Modern extinction rates are 100 to 1000 times faster than the normal rate. Why? Blame humanity. Deforestation, anthropogenic climate change, ocean acidification, hunting, and ecosystem pollution endanger wildlife around the world.

1) an individual living thing that is the last survivor of its species or subspecies and whose death consequently means the extinction of that species or subspecies

(from dictionary.com)

We messed up. But we can and must fix this problem. The Holocene extinction is unlike the other five mass extinctions, which could not be controlled. So bolster up the conservation efforts. Raise awareness about obscure endangered species. Lower greenhouse gas emissions. Don't let the jewels of the world disappear forever.