One in Four Freshwater Species Face Extinction Amid Wetland Loss

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A new study shows one in four water animals might disappear forever, even though they live in just 1% of Earth's surface.

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Around 1,000 water species are close to dying out completely, while 200 might already be gone.

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Wetlands including bogs, mangroves, and saltmarshes as big as India have been destroyed since 1700.

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Many rivers are drying up - the Colorado River doesn't even flow to the ocean anymore.

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Pesticides from farms affect development, fertility, and behavior of crabs and shrimp in rivers.

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Dragonflies are losing their homes as wetlands turn into farms and trees get cut down.

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About 30% of decapods - including crabs, lobsters, shrimp, and crayfish - face extinction.

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The golden mahseer fish is dying out in mountain rivers because too many are caught and dams block their path.

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Previous studies show about one-third of freshwater molluscs might face extinction.

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Scientists need to study these animals quickly because many are dying before we can learn about them.

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