Stats: Animal Extinction

The Golden Toad was last seen on May 15, 1989, and is presumed to be extinct

Extinctions of various species and even creatures has been a phenomenon been observed on  Earth since its very beginning. Around 10,000 species are believed to have gone extinct in 100 years and new species not evolved at any comparable rate.Human activities, such as habitat encroachment, hunting, pollution and more are largely to blame.
According to Conservation International...

• At least 15 species have gone extinct over the past few decades. The real extinction figure is believed to be much higher, however, due to the conservative approach used in such listings;
• Thousands of animal, plant and lichen species are now considered at risk of extinction;
• One in three amphibians (32%) and almost half (42%) of turtles and tortoises are now known to be threatened with extinction, along with one in eight birds (12%) and one in four mammals (23%);
• There are major gaps in our knowledge of threatened species, and many species-rich groups have been poorly assessed;
• The numbers of threatened species are increasing across almost all major taxonomic groups;
• Continental species extinctions have become as common as extinctions on islands, which are typically more ecologically fragile, and
• Current extinction rates are at least one hundred to a thousand times higher than background, or "natural" rates. 

For a complete list of species (42 in total) expected to go completely distinct in 2012, Click here

Source:Discovery News