A good estimate, based upon fossil records of now-extinct life forms andthe known life forms of now, is that over 90% of all species of animals & plants that ever existed are now extinct.
There have been several worldwide catastrophes besides the flood of Noah that occurred before that flood did.
There are many extinct animals that were better-equipped to survive than modern ones are. Examples are mammoths & mastodons, that had much-harder teeth than modern elephants have, & could survive in a much-greater variety of climates than elephants can. Then, there's the famous smilodon, which had the tools to hunt larger prey than modern lions or tigers. The "cave bear" had a sense of smell much-greater than modern bears, & also could tirelessly walk vast distances, & was faster than today's bears, able to live in almost any climate. The "dire wolf" was better-equipped than any modern canine. These are just a few critters that should still be here, if not for some catastrophe(s).
Ancient horses were about the size of a Collie. Ancient alligators were generally much-larger than today's gators. Ancient dragonflies were the size of medium-size birds. Roaches were several inches long. These critters didn't "evolve"; they slowly became larger or smaller astheir environments slowly changed.)
Scripture says Noah had at least one pair of EVERY land animal and bird aboard the ark, so any animals that were extinct before man began recording history were already extinct before the flood. And, while many species of water life went extinct, some have been around much-longer than man has, such as the coelacanth fish.
God has caused fossils to be formed & preserved for a REASON!
There have been several worldwide catastrophes besides the flood of Noah that occurred before that flood did.
There are many extinct animals that were better-equipped to survive than modern ones are. Examples are mammoths & mastodons, that had much-harder teeth than modern elephants have, & could survive in a much-greater variety of climates than elephants can. Then, there's the famous smilodon, which had the tools to hunt larger prey than modern lions or tigers. The "cave bear" had a sense of smell much-greater than modern bears, & also could tirelessly walk vast distances, & was faster than today's bears, able to live in almost any climate. The "dire wolf" was better-equipped than any modern canine. These are just a few critters that should still be here, if not for some catastrophe(s).
Ancient horses were about the size of a Collie. Ancient alligators were generally much-larger than today's gators. Ancient dragonflies were the size of medium-size birds. Roaches were several inches long. These critters didn't "evolve"; they slowly became larger or smaller astheir environments slowly changed.)
Scripture says Noah had at least one pair of EVERY land animal and bird aboard the ark, so any animals that were extinct before man began recording history were already extinct before the flood. And, while many species of water life went extinct, some have been around much-longer than man has, such as the coelacanth fish.
God has caused fossils to be formed & preserved for a REASON!