650 and counting. Darwin determines humans top of the food chain. | In The Thicket Of It.
The dodo has become a species synonymous with extinction itself. Thousands of its bones have been recovered, yet despite its notoriety, scientists still cannot say with certainty what it looked like. Even one of history’s most famous extinctions has no definite form. Scientists estimate the Earth is home to roughly 8.7 million species, 86% of which remain undiscovered. More than 366,000 species of plants and animals have been documented in the United States alone, including over 307,000 animal species. This means the U.S. is home to roughly 3.5% of the world’s estimated faunal biodiversity. Yet despite this extraordinary abundance of life, thousands of species remain threatened. Even predators such as tigers and gorillas continue to suffer from habitat loss, hunting and poaching. To put it bluntly: while the human population grows, more animals are dying. Currently, more than 175, 600…
