After researching for quite a while, I have prepared this list of extinct species in Brazil. My research, after my retirement, has been centered on the biodiversity of different global regions. I am doing my research that attempts to explain the process and evolution of humans and place them in a socio Biological perspective. In this article, I want to explore the list of extinct species in Brazil, specifically the threatened mammals of Brazil.
According to archaeological data, since dinosaurs disappeared, many species of plant and animal have also died off. The extinction rate has been accelerating since the Cretaceous geological period when many species of large mammals suffered accelerated extinction. The reason for the incresing rate of extinction is due to the effects of human activities such as deforestation and converting forests for agricultural purposes, all of which has led to the rapid increase in the number of new species, many of which are threatened.
The recent studies of Brazilian mammal fossils show that only about fifteen percent of the mammal species remain in existence. As mentioned above, some of these extinct species are only known from very precise fossils. The remaining numbers are significantly lower, and this is primarily because there is very little information available concerning their survival conditions prior to extinction, or their reproduction rates.
The exact cause of death is still not known, but the most likely scenario is rapid population increase coupled with habitat destruction and severe drought. It is believed that the most vulnerable mammals are those living in areas with the highest concentration of humans. Also, most populations were able to adapt to emerging habitats and develop a robust reproductive system, but eventually became extinct as human activities took over.
The time period for the disappearance of these mammals is not known. Experts believe that the rate of extinction of these species has been slow because their population did not have a strong enough grip on the Earth’s eco-system. But whether or not the rate of extinction has been slow or fast, one thing remains certain; whatever the situation may be, it has indeed ended for these species.
List of Extinct species in Brazil
- Spiny-knee Leaf Frog
- Candango Mouse
- Noronhomys vespuccii
- Megadytes ducalis
- Campomanesia lundiana
List of Threatened Species in Brazil
- Black-shouldered opossum
- Dwarf fat-tailed mouse opossum
- Maned Sloth
- Giant anteater
- Brazilian three-banded armadillo
- Thumbless Bat
- Vieira’s long-tongued bat
- Red-handed howler
- White-bellied spider monkey
- Northern muriqui
- Brown woolly monkey
- Black lion tamarin
- Golden lion tamarin
- Azaras’s capuchin
- Blond capuchin
- Short-eared dog
- Maned wolf
- Bush dog
- Hoary Fox
- Geoffroy’s cat
- Jaguar
- Giant otter
- Cougar
