Extinction

Humans have increasingly determined the future of elephants over recent centuries.

Over 100 species of European birds are on the road to becoming extinct, a new report has warned. 

The mountain chicken is teetering on the brink of extinction, but we may now have a way to save them.

Dugongs help fight climate change by protecting seagrass meadows.

The first official red list for British mammals has been produced.

There are precious few elephants left in Borneo - forests where they live are being slashed to make way for palm oil plantations.

Some species have fewer than 30 individuals left alive.

Hunting for meat is now a serious threat to the species' survival.

The illegal trade of European eels is worth up to £3.5 billion a year.

Refuges in the Arctic may help save the species.

What can antique corals reveal about the impact of climate change on the ocean?

Climate change could bring an end to algae and seaweed.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year finalists document the desperate story of the pangolin.

Explore the conservation issues behind this winning image.

Scientists believe that the arrival of just one more ash dieback spore could kill off Europe's remaining ash trees.

Sometimes reminding ourselves of a conservation failure can be just as important as celebrating our successes.

Uncovering details about how the Carolina parakeet became extinct.

Why does the thylacine still capture our imagination?

Unusually for a modern mammal, we know little of it from a true natural history perspective.

The demise of the great auk is a lesson in what can happen when human greed runs rampant.

The last male rhino in Malaysia has died - here's how it happened.

George's death is a reminder that snail populations are crashing all over the world.

Avian palaeontologist Dr Julian Hume explains why we still have much to learn about the lifestyle of the dodo.

A group of fossilised snails and clams are challenging suggestions that ocean acidification contributed to the largest extinction in history. 

Elephant ancestors diversified widely thanks to climate change and new habitats.

Just how big was megalodon and could this giant predator still be lurking in the dark depths of the ocean?

Our oceans are changing fast. Find out how Museum collections are helping scientists to understand the future of marine life.

From touring spectacle to Museum star: hear the hidden history behind this ancient mammal skeleton.

Researchers uncovered how the genome of a dinosaur might have looked by studying turtles and birds.

This is the first mastodon fossil from Britain ever described. It belonged to William Smith, creator of Britain’s first geological map.

Fossil teeth show that sharks shrank in size and changed their diet after a major extinction event 66 million years ago.

Scientists have identified a new species of ancient reptile that fills a critical gap in the fossil record of dinosaur relatives.

From skeletal remains found among centuries-old owl pellets, Museum scientists have recovered the first DNA sample of the extinct Caribbean mammal genus Nesophontes.

Museum scientists have reconstructed the diets of extinct mammals in Britain, thanks to a new way of analysing fossilised teeth.

Scientists saved scientifically important slabs from an ammonite fossil bed after they were damaged by storms.

Scientists have formally given an ancient reptile a name, over 80 years since its fossils were found in Tanzania.

Contrary to previous suggestions, most dinosaurs were likely not declining before the impact wiped them out.

Get a behind-the-scenes look at the scientific examination of the world's most complete Stegosaurus specimen.