January 16, 2024
According to a new study conducted by researchers at the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH), UK, approximately 1,400 bird species have gone extinct over the past 1,30,000 years due to the effects of human activities. Researchers used recorded data of birds that have gone extinct since the 1500s as well as data based on fossils of birds from earlier periods for the study. It was found that the impact of human activities on birds is much higher than what was previously thought as around 12% of the world’s bird species have been wiped out over time. According to WILDLIFE researchers, human activities such as hunting and deforestation destroyed bird populations and habitats in regions such as the Azores and Hawaii ever since they were inhabited by humans.
DID YOU KNOW?
According to fossil records, birds are believed to have evolved around 160 million years ago.
Image for representational purposes
