How many species of animals are extinct today?

As of 2019, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species reports that there are902 extinct animal species. However, this number is a conservative estimate, as it is challenging to accurately quantify the number of extinct species. Many extinctions have occurred before they could be documented, and the fossil record is incomplete. Additionally, the current extinction rate is estimated to be much higher than the natural extinction rate, meaning that the number of extinct species is likely much higher than 902.