Question

How many species from the world and India, respectively, are facing the threat of extinction?

• A. 45,000 and 1,200
• B. 2,000 and 784
  
• C. 784 and 27
  
  
• D. 15,500 and 650

Answer 1

The correct option is D 15,500 and 650

Introduction to extinction

Extinction of a species refers to complete disappearance of every member of that species from the surface of earth.

There have been 5 different episodes of mass extinctions in the past but the recent one is occurring at a rate that is 100 to 1000 times faster.

Number of threatened species

The IUCN Red list is an inventory which shows that the last 500 years have witnessed the extinctions of 784 species.

Around 15,500 species all around the world, of which more that 650 species are from India, are facing the threat of extinction.

Nearly $12\%$ of all bird species of the world, $23\%$ of mammalian species, $32\%$ of amphibian species and $31\%$ of gymnosperm species of the world are threatened with the fate of extinction in the near future.

Final answer

(d.) 15,500 and 650