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There are many animals who are at the verge of extinct. But who would have thought that the number of extinction will be over 20,000? Latest report reveals that there are 21,286 animal species that are under threat of extinction.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), out of those 21,286 endangered animals, Okapi (a close relative of giraffe) and the sub-Saharan white-winged flufftail (a small, secretive bird) which occurs in Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and South Africa, are one among many. These two animals are the latest additions to the Red List of Threatened Species of IUCN.

ICUN has marked that Okapis are being extincted because of poaching, habitat loss, presence of rebels, illegal miners, while white-winged flufftail birds are being extincted due to destruction and degradation of its habitat, including wetland drainage, conversion for agriculture, water abstraction, overgrazing by livestock and cutting of marsh vegetation state.

Apart from this, almost 200 species of bird are now classed as “critically endangered,” facing the highest risk of extinction. In addition, the leatherback turtle (dermochelys coriacea), the largest of all living turtles, is also facing serious threats at a subpopulation level.

ICUN has mentioned that urgent action is needed to better understand the species’ ecology and to address these threats. Besides, ICUN has revealed a good news – many animal species like albatross (one of the most threatened of the planet’s bird families), black-browed albatross (thalassarche melanophrys), black-footed albatross (phoebastria nigripes), island fox (urocyon littoralis) and more, were highly endangered animals, but now has improved in status. In other words, these species are now almost in safe zone.

To see the list of all endangered animals, click here.

Source: Daily Mail

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