Sometimes, it feels that human greed and ambition truly knows no bounds. We’ve taken this planet for granted and done as we please. The result of such acts? The world is going through a climate crisis, pollution levels are at an all-time high and many of the animals of the world are going extinct. A little earlier, the last Nothern White Rhino’s legacy came to an end. While he died of natural causes, it was humans that drove the species to extinction in the first place. Sadly, he wasn’t the first and probably won’t be the last. Here are a few animals who are up there on the endangered list.
1. Giraffe
For years now the giraffe has been an iconic species in Africa. However, due to illegal hunting and the systematic destruction of their habitat, this great animal has become the latest addition to the list of endangered animals. The giraffe population has dropped by almost 40% since 1985 and at present, there are less than a thousand left.
2. Orangutans
One of the most endangered great apes in the world is the Tanpanuli Orangutan. The other two types which are the Bornean and Sumatran orangutan are also critically endangered. A major contribution to the decline in the species is deforestation, specifically because of the demand for palm oil. These apes are brutally killed and a lot of the females are easy hunting targets. Thier babies are taken and sold into the pet trade, many of which die before ever reaching Taiwan.
3. Red Panda
Although the conservation efforts have paid off, this animal is still pretty high on the endangered list. Residing in the Eastern Himalayas, these little fuzzy munchkins have found their homes being destroyed due to deforestation. However, that is not the only reason for their decline. They are being hunted and trapped for sale as pets and also for their fur.
4. Great White Shark
Despite what people may think of these bad guys, they are actually really to maintaining the ecosystem of the ocean. There has been a major decline in the number of great white spotting because they are being hunted for sport, for their teeth and for their fins. They also tend to be victims of accidental netting.
5. Polar Bear
In 2008, the polar bear entered the list. While it is still in the vulnerable zone, constant climate change has been decimating their natural habitat. There are about 19 subpopulations of polar bears in the Arctic, 3 of which are estimated to have an extreme population decline in the near future. If we don’t control the impact we’re having, we could lose these beautiful creatures too.
6. Black-Footed Ferret
While conservation efforts are working to give the species another chance, estimates say that only about 370 of these little guys are left in the wild. A major contribution to this decline is said to be a loss of habitat and pollution.
7. Gorilla
While it not may come as news that the gorilla is on the endangered list, various species of the gorilla are actually critically endangered. There are only 250 cross river gorillas due to the constant poaching. The eastern lowland gorilla has also reached the critical list due to regional violence. The mountain gorilla has only about 880 of its kind left. All of these majestic apes are tragically being targetted and their homes are being destroyed to make way for various projects.
At some point, we need to take a step back and realise the kind of impact we’re having on this planet. We can’t keep this blindfold on forever. While these are just 7 animals, there are numerous animals who have already gone extinct and each day, more and more come closer to extinction. Start doing your part and take care of this planet.
Don’t forget to follow us at @missmalinilifestyle to never miss a beat!