Two-thirds of mollusc species that live only on deep sea hydrothermal vents are now at risk of extinction. These snails, limpets and clams have evolved to survive crushing depths and water temperatures up to 450C. But their remarkable adaptations are no match for the threat of deep sea mining.
Desert frogs and vent snails join the Red List
This year's update to the Red List of endangered species, released by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, adds desert frogs and these deep sea molluscs to its growing catalogue of threatened life. The assessment found that hundreds of mollusc species found nowhere else on Earth are now vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered.
How mining threatens life at the bottom of the ocean
Hydrothermal vents are fissures on the seafloor that spew superheated water rich in minerals. Mining companies are targeting those same minerals for metals used in electronics and batteries. The molluscs that live there have no way to escape when their habitat is scraped away. The Red List assessment concluded that deep sea mining is the primary driver pushing these species toward extinction.
Why local communities and scientists are alarmed
Scientists in the United Kingdom and around the world have been tracking the decline of these species for years. The Red List serves as a global warning system for biodiversity loss. For researchers studying how life persists in extreme environments, losing these vent communities means losing a living library of evolutionary ingenuity. Local fishing communities and conservation groups have also raised concerns about the broader impact of mining on ocean ecosystems.
Life has colonised every corner of the planet by evolving ingenious survival strategies. But as this year's Red List makes clear, those strategies are increasingly being overwhelmed by destructive human activities. The list does not prescribe solutions. It simply documents what is being lost.
