http://extinctanimals.petermaas.nl/ Recently Extinct Animals]

[[Category:Evolutionary biology]]
[[Category:Extinction]]
[[Category:Environmental issues with conservation]]

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[[da:Uddød]]
[[de:Aussterben]]
[[et:Väljasuremine]]
[[es:Extinción]]
[[eo:Formorto]]
[[fr:Extinction des espèces]]
[[ko:멸종]]
[[hr:Izumiranje]]
[[id:Kepunahan]]
[[is:Útdauði]]
[[it:Estinzione]]
[[he:מינים נעלמים]]
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[[mr:नामशेष प्रजाती]]
[[nl:Uitsterven]]
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[[oc:Extinccion d'una espècia]]
[[pl:Wyginięcie]]
[[pt:Extinção]]
[[qu:Rikch'aq wañuy]]
[[ru:Вымирание]]
[[simple:Extinction]]
[[sk:Vymieranie]]
[[sl:Izumrtje]]
[[fi:Sukupuutto]]
[[sv:Utrotning]]
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[[th:การสูญพันธุ์]]
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[[tr:Soy tükenmesi]]
[[uk:Вимирання (біологія)]]
[[ur:ناپیدیت]]
[[zh-yue:絕種]]
[[zh:灭绝]]
[[hu:88]]

Revision as of 09:26, 13 March 2009

extinction is about animals dying!

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