According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, more than 42,000 species are currently threatened with extinction. This is almost over a quarter of all species assessed with the list. Here's a look at seven animal and bird species which became extinct in the last six years. Mountain Mist Frog These frogs were endemic to Australia. They lived in forests and wetlands. These were declared extinct in 2021. Researchers found that the cause of their extinction was chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis). This fungus spreads through human activity and destroys amphibian skin. Sharp-snouted Day Frog These species of frogs shared a similar habitat as that of the mountain mist frog in Australia. These frogs were listed as extinct species in 2021. However, the exact cause of their extinction is not known. Chiriqui Harlequin Frog These species of frogs were formally found in Panama and Costa Rica. These frogs too were victims of the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). These frogs were not seen since 1996 and were declared extinct in 2020. Golden Toad The Golden Toad was native to Costa Rica before its extinction. It was declared extinct in 2019. These toads became extinct due to changing weather conditions and low rainfall. Chinese Paddlefish Found in China’s Yangtze River, the Chinese Paddlefish was one of the largest freshwater fish on Earth before its extinction. It was officially declared extinct in 2019 and it perished due to overfishing and dam construction. Poo-uli These birds found in the forests of Maui, Hawaii, were not discovered until 1973. These were declared extinct in 2019. It became extinct due to rat predation and competition with other species. Alagoas foliage-gleaner Found in the lowland forests of Brazil, these were a small bird species and located only in the states of Pernambuco and Alagoas. These became extinct in 2019. The Alagoas foliage-gleaner birds became extinct due to destruction of their natural habitat.
