By Maddox Brown *
Every day, it seems that more and more wildlife is becoming endangered, and this is really alarming. Some creatures are endangered due to natural causes, yet most are closer to extinction today due to human interference. In this article, I will be talking about some of the many species currently endangered.
Before we start, I should remind you guys what the term, ‘endangered’ means. ‘Endangered’ refers to something that is very near or close to extinction. For example, there may not be that many animals of that species left in the world due either to overhunting (taking more than what you need) or destruction of their natural environment.
Endangerment and extinction due to failure to avoid or adapt to environmental threats used to be a regular part of a species’ evolutionary process. But recent major changes in the Earth’s ecosphere have already altered the environment and the natural lifespan of many creatures, thus threatening their survivability faster than expected. I will be talking about 8 species that are currently threatened. Some of them you may know, some maybe not. So let’s get into this.
1. Giant Pandas
First on our list are the globally beloved pandas. Native to Central China, these animals are a part of the bear family, along with polar bears and black bears. Pandas can grow up to 3-5 feet tall, which is at their max height almost as tall as the regular person. Pandas live for about 20 years or so.They as you may or may not know love to eat bambooThey actually eat around 28 lbs of it a day, which is insane.The reason why is because they can live on a diet of bamboo alone.
Sadly, these amazing creatures are facing possible extinction. The reasons range from excessive poaching and hunting by humans to deforestation, and the scarcity of the precious bamboo which forces the pandas to relocate to different locations for fresh bamboo. Luckily, lately the Chinese government has been building nature reserves for these majestic bears, and even created areas for bamboo and other Panda-friendly plants to grow. Today, there are currently 1,864 pandas left in the wild and only a couple hundred in captivity.
Axolotls are members of the salamander family. Loved by a lot of people due to it’s odd cuteness, the axolotl is one of Zoology’s most studied creatures. Despite that, this animal is now amongst the earth’s most endangered species. Originating in Lake Xochimilco and Lake Chalco in the Valley of Mexico, these aquatic creatures can grow to the length of 9-12 inches. To add to these important facts, axolotls dine on mollusks, worms, insect larvae and, if they are big enough, even small fish! Did you know that they are called the “Master Regenerator”? If not, now you do. They are called that due to their ability to regenerate lost limbs and even their kidneys and lungs. As a result, scientists dedicate a lot of time to investigating how these creatures are able to do that, the better to hopefully discover how to incorporate that amazing talent into humans like you and me.
Unfortunately, only around 1,200 or fewer of these unique creatures are left in the wild as of 2020, and they are possibly decreasing. This is due to the immense amounts of pollution in the lakes of Mexico. As a result, loads of animals like the axolotl are getting wiped out. Axolotls are critically endangered and if we don’t act now, they will be gone forever.
3. Vaquitas
Now let’s get back to why they are endangered. One of the leading causes of the vaquita’s dwindling numbers is fishing equipment and other items left at sea by illegal fishing operations. These dolphins get entangled in this equipment and drown. It’s really tragic. Another leading cause is overfishing, but that is self-explanatory. Here’s the shocking fact about this; there are currently thought to be only 10 vaquitas left in the world. Yes you heard me correctly, 10!. There is still hope of recovery for this species, but it depends on human action.
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4. Amur Leopards
Named one of the rarest species of leopard and the most critically endangered, Amur Leopards are at high risk of extinction. These mammals originated in southern Russia and northern China and can grow up to 2.6 feet long. They primarily eat animals like deer, boars, and rodents, which is usual for big cat species. They also can live up to 15 years, which is normal for predatory mammals such as these. A fun fact about these animals is that they’ve been seen to leap up to 10 feet in the air and 19 feet horizontally.,They are good jumpers.
Like the Vaquita, whose total population now runs in the double digits, only 84 Amur Leopards are currently still alive and roaming the planet. There are two main factors contributing to their endangerment,. One reason being is that humans are excessively poaching or hunting them down, either for sport or for their fur which is worth around $500-1,000 dollars per pelt. Another reason is also about poaching but this time p of the prey of these big cats. Without their prey, they have nothing to eat thus, they end up starving. Like the Vaquita, even though they exist in low numbers now, they are still able to leap out of endangerment if humans stop contributing to the problem.
5. Javan Rhinoceros.
Javan rhinoceroses are the most threatened amongst the five rhino species. They originated in Java, Indonesia, which is why they are called Javan Rhinoceros. They live up to 40 years, which is the longest lifespan on the list so far. They can reach up to 5 feet in height and about 13 feet in length. Even though those visually, they might look intimidating, I assure you, unless you provoke them, they are harmless towards you(, at least unless they just don’t like you at all). These animals solely eat plants and leaves, stems, roots, and others. Their horns are made of keratin(like finger and toe nails) so unlike elephants, the rhino’s horn can actually be able to grow back, Iit is just going to take some time and patience for the rhinos, but this should not encourage even more hunting to be done to them. There are only 67 of these beautiful creatures left in this world and it might go down even lower. This is because of the hunting of Rhinos by humans … done primarily for their horns for the rhino horn trade.
6. Tigers
Known as the largest member of the big cats, tigers are distinct for their orange and black-striped fur. They primarily live in the eastern hemisphere; mostly living in Africa and Asia. These legendary cats of the wild can grow to lengths of up to 13 feet and heights of up to 4 feet. They can live up to 25 years. What’s unique about them is that they are mostly nocturnal mammals.; Tthey hunt primarily at night due to the ability to camouflage in the dark to hunt their fearful prey. Before making this article, I never knew this, but tigers are really good swimmers. They are known to swim great lengths to catch their prey, so they are formidable foes to tango with. Even though they are versatile apex predators, they are currently endangered. Around 3,800 tigers are left in the wilderness while 7,000-8,000 of them are held captive in tiger-breeding facilities. Tigers are endangered because of humans hunting them for their body parts and fur. These parts are used for traditional medicine and house decor. Even though these legendary creatures are praised all around the world, they are facing possible extinction.
7. Saola
Nicknamed, “The Asian Unicorn” because of their rarity in Asia, the Saola is amongst the rarest large animals on earth. They have long, sharp and parallel horns that can grow up to 20 inches in length. They are ONLY located in the mountainous range between Laos and Vietnam. Saolas are about 3 feet tall and about 5 feet in length. They have some visual similarities to deer and antelopes, especially because of the aforementioned horns on their heads. They are herbivores so that means that they only eat plant-based products like fig leaves, leaves, etc. Saolas are listed as critically endangered because of their rarity. There are only around 750 saolas or less still roaming in the lively world as we speak which is why in Asia, they call them the Asian Unicorns. They are predominantly endangered because of commercial hunting. Some hunts are only for their horns, which become trophies’ to those poachers. Creatures as rare as these should be protected at all costs.
8. Bornean Orangutans
Last on the list, known as the heaviest tree-dwelling animal, Orangutans are a part of the primate family, but not for much longer. These long-armed creatures are only found in the rainforests of Sumatra and Borneo. They live for about 35-45 years. They spend basically their entire lives in the treetops, swinging from branch to branch, which must be difficult since they can weigh a maximum of around 200 pounds. Bornean Orangutans can reach a height of up to 4.6 feet, but their arms alone can be around 7 feet long, which is incredible. Orangutans primarily eat fruits and berries such as mangoes and figs, but they can also eat leaves and insects. Male orangutans when old enough start growing flaps of fatty tissue on both sides of their face called flanges; Females are more attracted to males with flanges than those without. Around 100,000 Bornean orangutans are still alive today, but this number seems weak if compared to a century ago when nearly 230,000 orangutans were alive and climbing. This is due to deforestation (that is thoroughly destroying their habitats) and of course, to illegal hunting by poachers.
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Now, you know more about some of the endangered species that reside in the world. Maybe one day, you’ll save these species from their untimely demise. Tell your family and friends about this article and spread the knowledge!
* Images: Courtesy of Pixabay and UnSplash