The evolution of animals does not keep pace with extinction

After five mass extinctions of the Earth, evolution has helped many animal populations to regenerate and diversify, filling the gaps created when species become extinct.

Rhinoceros are at risk of extinction due to illegal hunting.(Photo: Wikimedia)

The 6th mass extinction event of the Earth is taking place, mainly due to human impact. The extinction rate of animals is happening faster than the rate of natural evolution.

The research team at Aarhus University (Denmark) uses powerful evolutionary simulations to estimate mammalian recovery times based on their past and future extinction rates.

They found that it would take five to seven million years to evolve to restore mammalian diversity to the same degree that humans had before (this scenario assumes humans will stop destroying habitats and destroy species). The model also shows that extinction in the next 50 years will require recovery time of 3 to 5 million years.