Which  of  the  following  is the most important  cause of animals and plants being driven to extinction?

Habitat loss and fragmentation are the primary causes of extinction, as they reduce the amount of available habitat, limiting the species’ ability to survive and reproduce. This is often due to human activities, such as deforestation, urbanisation and conversion of natural ecosystems into agricultural or industrial landscapes. These activities can alter the natural ecological balance, causing a decline in populations and eventually leading to extinction.
(2) Coextinction refers to the extinction of a species due to the loss of its host species. It is one of the major causes but not the most important cause of extinction.
(3) Overexploitation refers to the unsustainable use of natural resources by humans, leading to depletion of
populations and even extinction. While overexploitation is a significant threat to some species, it is not the most important cause of extinction.
(4) Alien species invasion refers to the introduction of non-native species to a new ecosystem, which can cause harm to the existing native species. It is also one of the major causes but not the most important cause of extinction.