A new study from Duke University reveals that many of the world's undiscovered plant and animal species are in danger. Researchers say many of the missing species live in areas being developed or deforested. Stuart Pimm is the Doris Duke Chair of Ecology at Duke. He says a new mathematical model doubles the number of plant species believed to be under threat.
Stuart Pimm: "So many things that matter to us, you know, come from plants including a very large fraction of the various medicines, the various drugs we use for medicine. So what is out there and what is missing out there and what we don't know about out there could be, could be hugely important to, you know to our economy and to our human health."
Pimm says the good news is many of the areas are already identified and conservationists are working with governments to stop habitat destruction. Those areas include Madagascar, parts of Central America, the Carribean and the rainforests of Brazil.
