According to the IUCN Red List (2004), how many species have been documented as extinct in the last 500 years?

784

The answer is a) 784.

According to the IUCN Red List (2004), a total of 784 species have been documented as extinct in the last 500 years. This includes 338 vertebrates, 359 invertebrates, and 87 plants that have been confirmed to have gone extinct during this period. The extinction of these species is a concerning and significant loss of biodiversity, and it highlights the impact of human activities on the declining biological wealth of our planet.

Some examples of recent extinctions include the dodo (Mauritius), quagga (Africa), thylacine (Australia), Steller’s Sea Cow (Russia) and three subspecies (Bali, Javan, Caspian) of tiger.