Traditional, middle-ranking universities face extinction within the next decade, a leading education expert has said.
It should thus be possible to identify which species are at risk of extinction within any given country's borders.
Scientists predict climate change, habitat destruction and disease could drive more than half of all Europe's frogs, toads and newts to extinction within 40 years.
Many species of shark need better protection to prevent their extinction within coming decades, researchers warned in advance of a global conference on the trade in threatened species.
Included among them was a large aquatic mammal, now known as Steller's sea cow (Hydrodamalis gigas), which was hunted to extinction within a few decades following Steller's report.
More than half of all frogs, toads and newts living in Europe could be driven to extinction within 40 years as climate change, diseases and habitat destruction take their toll, scientists warned last night.
But more pressing even than the likelihood of extinction within a decade is that, on present rates of fundraising and income, the association is projected this year to record its first ever financial loss.
"The expansion of plantations has pushed the orangutan to the brink of extinction, with some experts predicting total extinction within 10 years," said James Turner, a spokesman for the British branch of Greenpeace.
He was larger than most of the Isle Royale wolves, and was so strongly territorial that he completely displaced one of the four packs, driving it to extinction within two years of his arrival.
During this process, 22 plant species have become so rare that they are considered to be in danger of extinction within the next 10 to 20 years if land-use practices are not changed.
At a recent conference in London, one architect said that the traditional small-practice model will face "extinction" within the next decade a common feeling in some parts of the profession.
