Study finds massive number of creatures in danger of disappearing from Earth: 'Many threats acting together'
New research revealed 24% of freshwater animals are vulnerable, endangered, critically endangered and at risk of extinction (with some considered extinct in the wild).
What's happening?
A January 2025 study found that freshwater animals are in danger. The Associated Press reported, via VOA News, that scientists found nearly a quarter of them are at high risk of extinction. This aligns with a 2021 World Wildlife Fund report that found about one-third of freshwater fish face extinction.
Researchers examined 23,496 species that inhabit rivers, lakes, ponds, streams, bogs, wetlands, and other similar bodies of water. These creatures are at risk due to a variety of factors: Climate change, pollution, dams, water extraction, agriculture, mining, wildfires, deforestation, and invasive species threaten their existence.
Catherine Sayer, study co-author and a zoologist at the International Union for Conservation of Nature in England, explained in the AP article, "Most species don't have just one threat putting them at risk of extinction, but many threats acting together."
This is the first time scientists have assessed global threats to freshwater animals, per the AP. The findings are grave.
Why are freshwater ecosystems important?
We need freshwater species because they support freshwater habitats. These habitats are essential to the planet. As Sayer observed, while freshwater habitats comprise less than 1% of Earth's surface, they accommodate 10% of animal species. That includes humans.
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According to WWF, 200 million people depend on freshwater fish for food, and 60 million rely on these fish for their livelihoods. The Natural Resources Defense Council has said that billions depend on freshwater habitats for their survival.
These habitats provide drinking water, storm protection, flood control, and erosion control. They also support industries like tourism and recreation.
Inland wetlands are especially vital, with the NRDC noting that peatlands specifically store twice as much carbon as standing forests. This carbon sequestration is crucial to fighting climate change and cooling the planet. But 64-71% of inland wetlands have disappeared since the year 1900.
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Freshwater species and habitats support humans. But they also mitigate rising temperatures. Without freshwater, the rate of rising global temperatures could accelerate.
What's being done about the threat to freshwater ecosystems?
The NRDC is calling on international governments to establish protected freshwater areas, arguing that the natural character, resources, and functions of these protected locations must be preserved or restored.
According to the NRDC, we must work toward "conserving existing freshwater systems [and] actively restoring areas that have been degraded or destroyed."
But everyone can help. Fixing leaky appliances, planting native plant species, and reducing water use are a few ways to make a difference. You can support foundations like WWF's initiative to restore wetlands and reconnect rivers. And reducing your carbon footprint helps the whole planet, including freshwater areas.
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Study finds massive number of creatures in danger of disappearing from Earth: 'Many threats acting together' first appeared on The Cool Down.
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