A Disappearing Act

By Josh Sevin

23 Feb 2000

137 species are estimated to go extinct each day

50,000 species are estimated to go extinct each year

78 species were on the original U.S. endangered species list

1,201 species were on the U.S. endangered species list as of October 1999

43 percent of endangered and threatened animals in the U.S. depend on wetlands

40 percent of all modern medicines are either modeled on or synthesized from natural compounds derived from various species

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95 percent of known plant species have yet to be screened for their medicinal values

30 million species of plants and animals -- more than half of all life forms on our planet -- live in rainforests

Sources:
1,2 -- Natural Resources Defense Council
3 -- Environmental Defense Fund
4 -- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
5-7 -- National Wildlife Federation
8 -- Natural Resources Defense Council.

Josh Sevin is a graduate student in MIT's planning program. Previously, he was an editor at Greenwire environmental news service and a researcher for U.S. News.

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