Everyone probably knows cats, dogs, budgies and guinea pigs. It is not for nothing that they are among the most popular pets in Germany. Of course, there are many, many other animal species – around 1.8 million animals, fungi and plants have currently been described by scientists worldwide. And among the animals discovered so far, there are guaranteed species that you don’t know yet – but can now discover in our photo series.
Many animal species have not yet been discovered
A large number of species have not yet been scientifically recorded. It is estimated that there are around nine million animal species worldwide! The reason why there are only approximate figures: Many animals live in remote places in the world – for example in treetops in the Amazon region, deep in the oceans or in mountain ranges that are difficult to reach. Many animals also become extinct before they are even discovered. Every year, between 15,000 and 18,000 new plant and animal species are discovered during research expeditions.
Biggest extinction since the end of the dinosaur age
The current version of the red list of endangered animal and plant species was presented by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in December last year. 150,000 species are recorded there, of which 42,100 species are classified as threatened. More than 1,550 of the 17,903 marine animals and plants examined are said to be threatened – which is mainly due to the climate crisis. But illegal fishing, sea pollution and overfishing also threaten the creatures. Animal extinction is a natural process, but it has accelerated in recent decades due to human influence. The World Biodiversity Council (IPBES) reported in March 2022 that the world is currently experiencing the greatest extinction of species since the end of the dinosaur age.