Ongoing Sixth Mass Extinction
Ongoing Sixth Mass Extinction
Earth's sixth mass extinction? See the video below.
- We are currently living through the 'sixth' mass extinction according to many scientists. The present rate of extinction is thought to be \(\text{140 000}\) species per year. This rapid extinction rate started in approximately \(\text{10 000}\) BC and has continued into the 21st century.
- The extinction includes disappearance of large mammals such as the woolly mammoth.
- The sixth extinction event is thought to be occurring at a rapidly increasing rate.
- The two major causes for the sixth extinction are thought to be human hunting and the rapid rise in human population. You will learn more about the impact of human activity on the environment in Grades 11 and 12.
Fact:
The Golden Toad of Costa Rica has been extinct since around 1989. Its disappearance has been attributed to a confluence of several factors, including global warming event known as El Nino, fungus, and the introduction of new species that out-competed it for habitat and food.
This lesson is part of:
History of Life on Earth
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