Fast Facts About Endangered Species
Scientists have cataloged more than one and one-half million of the
species that exist on Earth
today. By some recent estimates, at least 20 times that many species inhabit
the planet.
Up to 100 species become extinct every day. Scientists estimate that the
total number of species lost each year may climb to 40,000 by the year 2000,
a rate far exceeding any in the last 65 million years.
Around the world more than 3500 protected areas exist in the form of
parks, wildlife refuges and other reserves. These areas cover a total of about
2 million square miles (5 million square km, or 3% of our total land area.)
Today, more than 200 animal species in the United States are classified
as endangered. More than 1,000 animal species are endangered worldwide.
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