Two-thirds of mollusc species living only on deep-sea hydrothermal vents are at risk of extinction, primarily due to deep-sea mining, according to the latest update of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Over 200 species of snails, limpets and clams have adapted to survive in extreme conditions where water temperatures reach 450°C, but mining activities are disrupting these fragile ecosystems. Sediments from mineral extraction smother the animals, threatening species like Lirapex felix, classified as critically endangered because of mining in the Indian Ocean. Some species, including the ornately shelled Provanna exquisita, remain protected because they live within the Mariana Arc of Fire national wildlife refuge, where mining is prohibited.
The desert rain frog, native to the west coast of South Africa and Namibia, is also under threat. Classified as vulnerable, its survival is jeopardized by diamond mining and expanding energy infrastructure. The species, which does not rely on surface water and emerges only at night to hunt insects, faces additional pressure from the exotic pet trade after a viral video of its squeaking distress call increased demand. In contrast, the numbat, a striped marsupial from Australia, has improved in status from endangered to near threatened following decades of conservation efforts. Predator control, captive breeding at Perth Zoo, and translocations helped increase its population from around 300 in the 1970s to between 2,000 and 3,000 today. However, it occupies only 0.04% of its original range, indicating ongoing vulnerability. Five other Australian marsupials are now confirmed extinct, with no sightings in at least 60 years. Dr Grethel Aguilar, IUCN director general, stated that while nature conservation works, increasing pressures on biodiversity threaten even the most resilient species. The IUCN Red List now includes 175,909 species, of which 49,505 are threatened with extinction.
The numbat's recovery proves conservation can work, yet it still occupies just a fraction of its historic range. Deep-sea mining proceeds despite known risks to newly discovered species. A species can be saved, but only if protection is sustained and expanded. The same level of urgency is not being applied to all threatened life forms.
💡 NaijaBuzz Take is AI-assisted editorial opinion, not established fact. Full disclaimer →
