Animals: those that are not, and those that will not be. Endangered animals: basic information Which organisms are on the verge of extinction
“Our world is complex and vulnerable, like a spider’s web. Touch one web, and all the others will tremble. And we don’t just touch the web, we leave gaping holes in it” - the words of the great English scientist J. Durrell, who lived in the 20th century. In the 21st century, man is already openly waging a biological battle with the outside world.
Nature is unique. Extinct species of animals are unique, and future generations will never see them with their own eyes. What will we leave to our descendants? Stuffed animals in museums and bones in the ground? Do not think that the animal world is exterminated only with the help of guns and traps. Various changes are constantly taking place on our planet, from minor to global. The Soviet Union also made efforts in this dirty business: one only has to remember the loud calls: “let's turn back the Siberian rivers,” which added several species of extinct animals to the Red Book, and brought others to the brink of extinction. Deforestation, pollution of the environment with waste, climate change as a result of human activity - all this has a detrimental and destructive effect on the animal world. Man unwittingly deprives animals and birds of their natural habitats and feeding areas. And if we add to this the irrational hunting of animals and poaching, then the situation is simply catastrophic. Some animals are on the verge of extinction. For now we can still see them in zoos, nature reserves and national parks. I would like to believe that through the efforts of conscious, active participants in the struggle to save our planet, we will preserve the unique and original animal world.
1. Snow leopard or snow leopard
A native of the highlands, the snow leopard is sometimes called an icon of the wasteland or a mystical beast. It is rare that anyone manages to observe a snow leopard in nature; only traces of its vital activity indicate its invisible presence in the mountains. No one knows how many snow leopards actually remain on the planet. The numbers range from 4 to 7 thousand, however, these are very rough estimates. The World Red Book lists the snow leopard as an endangered species. In Russia, there are no more than a hundred snow leopards. The snow leopard is usually found at an altitude of 2000 to 4000 m above sea level. He was seen several times in the Himalayas, at an altitude of more than five and a half kilometers. Harsh winters in the mountains, dangerous rocks and rocky outcrops are not scary for the animal - here the snow leopard feels at home. Its body is well adapted for movement along mountain slopes, and its magnificent fur perfectly protects from frost. The animal’s wonderful fur has become the reason for increased attention from poachers. Increased demand for pelts and their high price have led to constant human persecution, which has significantly reduced the snow leopard population.
2. Ussuri tiger
A representative of the felines, the Ussuri tiger, is listed in the Red Book due to its small numbers. According to various sources, there are from 450 to 500 individuals in Russia. A certain number of Ussuri tigers, sometimes called Altai, Siberian, Amur, North China or Manchurian, live in China - no more than 40 - 50 individuals. The Ussuri tiger is the only tiger subspecies that has adapted to the difficult living conditions in the north. The weight of this large cat reaches 200 - 220 kg, and its length (including the tail) reaches 3 - 3.8 m. Soft and wide pads on the paws prevent the animal from falling into the snow, and in summer they help it move silently on the grass. The main blame for the extinction of the animal, as often happens, lies with man: the tiger skin has always been highly valued, and the animal was thoughtlessly destroyed because of its beautiful fur. The deforestation of the taiga also caused considerable harm, depriving the animal of its usual habitat. Currently, the Ussuri tiger is under protection. By the way, in Russia a ridiculous fine is imposed for killing one, and in China killing a tiger is punishable by death.
3. Burmese snub-nosed monkey
Previously, this species of monkey did not have law enforcement status, since it was discovered quite recently - in 2010. The monkey got its name because of the unusual structure of its nose, the nostrils of which are turned upward. Sometimes the animal is called a sneezing monkey: when it rains, water gets into the nostrils, and the monkey constantly sneezes. In 2012, the Burmese snub-nosed monkey was included in the list of endangered mammals in the Red Book. The updated version of the publication immediately classified it as a species with the greatest threat of extinction, because the number of monkeys is only about 300 individuals. This small population is at risk of extinction - people are actively destroying their habitat. Hunters also contribute - monkey meat is quite tasty, and macaques can also be sold for the needs of Chinese medicine. The following fact is encouraging: in those rare moments when scientists were able to see snub-nosed monkeys, their numerous cubs were with the latter. Thus, there is a possibility of population reproduction.
4. Orangutan
Another representative of the monkeys, the orangutan, is also endangered in the wild. Incredible strength, the smartest eyes and outstanding abilities - in ancient times, the people who inhabited Southeast Asia even considered them a kind of tribe - “forest people”. Huge primates (the weight of an adult male often reaches 150 kg) live in tall trees in the tropical forests of Sumatra and Borneo. They are excellent tree climbers. Strong legs and arms grip the vines tenaciously, helping you move through the forest with ease. The main reason for the extinction of great apes is the continued loss of habitats and poaching. The creation of national parks helps to maintain the endangered species to some extent.
5. Caspian seal
At the beginning of the twentieth century, the Caspian seal population was large and numbered one million individuals. A little more than a hundred years have passed, and the number of marine mammals has decreased by 10 times - to 100 thousand. Scientists predict a further decline in the population due to a number of factors: pollution, climate change, habitat destruction and disease. The most acute problem is the mortality of young animals as a result of hunting. Since hunting a grown-up animal is not an easy task, poachers prefer to hunt a defenseless baby seal (baby seal). According to some reports, shooting reaches 6 - 7 thousand individuals per year. This figure is comparable to the permitted shooting volume. Thus, a population decline is guaranteed even with a low level of hunting. Scientists believe that seal fishing should be banned for several years.
6. Sumatran rhinoceros
On the peninsulas of Indochina and Malacca, the islands of Sumatra and Kalimantan, as well as in Assam and Burma, lives the smallest of the entire family of rhinoceroses - the Sumatran. Its length does not exceed 280 cm, and the height at the withers is 100 - 150 cm. Sumatran rhinoceroses are excellently developed physically. They are excellent swimmers, and in terms of running speed they are not inferior to other representatives of the rhinoceros family. Rhinoceroses navigate by smell, as their eyesight is rather poor.
The number of individuals worldwide ranges from 170 to 270. It is known that only one female of this species of rhinoceros lives in captivity at the Copenhagen Zoo, which was caught back in 1959. Since then, attempts have been made more than once to find her a partner, but they were not successful. The animal is mercilessly shot by poachers - after all, just for one kilogram of its horns they fetch tens of thousands of dollars. Hunters are not stopped even by the inaccessible places where rhinoceroses live. Currently, hunting Sumatran rhinoceroses is prohibited.
7. Bison
The last European representative of wild bulls, the bison, is the largest and heaviest land mammal in Europe. Its weight reaches 1000 kg, the length of an adult animal reaches 330 cm, and the height at the withers is two meters. The reasons for the decline in the bison population are still the same: intensive hunting, the growing density of human settlements, and deforestation. In the International Red Book, the bison falls under the category of vulnerable species, and the Russian Red Book assigns it a place in the first category of endangered species.
The fauna of planet Earth is not a random accumulation of all kinds of animal species, but a well-ordered functioning system. The loss of any, at first glance, even the most insignificant link, necessarily leads to irreversible serious changes. The trouble is that it is unlikely that nature will be able to repeat again what was once created. It is very important to preserve and preserve each species of animal, because each of them is unique, inimitable and needed by man and nature.
The Amur leopard is one of the most endangered cats.
Animals are becoming extinct every day all over the planet. Many species remain threatened due to habitat loss, poaching and climate change.
Endangered animals are included in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Here are 13 endangered species, including some you may not know about.
Bornean orangutan 
Two-year-old Bornean orangutan.
Found only on the island of Borneo, Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) have a wider face and shorter beard than their cousins, the Sumatran orangutans. In July this year, the IUCN changed their status to critically endangered because their numbers have declined by 60% since 1950 and new projections show their numbers will decline by 22% by 2025.
The main threat to these animals is habitat loss (forests are being cut down) and illegal hunting. Compounding the problem is the fact that female Bornean orangutans give birth only once every six to eight years, the longest birth interval of any land mammal, slowing conservation efforts.
Pike 
The pike was first photographed on July 9, 2014 by Weidong Li, the conservationist who first discovered the species more than 20 years ago.
Ili pika (Ochontana iliensis) is a small mammal (only 20 cm in length) that lives in the Tian Shan in the remote Xinjiang region of China. Currently, only about 1,000 individuals remain.
Giant otter 
Giant otter in the Cuiaba River in Brazil.
Found only in South America, giant otters, or Pteronura brasiliensis, are the largest otters in the world, with some up to 1.8 meters long.
Giant otters were exterminated by hunters for their skins, which led to a sharp decline in their numbers. They are now illegal to hunt, but they are still endangered because many of their habitats (rivers and lakes) have been destroyed.
Amur leopard 
Amur leopards are critically endangered, with about 60 individuals living in the wild and about 200 in zoos around the world.
The Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) is one of the most dangerous wild cats in the world. It has thick fur and weighs about a rusty orange coat with long, dense hair and can weigh up to 55 kg. He can jump over 5.8 meters and he can run at speeds of up to 37 miles per hour.
It is now found only in the Amur River basin in eastern Russia, and is already extinct in China and the Korean Peninsula. According to WWF, there are about 60 Amur leopards left in the wild.
Black-footed ferret 
A black-footed ferret emerges from its burrow in Aubrey Valley near Seligman, Arizona.
As a member of the weasel family, the black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) is the only ferret native to North America. They have a dark coloration, black legs and feet, a black tip on the tail and a black mask.
The main threats to these carnivores are disease and lack of habitat. The threats facing these carnivores are disease and lack of habitat.
There are an estimated 300-400 black-footed ferrets in the wild today, according to the IUCN, all of which are descendants of 18 ferrets that were kept in captivity in a breeding program in the late 1980s.
Darwin's fox 
Darwin's fox in Chile.
Named after the famous scientist Charles Darwin, who discovered the species in 1834, the Darwin's fox (Lycalopex fulvipes) is found in two places in Chile: Nahuelbuta National Park and Chiloe Island.
These carnivores are considered "umbrella species", meaning that protecting them and their habitat helps preserve the entire ecosystem. According to the IUCN, they are threatened by habitat loss and hunting.
Sumatran rhinoceros 
Ratu, an 8-year-old female Sumatran rhinoceros in Kambas National Park, Indonesia.
The Sumarati rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis), the only Asian rhinoceros with two horns, is the smallest of the family of rhinoceroses found in the mountain forests of Malaysia, Indonesia and possibly Myanmar (Burma). They are recognizable because they are covered with long hairs, which help keep dirt on the body to keep them cool and protect them from insects.
Only 220-275 Sumatran rhinoceroses remain in the world. They are threatened by poachers who kill rhinos for their horns; only two female rhinos have given birth to calves in captivity in the last 15 years.
Snow white vulture 
Snow-white vulture flying over the water.
One of the three critically endangered vulture species, the vulture knight (Gyps bengalensis) has suffered from what the IUCN classifies as a "catastrophic decline" on the Indian subcontinent, to the point that it is at risk of extinction. More than 99% of vultures have been exterminated since the 1980s.
Pangolin 
A pangolin is released into the wild by Natural Resources Conservation Agency staff in a protected forest in Sibolangit, Indonesia, on March 1, 2013.
Found in forests and grasslands, pangolins are solitary, nocturnal creatures with scales covering their bodies and long sticky tongues for plundering ants and termites. They are the size of a cat.
Found in Asia and Africa, these animals are critically endangered as they are increasingly being targeted for their meat. An estimated 100,000 pangolins are killed every year.
Saola 
A 4-5 month old female Saola at the botanical garden of the Institute of Forestry and Planning in Hanoi, Vietnam
First discovered in May 1992, the saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) is known as the "Asian unicorn". It is a rare and endangered mammal. In fact, it's so rare that scientists have only seen it in the wild four times.
Vaquita 
Vaquita in the Gulf of California.
First discovered in 1958, the vaquita (Phocoena sinus), also known as the Gulf of California porpoise, is the smallest cetacean. This guinea pig has a gray body, a pale gray or white belly, dark circles around the eyes, and dark spots that form a line from the mouth to the pectoral fins.
As the rarest marine mammal, the vaquita is critically endangered, with only about 60 individuals remaining. These small porpoises are often caught and drowned in poached fishing nets in the Gulf of Mexico in California.
Peruvian black spider monkey 
Black spider monkeys in Manu National Park, Peru.
Over the past 45 years, their numbers have decreased by 50%, largely due to hunter-poachers.
Red Wolf 
Native to southeast Florida, red wolves are endangered.
There are now only about 25-40 individuals left in the wild, all of them living in Eastern North Carolina.
Red wolves are especially known for their shyness and lifelong loyalty. This species is critically endangered despite conservation efforts.
- Scientists have noticed that today species are disappearing 100 times faster than before.
- It will take millions of years for the earth to recover from this catastrophe.
- Humanity will disappear in the early stages of this process
- Previous mass extinctions were catastrophic, but they were natural
Scientists have proven that an era of mass extinction of species has arrived on Earth, and the existence of humanity has been called into question. A team of specialists from the United States stated that, according to their research, there is every reason to talk about the beginning of the sixth wave of mass extinction of species on Earth. Conservative estimates suggest that species are now disappearing at a rate 100 times higher than normal. The research results were published in the latest issue of the journal Science Advances.
According to experts, this process seriously threatens the existence of human civilization. They showed that a number of natural “functions” are already severely disrupted, such as pollination of plants by insects and purification of fresh water in wetlands. If the current rate of species loss continues, we will gradually lose other “functions” of the natural environment.
320 extinctions in 500 years
Since 1500, more than 320 species of land vertebrates have disappeared. Populations of surviving species have declined by an average of 25%. For invertebrate animals the situation is even more critical.
According to various estimates, from 16 to 33 percent of vertebrates are currently under threat of extinction. The fastest rates of population decline are demonstrated by large animals - megafauna (elephants, rhinoceroses, polar bears and other species). This is one of the main signals about the beginning of mass extinction of species on Earth.
According to Paul Ehrlich, a biologist at Stanford University who led the research, a critical situation will occur within three human generations. “We are sawing off the branch we are sitting on,” he said.
“If we don’t take adequate measures, it will take millions of years for the situation to return to normal, and our species will most likely disappear at the very beginning,” added one of the team members, Gerard Ceballos from the National Autonomous University of Mexico. According to the authors of the work, 75% of species of living organisms will disappear within the lifetime of two or three human generations. At the same time, they emphasize that they presented the most optimistic forecast. It is likely that the development of the environmental crisis will be even more severe.
Now large animals are rapidly dying out - the so-called megafauna: elephants, rhinoceroses, polar bears and others - this is how all the mass extinctions of species on Earth began.
Today, more than 40% of amphibians and more than a quarter of mammals are at risk of extinction. These figures are provided by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the most authoritative compiler of lists of rare and endangered species.
How man destroys the Earth
The development of civilization is accompanied by an increase in the number of people, an increase in per capita consumption and increased inequality. According to scientists, the key areas of the negative impact of humanity on nature are:
- Destruction of natural ecosystems for agriculture, logging and construction.
- Introduction of invasive species.
- Carbon dioxide emissions are changing the climate and acidifying the ocean.
- Toxic pollutants that poison living organisms.
The prospects are gloomy, but there is still a way out of the situation, Professor Ehrlich and his colleagues say. To prevent mass species extinction, we must act quickly and proactively. It is necessary to reduce the anthropogenic load on ecosystems, preserve species that are on the verge of extinction, and return plants and animals to their habitat. Humanity must moderate its economic appetites and pay attention to global climate change. Ceballos added that he is optimistic. He believes in the intelligence of people who can come together to solve serious problems.
Scientists hope that their findings will reach the highest level, and conservation work will intensify.
Five previous waves of mass extinction
The evolution of life on earth was accompanied by five serious crises, which are called mass extinctions. Most researchers associate them with the fall of huge asteroids to Earth.
- Ordovian mass extinction. Occurred 440 million years ago and was probably the most severe. Life had not yet reached land, and about 85% of species disappeared.
- Devonian mass extinction. Occurred 375–359 million years ago. Environmental conditions changed greatly, causing most fish species to become extinct and the formation of coral reefs to stop for 100 million years.
- Permian mass extinction. Had a strong impact on the ecology of terrestrial ecosystems. Occurred approximately 252 million years ago. About 97% of the species that we find today as fossils have disappeared.
- Triassic mass extinction. Dinosaurs appeared in the early Triassic. But large amphibians and reptiles, similar to modern mammals, dominated. The mass extinction that occurred about 201 million years ago greatly changed the balance of power.
- Cretaceous mass extinction. An asteroid hit Earth about 66 million years ago and ended the reign of the dinosaurs.
Ecology and peace: All cats are beautiful and deserve love. Even those that live in the jungle and have huge fangs. Especially them. In fact, almost all wild cats are endangered
All cats are beautiful and deserve love. Even those that live in the jungle and have huge fangs. Especially them. In fact, almost all wild cats are endangered - from the largest and scariest to the smallest. Danger can spoil any character.
1. Asiatic cheetah
Once upon a time, these magnificent cats roamed all over the globe: in the Middle East, Central Asia, Northern and Southern Kazakhstan, the Southeast and India.
Now, due to environmental pollution, human intervention and uncontrolled hunting, Asiatic cheetahs in the wild are down to only 70-110 individuals. All of them live in the arid territory of the Iranian Plateau.
2. Snow leopard
Snow leopards live in the rugged mountains of central Asia. These cats are perfectly adapted to the cold and bare landscape of their high-rise building.
Unfortunately, they are hunted a lot for their beautiful fur. Now there are somewhere between four and six and a half thousand individuals left in the wild.
3. Fishing cat
Unlike our pets, who hate water, fishing cats are excellent swimmers and live mainly along the banks of rivers, streams and mangrove swamps.
In 2008, this cat breed was placed on the endangered species list because they live in wetlands, which have recently been drained and disappearing at an alarming rate.
4. Borneo Bay Cat
The Gulf cat or Kalimantan cat is a mysterious wild animal found only on the island of Borneo. The tropical forests where these cats live are threatened by deforestation, so the animals are classified as endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. This is one of only a few photographs of a Borneo Bay cat in existence in the world.
5. Flat-headed cat
These cats have a slender body and a unique head shape. They love to eat fish and walk by themselves. Since 2008, they are also considered an endangered species due to environmental degradation. Today their population numbers no more than two and a half thousand individuals.
6. Andean mountain cat
This cat is one of about two dozen species of small wild cats. Compared to their larger wild relatives, whose conservation efforts cost millions of dollars, the conservation budget for these breeds is significantly smaller.
7. Iberian (Spanish) lynx
The Iberian lynx is the most endangered species. This is one of the rarest mammal species on earth.
In the 1950s, a disease called myxomatosis virtually wiped out the population of Spanish rabbits, the main food source for this lynx.
8. Manul (Pallas cat)
These delightful animals love to live in caves, mountain gorges and burrows and only come out in the evening to hunt. Due to environmental pollution and hunting, these cats have been listed as endangered since 2002.
9. Margay (Long-tailed cat)
Margay is simply created for life in the trees. This is the only cat in the world that can turn its hind legs 180 degrees, which allows it to jump upside down in trees like a squirrel. She can also hang on a branch, holding on with one hind paw. Every year, about 14 thousand margays are killed simply for their skins. This is destroying the population of these beautiful wild animals, because they can only produce offspring once every two years, and the mortality rate among kittens is 50 percent.
10. Serval (Bush cat)
These cats love to roam the African savannah, and they also have the longest legs of any cat on earth. Unfortunately, they are hunted a lot, and then their skin is sold to tourists, passing it off as a leopard or cheetah.
11. Caracal
These cats are also called desert lynxes. They can produce barking sounds, which they use to warn of danger. In North Africa they are in danger of extinction; in the vastness of Central Asia and India, these animals are also very rare.
12. African golden cat
Only recently have animal activists been able to take photographs of these nocturnal hermits.
The African golden cat is only twice the size of normal domestic cats. In the wild their lifespan is unknown, but in captivity they live about twelve years.
13. Asian golden cat
These cats are found in humid tropical and subtropical, as well as dry deciduous forests. Deforestation and hunting of these animals for their skin and bones threatens the existence of the breed.
14. Dune or sand cat
This unique cat is known for its broad head and the fur that grows between its toes to protect its paws from the hot sand. This cat species is endangered, and hunting them is prohibited in many countries around the world.
15. Amur (Far Eastern) leopard
Due to habitat problems and conflict with people, this cat species is now almost extinct. It is believed that only about thirty individuals remain, living somewhere in Russia and China. The Amur leopard is also known as the Far Eastern, Manchurian or Korean leopard.
16. Sumatran tiger
The Sumatran tiger is the world's last species of Indonesian tiger. Despite the existing law against poaching, these tigers are hunted a lot; the skin and other parts of the animal can be sold for a lot of money. There are now less than four hundred individuals of this species in the world.
17. Clouded leopard
The clouded leopard is considered the link between small and big cats. These leopards are facing the threat of habitat loss due to large-scale deforestation and wildlife trade. The entire population today is less than ten thousand individuals.
18. Marble cat
They are often confused with clouded leopards, but these cats are much smaller and have an unusually bushy tail. The main threat to these animals is the destruction of their habitat. This occurs throughout Southeast Asia and affects not only this population, but also the populations of their main prey.
19. Leopard cat
The color of these cats varies from gray to red and white. This is the first wild cat to be successfully used in a domestic-wild hybrid program. The result will be a beautiful and friendly Bengal breed.
20. Maltese tiger
This tiger is also known as the blue tiger. The breed is so rare that it is practically a myth. Most Maltese tigers are of the South China tiger variety. This species is on the verge of extinction due to their illegal use in alternative medicine. The blue breed may not even exist anymore.
21. Golden Tiger
The golden tiger is not actually a separate species of tiger. Rather, it's just a type of color. Most often, this color is the result of breeding in captivity, but in India there is information about golden tigers dating back to the beginning of the 20th century.
22. White Lion
White lions are not albino, but a genetic rarity that exists in only one place on Earth: the Kruger National Park Biosphere Reserve in South Africa. Taken from their native lands because of their uniqueness, white lions disappeared and were considered an extinct species for almost two decades until a project was opened to revive and protect white lions within their native territory.
23. Anatolian leopard
For more than thirty years, this Turkish leopard was considered an extinct species. In 2013, a shepherd killed a huge wild cat that attacked his herd. Biologists confirmed that it was an Anatolian leopard. The story is certainly sad, but it gives hope that this species of wild cat still exists.
24. Red spotted cat
This is the smallest wild cat in the world. Its length is only from fifty to eighty centimeters including its tail and it weighs no more than two kilograms. Unfortunately, too little is known about these cats. Their species is considered endangered due to the conversion of most areas of their habitat into agricultural land.
25. Scottish wild cat
These cats, also known as mountain tigers, are in great danger of extinction. Recently their number was estimated at less than four hundred individuals.
26. Black-footed cat
The smallest of all African wild cats. This variety has black fur on its paw pads for protection from the hot desert sands. Because these cats often feed on garbage, they are at risk of being poisoned by poisons laid out for other animals.
We can protect these magnificent cats from extinction by supporting the cause of their conservation throughout the world.
The population of our planet is increasing year by year, but the number of wild animals, on the contrary, is decreasing.
Humanity is influencing the extinction of a large number of animal species by expanding its cities, thereby robbing the fauna of their natural habitats. A very important role is played by the fact that people are constantly developing more and more new lands for crops and crops.
It should be noted that sometimes the expansion of megacities has a positive effect on some species of animals: rats, pigeons, crows.
Conservation of biological diversity
At the moment, it is very important to preserve everything, because it was created by nature millions of years ago. The diversity of animals presented is not just a random accumulation, but a single coordinated working connection. The extinction of any species will cause major changes to the entire ecosystem. Each species is very important and unique for our world.
As for endangered unique species of animals and birds, they should be treated with special care and protection. Since they are the most vulnerable and humanity can lose this species at any moment. It is the conservation of rare species of animals that becomes a primary task for each state and people in particular.
The main reasons for the loss of various animal species are: degeneration of the animal's habitat; uncontrolled hunting in prohibited areas; killing animals to create products; habitat pollution. All countries of the world have certain laws to protect against extermination of wild animals, regulating rational hunting and fishing; in Russia there is a law on hunting and use of wildlife.
At the moment, there is the so-called Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, established in 1948, where all rare animals and plants are listed. In the Russian Federation there is a similar one, where a record of our country’s endangered species is kept. Thanks to the state policy, it was possible to save sables and saigas, which were on the verge of extinction, from extinction. Now it is even allowed to hunt them. The number of kulans and bison has increased.
Saigas could have disappeared from the face of the Earth
The alarm about the extinction of biological species is not far-fetched. So, if we take the period from the beginning of the seventeenth century to the end of the twentieth (about three hundred years), 68 species of mammals and 130 species of birds became extinct.
According to statistics maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, one species or subspecies is destroyed every year. The phenomenon of partial extinction, that is, extinction in certain countries, has become very common. So in Russia in the Caucasus, humans contributed to the fact that nine species have already become extinct. Although this happened before: according to archaeological reports, musk oxen were in Russia 200 years ago, and in Alaska they were recorded before 1900. But there are still species that we can lose in a short time.
List of endangered animals
3. . The reproduction of sea lions is negatively affected by deteriorating environmental conditions, as well as infection from wild dogs.
4. Cheetah. They are killed by farmers because cheetahs prey on livestock. They are also hunted by poachers for their skins.
5. . The decline of the species is due to degradation of their habitat, illegal trade in their young, and infectious contamination.
6. . Their population has been reduced by climate change and poaching.
7. Collared sloth. The population is declining due to tropical deforestation.
8. . The main threat is poachers who sell rhino horn on the black market.
9. . The species is being forced out of its habitat. Animals have a low birth rate in principle.
10. . This species is also a victim of poaching as ivory is of great value.
eleven. . This species was actively hunted for its pelts and pasture competition.
12. . Changes in the bears' habitat due to global warming are affecting the decline of the species.
13. . The population is declining due to.
14. . The species has been reduced due to hunting and the danger of bears to humans.
15. . The species is being destroyed due to conflicts with people, active hunting, infectious diseases and climate change.
16. Galapagos tortoise. They were actively destroyed and their habitats were changed. Animals that were brought to the Galapagos had a negative impact on their reproduction.
17. . The species is declining due to natural disasters and poaching.
18. . The population has been reduced due to shark fishing.
19. . The species is becoming extinct due to infectious diseases and habitat changes.
20. . Illegal trade in animal meat and bones has led to a decline in the population.
21. . The population suffers due to constant oil spills.
22. . The species is declining due to whaling.
23. . The species has become a victim of poaching.
24. . Animals are suffering due to habitat loss.
25. . The population is declining due to urbanization processes and active deforestation.
The list of endangered animals is not limited to these species. As we see, the main threat is a person and the consequences of his activities. There are government programs for the conservation of endangered animals. And every person can make a contribution to the conservation of endangered animal species.
