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Story summary
- A study by John Wiens from the University of Arizona indicates we are not facing a mass extinction at the genus level.
- Extinction rates peaked in the late 1800s but have slowed, likely due to conservation efforts.
- The analysis of over 22,000 genera identified only 102 extinct since 1500, mainly on islands.
- Less than 2% of birds and mammals have experienced genus-level extinctions.
- The authors stress that preventing extinctions is a moral obligation, highlighting climate change and habitat destruction as key threats.
