Percent of Species in Critical Risk of Extinction
CURRENT TOTAL
Live Counter Notable Facts
(Data shown in the table is for 2025. Counter shows current estimate)
Critically Endangered
Threatened Species
Total at Risk
Understanding Percent of Species in Critical Risk of Extinction
This counter tracks the percentage of Earth's species facing critical risk of extinction. Currently, 6,811 species are listed as Critically Endangered out of 120,372 formally assessed - representing species with fewer than 250 adults, extremely restricted ranges, or rapid population declines guaranteeing extinction within decades.
The extinction crisis extends far beyond critically endangered species. Approximately 25% of all assessed plant and animal groups are threatened with extinction, implying that one million of Earth's estimated 8 million species face extinction in the coming decades - a rate 1,000 to 10,000 times the natural background rate.
Even more alarming, 48% of assessed species populations are declining, while only 3% are increasing. One-third of species considered 'safe' are actually declining at rates that threaten their long-term survival, providing an early warning of future extinctions if trends continue.
Global Extinction Crisis Overview
- The current extinction rate is unprecedented in human history, with species disappearing 1,000-10,000 times faster than natural rates, driven primarily by habitat loss, with 80% of terrestrial biodiversity dependent on forests.
- Forest species face particular threats - over 1,400 tree species are critically endangered, while forest-dependent animals from orangutans to lemurs hover on the brink, with some like the Javan rhino down to just 18 individuals.
- Knowledge gaps compound the crisis - while 15,000+ species are known to be threatened, millions remain unassessed, particularly insects which may comprise 4.5-7 million species but face a largely undocumented 'great dying'.
- Conservation efforts have prevented some extinctions, saving 21-32 bird and 7-16 mammal species since 1993, but most improvements merely slow decline rather than restore populations to healthy levels.
Conservation Status Terms
- Critically Endangered: Extremely high risk of extinction in wild
- Endangered: Very high risk of extinction in wild
- Vulnerable: High risk of extinction in wild
- Threatened: Combined CR, EN, and VU categories
Species at Critical Risk
- Vaquita porpoise: 8-13 individuals left
- Javan rhino: ~18 individuals
- Northern white rhino: 0-2 in wild
- Philippine eagle: <800 individuals
- 1,400+ tree species critically endangered
Extinction Rates by Group
- Amphibians: 41% threatened
- Mammals: 26% threatened
- Birds: 13% threatened
- Conifers: 34% threatened
- Reef corals: 33% threatened
Drivers of Extinction Risk
- Habitat loss: Primary threat to 85% of listed species
- Overexploitation: Affects 72% of species
- Invasive species: Threatens 54%
- Climate change: Growing threat to 20%+
- Pollution: Impacts 40% of threatened species
Data Sources and References
Methodology and Data Collection
Species extinction risk data comes from the IUCN Red List, compiled through expert assessments of species populations, distribution, and threats, representing the most comprehensive global assessment of species conservation status.
The counter tracks the percentage of species in critical risk based on IUCN assessments, with current data showing 6,811 critically endangered species out of 120,372 assessed, representing approximately 5.7% of formally evaluated species.