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Mankind’s destruction of nature is driving species to the brink of extinction at an “unprecedented” rate, the leading wildlife conservation body warned 18 July 2019 as it added more than 7,000 animals, fish and plants to its endangered “Red List. From the canopies of tropical forests to the ocean floor, the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) said iconic species of primates, rays, fish and trees were now classified as critically endangered. The group has now assessed more than 105,000 species worldwide, around 28,000 of which risk extinction. While each group of organisms face specific threats, human behavior, including overfishing and deforestation, was the biggest driver of plummeting populations.