One minute read. Written by Anvika Khaitan – a grade 8 student.

What is the meaning of extinct?

Extinct means when of any species of animal or plant has no living members left.

What causes animals to become extinct?

Many factors cause animals to become extinct. The main factors are:

1. Global warming
2. Hunting and killing for the skin needed for medicines, fashion, clothes and just killing for sport etc.
3. Changes in climate
4. Competition with other species

What do experts say?

Experts are saying that each year the number of extinction rates are increasing. Every year 0.01 and 0.1% of animals are getting extinct. There are about 2 million species of animals on the planet. This means that every year we are losing 200 to 2000 animals.

Some extinct animals are the saber-toothed tiger, dodo, woolly mammoth, dinosaurs, great auk, steller’s sea cow, Tasmanian tiger, passenger pigeon, Pyrenean ibex, etc.

What is the effect of the Australian bush fires on animals and plants?

A lot of animals and plants have been affected by the Australian bush fires. About 50 animal species have lost 80% of their habitat and have no place to live or food to eat. The worst affected animal is believed to be the Dunnart. It is an endangered mouse-like animal found in the south Australian kangaroo island. It is one of 49 species, including 47 plants and one spider, that have had at least 80% of their likely and known range within fire-hit areas. Seven of the plant species, including the nightcap oak and three types of leek orchid, are critically endangered.