Is it true that half the animals in world are endangered?

The claim that half of the world's animals are endangered is false, according to the best available scientific evidence. Although there are many endangered species, the proportion that are endangered is significantly less than 50%.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is the leading international authority on the conservation status of species. According to the IUCN Red List, as of 2021, approximately 28% of the assessed species are threatened with extinction, which means they are critically endangered, endangered, or vulnerable. This includes approximately 142,577 species, out of an estimated total of 1.9 million described species.

While 28% is still a significant number of threatened species, it is far from the claim that half of the animals in the world are endangered. It's important to rely on credible scientific sources and the latest data when discussing the status of biodiversity and the conservation efforts needed to protect species and ecosystems.