Resources for current extinctions and preservation efforts:

Center for Biodiversity
Human overpopulation main cause of extinctions.

Committee on Recently Extinct Organisms
“CREO was developed in recognition of the value of comprehensive and reliable extinction data for use by researchers in systematics and conservation at the American Museum of Natural History and at other institutions around the world.”

Earth Witness Community
Invites people to tell about natural habitat that no longer exists, lists extinct species.

Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered The Zoological Society of London’s campaign to help prevent extinctions of EDGE species.

IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature
"Helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges."
Source of famous Red List of threatened species.

Mass Extinction Underway
Possibly the most comprehensive listing of links to sites about extinctions available.

The Pleistocene-Holocene Event: The Sixth Great Extinction
The Rewilding Institute charts first, second, and third waves of extinctions caused by humans.

The World Resources Institute
“Working at the intersection of environment and human needs.” Includes many environmental issues, including extinctions.

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Selected extinction articles in chronological order:

World’s sixth mass extinction may be underway March 7, 2011

Living Planet: The world is not enough October 14, 2010
"A new report reveals just how fast we are consuming the Earth’s resources—and the dire consequences."

England is losing 25 wildlife species a year: Experts issue stark warning October 5, 2010
"At least one plant, bird or animal is dying out every fortnight as modern life takes its toll on the English countryside, experts have warned. Pollution, intensive agriculture, housing development and the changing climate are wiping out around 25 species every year—ten times more than previously thought."

One in five plant species face extinction September 29, 2010

Extinct species found alive September 29, 2010

Future of species unpredictable: study September 3, 2010
“The world is facing a mass extinction event that could be greater than that of the dinosaurs, new research shows.”

Mass Extinctions Change the Rules of Evolution September 2, 2010
“A reinterpretation of the fossil record suggests a new answer to one of evolution’s existential questions: whether global mass extinctions are just short-term diversions in life’s preordained course, or send life careening down wholly new paths.”

Africa's National Parks Hit by Mammal Declines July 13, 2010
African national parks like Masai Mara and the Serengeti have seen populations of large mammals decline by up to 59 per cent, according to a study published in Biological Conservation.

Contemporary Mass Extinction and the Human Population Imperative October 27, 2009
Jeffrey K. McKee, Journal of Cosmology
"Humans and their predecessors have accelerated the loss of Earth’s biodiversity into a sixth global mass extinction. Paleontologically, it is a new phenomenon for a mass extinction to be attributed to a single species, but the evolution and expansion of humans has created unique circumstances. Whereas behaviors associated with the human enterprise can be tied to specific extinctions, the global pattern of biodiversity loss is clearly linked to the extraordinary growth of our population’s size and density. The prospects for continued losses of plant and animal species remain likely if the growth of the human population goes unabated."

Climate change causing extinctions October 8, 2008

Latest Extinction is the Greatest September 2, 2008

The Sixth Extinction: Yawn August 12, 2008
Many links to articles about extinctions.

Global ecosystems ‘face collapse’ October 24, 2006
Greater demand for land is threatening species’ long-term survival. Current global consumption levels could result in a large-scale ecosystem collapse by the middle of the century, environmental group WWF has warned. “To deliver a shift towards a ‘sustainable society’ scenario would require ‘significant action now’ on issues such as energy generation, transport and housing.”

Mass extinction rate ‘faster than dinosaurs’ May 2, 2006

The Sixth Great Extinction March 2, 2004

The Sixth Extinction by Dr. Niles Eldredge June 2001
“Though it is true that life, so incredibly resilient, has always recovered (though after long lags) after major extinction spasms, it is only after whatever has caused the extinction event has dissipated. That cause, in the case of the Sixth Extinction, is ourselves — Homo sapiens. This means we can continue on the path to our own extinction, or, preferably, we modify our behavior toward the global ecosystem of which we are still very much a part. The latter must happen before the Sixth Extinction can be declared over, and life can once again rebound.”

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Lists of extinct and rediscovered species:

N.C. Heywood‘s research on extinctions
Color-coded charts and graphs explain pre-historic and historic (1650 to present) extinctions

The Typewrtten Book of the Not-So-Grateful Dead
Entertaining essays about specific recently-extinct species. The ivory-billed woodpecker has been found again since this essay was written.

Photos of 11 extinct animals

10 animals on the brink of extinction

Extinct Animal
“Learn about prehistoric and recently extinct species of animals, and some of their stories.” Includes profiles on prehistoric, extinct, and endangered species.

Photos of some extinct animals of the 20th century with names and dates.

Photos of some extinct animals in the 21st century with names and dates.

Photos of rediscovered species (Lazarus Taxon).

Photos of a few major species likely to go extinct soon.