Scientists now recognize close to 6,800 mammal species

Scientists now recognize nearly 6,800 distinct mammal species worldwide. New species were added to nearly every major group of mammals from rodents to whales. Some 595 species of rodents, 410 species of bats, 161 species of primates and 166 species of shrews and moles were added to the American Society of Mammologists’ Mammal Diversity Database. Nathan Upham, a researcher at Arizona State University and lead author on the study, said in an interview with the university that knowledge of the world’s mammals is constantly changing. “Every week, new papers come out that change what we know about mammal diversity. Sometimes it is a brand-new species to science, and sometimes it is realizing that what we thought was one species is actually two or five,” Upham said. The researchers warned that around a quarter of known mammal species are considered “Data Deficient” or “Not Evaluated” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, making it challenging to track or improve their conservation status. The researchers called for more resources and global collaboration towards the protection of newly identified species.

Read more at ASU News.