Scientists have warned us for decades, but we are still wiping out species.
Extinction isn’t just a thing of the past—it’s happening right now, and it’s happening fast. We’re in the middle of the sixth mass extinction, except this time, there’s no asteroid or ice age to blame. It’s us. Deforestation, climate change, pollution, and overfishing are wiping out species at an alarming rate, and some have already disappeared before most people even knew they existed.
Since 2020, scientists have officially declared multiple species extinct, each loss a red flag for the state of our planet. These weren’t obscure creatures with no impact—many played crucial roles in their ecosystems. Their absence is more than a sad statistic; it’s a warning that nature is unraveling, and if we don’t act, humans might not be far behind. Here are ten species that vanished in recent years, taking their futures—and, in some cases, their secrets—with them.
1. Splendid poison frogs are gone, and we barely noticed.
Once a tiny burst of bright red hopping through Panama’s forests, the splendid poison frog (Oophaga speciosa) is now just another name on the extinction list. These dazzling little amphibians weren’t just pretty—they were a warning sign. Frogs are some of the most sensitive creatures on the planet, and when they start dying off, it means something is seriously wrong with the environment. In this case, habitat destruction and disease were the culprits.
Chytrid fungus, a deadly skin disease, wiped out frog populations worldwide, and the splendid poison frog was one of its casualties. But the real nail in the coffin? Deforestation. Humans bulldozed its home for agriculture, leaving it nowhere to go. Flora Lodd for Harbingers’ Magazine reports that the splendid poison frog was declared extinct due to habitat loss from deforestation and the spread of chytridiomycosis, a fungal disease devastating amphibian populations worldwide.
2. Lost sharks lived up to their name—forever.
Imagine discovering a species only to find out it was already extinct. That’s exactly what happened with the lost shark (Carcharhinus obsoletus). Scientists first described it in 2019 using old museum specimens, but by the time anyone started looking for live ones, they were already gone. Overfishing in the South China Sea had likely wiped them out long before we even realized they existed.
It’s a pretty unsettling reality: we’re erasing species faster than we can discover them. The lost shark’s fate is a glimpse into what’s happening beneath the waves—ruthless industrial fishing and habitat destruction are gutting marine biodiversity. According to the IUCN Shark Specialist Group, the lost shark (Carcharhinus obsoletus) has not been seen since 1934 and is considered “Possibly Extinct” due to overfishing in the South China Sea. And if a shark, a predator that survived for millions of years, can disappear without a trace, what chance do smaller, lesser-known species have?
3. Jalpa false brook salamanders never stood a chance.
If you wanted to find the Jalpa false brook salamander (Pseudoeurycea exspectata), you had to look in the cloud forests of Guatemala—until there weren’t any left. These tiny, elusive amphibians relied on cool, humid environments, but as deforestation chewed through their habitat, their numbers plummeted. By the time researchers realized how dire things were, the salamander was already gone.
Cloud forests are biodiversity hotspots, but they’re disappearing at an alarming rate. Species like the Jalpa false brook salamander are often the first to go, but they won’t be the last. When an ecosystem collapses, it’s never just one species that suffers—it’s an entire web of life unraveling. Per Himanshu Nitnaware for Down To Earth, the Jalpa false brook salamander (Pseudoeurycea exspectata) was declared extinct due to habitat destruction and climate change, highlighting the vulnerability of amphibians to environmental disturbances.
4. Lord Howe long-eared bats disappeared before we could understand them.
Some species go extinct without fanfare, slipping away before we even have the chance to study them. The Lord Howe long-eared bat (Nyctophilus howensis) is one of those cases. Last seen in the 19th century, this small, mysterious bat was native to Lord Howe Island, a tiny patch of land off Australia’s coast. Then, humans arrived, bringing rats and other invasive species that quickly took over.
With no confirmed sightings for over a century, conservationists officially called it in 2021: the Lord Howe long-eared bat was extinct. It’s a classic example of how fragile island ecosystems are—one small shift, like the introduction of an aggressive predator, and native species start vanishing. The worst part? We’ll never know the role this bat played in its ecosystem or what we lost along with it.
5. Ivory-billed woodpeckers are officially extinct, no matter how much we wanted to believe otherwise.
For decades, birdwatchers refused to accept that the ivory-billed woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) was gone. It was one of North America’s most iconic birds—huge, striking, and known for its dramatic drumming. The last confirmed sighting was in the 1940s, but rumors of its survival kept hope alive. Maybe, just maybe, a few were hiding out in some untouched forest.
But hope doesn’t bring back lost forests. The old-growth woodlands this bird relied on were decimated by logging, and by 2021, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finally declared what many had feared: the ivory-billed woodpecker was extinct. This wasn’t just the loss of a bird—it was the loss of an entire ecosystem’s balance. And if one of America’s most legendary birds can disappear, it raises an uncomfortable question: how many more will follow?
6. Chinese paddlefish ruled the Yangtze for millions of years—until humans showed up.
The Chinese paddlefish (Psephurus gladius) was a prehistoric giant, a freshwater titan that once cruised through China’s Yangtze River like an aquatic dinosaur. Growing up to 23 feet long, this beast had been around for over 200 million years, surviving mass extinctions that wiped out dinosaurs and ice age megafauna. But it couldn’t survive us. Overfishing, pollution, and the construction of massive dams, like the Three Gorges Dam, turned its ancient kingdom into a death trap.
By the time scientists realized how bad things were, the Chinese paddlefish was already gone. The last confirmed sighting was in 2003, and after years of searching, conservationists finally admitted defeat in 2022. This wasn’t just the loss of a species—it was the collapse of an evolutionary marvel, a creature that had thrived for millennia before humans came along and wrecked its river. If a species that resilient couldn’t survive our industrial age, what hope do the rest of our freshwater giants have?
7. Kauaʻi ʻōʻō sang its last song, and no one was there to hear it.
The Kauaʻi ʻōʻō (Moho braccatus) wasn’t just a bird—it was the soundtrack of Hawaiian forests, its hauntingly beautiful song once filling the air. But like so many native Hawaiian species, it fell victim to a brutal combination of habitat destruction, invasive species, and mosquito-borne diseases that it had no defense against. One by one, its population dwindled, and the last known male was recorded singing for a mate in the 1980s. No one ever answered.
By 2021, scientists officially gave up hope, declaring the Kauaʻi ʻōʻō extinct. Its final recorded song, a desperate call into the void, now haunts conservationists who understand the tragedy of what we lost. The Hawaiian Islands are home to some of the most unique birds on Earth, and yet, thanks to human interference, many of them are disappearing at an alarming rate. If we don’t act fast, the Kauaʻi ʻōʻō won’t be the last songbird to go silent.
8. Spined dwarf mantises were tiny, tough, and still no match for human destruction.
Insects don’t get the same attention as pandas or tigers, but when they start disappearing, we’re in serious trouble. The spined dwarf mantis (Ameles spallanzania) was once found in southern Europe, a tiny but ferocious predator that kept ecosystems in balance. But like so many small creatures, it was no match for habitat destruction and pesticide overuse.
By 2020, it was officially declared extinct, another casualty of agricultural expansion. People tend to ignore insect losses, but they shouldn’t—bugs like the spined dwarf mantis are essential for pollination, pest control, and soil health. The fewer insects we have, the fewer birds, reptiles, and mammals can survive. If we keep carelessly wiping them out, we’re not just dooming mantises—we’re dismantling entire food chains.
9. Dugongs are functionally extinct in China, and it’s all our fault.
Dugongs (Dugong dugon) are the gentle giants of the sea, slow-moving marine mammals that graze on seagrass and look like adorable underwater cows. For centuries, they roamed China’s coastal waters, but thanks to habitat destruction, boat strikes, and relentless fishing practices, they’re now functionally extinct in the country. That means even if a handful still exist, their population is too small to recover.
In 2022, scientists delivered the grim verdict: dugongs were gone from China. Their disappearance is a flashing warning sign for marine ecosystems—when creatures at the top of the food chain vanish, it signals deeper environmental collapse. Seagrass meadows, which dugongs help maintain, are now in rapid decline, affecting countless other species. If we don’t change how we treat our oceans, dugongs won’t be the only ones disappearing from coastlines worldwide.
10. Little Mariana fruit bats were wiped out, and nobody really noticed.
The little Mariana fruit bat (Pteropus tokudae) had one job: pollinate tropical plants and keep island ecosystems thriving. But like so many island species, it faced an uphill battle against habitat destruction, hunting, and invasive predators. Found only on Guam, it was already rare when scientists first described it in the 1930s. By the time conservationists tried to intervene, it was too late.
Declared extinct in 2021, the little Mariana fruit bat joined a long list of island species that never stood a chance. These small bats played a crucial role in seed dispersal, and their disappearance means Guam’s forests have lost an important natural gardener. It’s a reminder that every species, no matter how small, plays a role in keeping ecosystems running. When we lose one, we don’t just lose an animal—we lose an entire network of life that depended on it.