7 Species The World Might Lose By The End Of The Year

One of the most stunning developments of the last two centuries is the loss of the natural world to extinction.

“Habitat destruction, pollution or overfishing either kills off wild creatures and plants or leaves them badly weakened,” Derek Tittensor, a marine ecologist at the World Conservation Monitoring Centre in Cambridge, told The Guardian. “The trouble is that in coming decades, the additional threat of worsening climate change will become more and more pronounced and could then kill off these survivors.”

What animals will the world likely lose by the end of the year? Countless creatures for sure, but these 7 you may recognize more readily.

The Vaquita Whale.

The Vaquita whale is a rare whale found in the upper Gulf of California. There are fewer than 100 individuals left in the world and they are listed by the IUCN as critically endangered. Their bladders are illegally sold for $4,000 per pound for some reason.