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Ghosts, Devils and Graveyards: An Extinction Countdown Halloween

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This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American


It’s October 31 and around the country children are dressing up as ghosts, vampires, zombies and Minions.

Meanwhile, wildlife species around the world face a different specter: the risk of extinction. Some have already passed across the veil to the other side.

“Extinction Countdown” has covered quite a few of these species over the years. Here are a few tales to get you in the Halloween spirit:


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Photo by Wendel Fisher. Used under Creative Commons license

John R. Platt is the editor of The Revelator. An award-winning environmental journalist, his work has appeared in Scientific American, Audubon, Motherboard, and numerous other magazines and publications. His "Extinction Countdown" column has run continuously since 2004 and has covered news and science related to more than 1,000 endangered species. John lives on the outskirts of Portland, Ore., where he finds himself surrounded by animals and cartoonists.

More by John R. Platt