Jerusalem, 17 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Nearly 8,000 animal species face the threat of extinction this century if humans fail to curb climate change and protect natural habitats, a new international study warns. The research provides the most comprehensive estimate yet of how rising temperatures and human land use could reshape life on Earth — and why it matters for people.
The study, led by Dr. Reut Vardi of the University of Oxford, with Prof. Uri Roll of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Dr. Gopal Morley from India, Dr. Gabriel Cayetano from France, and Prof. Shai Meiri of Tel Aviv University, analyzed 30,000 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Researchers combined data on each species’ thermal limits and preferred habitats with projections of climate change and land-use transformations to model the century ahead.
Under the worst-case scenario of continued fossil fuel use, unrestrained development, and extensive habitat destruction, nearly 7,900 terrestrial vertebrates could lose most of their natural ranges, including squirrels, frogs, bats, and finches. Even under optimistic pathways with renewable energy, sustainable economies, and strict conservation, species will still face shrinking ranges and unsuitable conditions.
The findings were published in the peer-reviewed Global Change Biology journal.
“Our research highlights the importance of considering the possible impacts of multiple threats together, to gain a better assessment of their potential impact,” Vardi said. “It also emphasizes the urgency of promoting environmental policies and nature conservation worldwide, to prevent a massive loss of species diversity.”
The study identifies hotspots of vulnerability, including the Sahel south of the Sahara, large areas of Brazil, and parts of the Middle East. Importantly, it shows that many species not yet classified as threatened could also lose significant portions of their habitats, meaning the biodiversity crisis may be even larger than official lists suggest.
Roll stressed the ethical and practical stakes: “Animals, plants, and natural ecosystems make a crucial contribution to our economy and well-being. They also have a right to exist on their own. If we do not act together now to stop widespread harm to the world, we risk a cold, alienated planet, without many of the rights we now take for granted.”
The research highlights that the dual threats of extreme heat and habitat loss act together to devastate species. Thousands of animals could lose more than half of their natural ranges, making piecemeal solutions insufficient, the study said.
Without coordinated global efforts to reduce emissions, conserve wildlands, and limit overconsumption, the century could witness an unprecedented wave of extinctions, reshaping ecosystems and jeopardizing human well-being, the scientists added.
Related Topics
