What are some Endangered Animals?
Throughout the globe, there are changes happening such as in technology, world population, social systems, and in the realms of spirituality. Unfortunately, while quite a number of these events are good for the majority, there is one issue that remains haunting and real – endangered animals. In almost every corner of each continent, there are animals in danger of becoming extinct.
In Africa, the white rhinoceros was once the largest subspecies in the north, discovered and classified in 1908. Since then, the 2001 population count has dwindled to less than 200.
Africa is also home to the leopards who are known for their dark rosette spots and swiftness. On March 1, 2011, several groups banded together to petition for the inclusion of the African leopard to be listed as an endangered animal. These animals once roamed Africa freely. This has changed dramatically over the years. Since leopards are carnivorous, they attack farm animals and were shot at to protect the interest of the villagers. Thee were also slaughtered for their skin, which was used by fashion designers; and their body parts as the ultimate hunter’s prize. Today, unlike the snow leopards, African leopards number less than 40,000, and live primarily in the Sub-Sahara, but no longer seen in northern Africa.
Asia has its own share of animals on the brink of extinction like the Giant Panda and Sumatran Tiger. The current population of the Giant Pandas is around 2,000 with another 200 in captivity. The advantage of the Giant Pandas is that they are adorable, and a big crowd pleaser. This has brought a lot of attention to their plight, and their numbers are slowly increasing.
The Sumatran Tiger has a similar story to that of the leopards in that they were thousands in Asian forests and jungles. Unfortunately, two of the Sumatran Tiger species are extinct – the Malinese and the Caspian. In many parts of Asia, there is a law banning the hunting and killing of these endangered animals, although this is a band-aid solution, it helps. The real problem for the diminishing population is destruction of their natural habitat because of modernization and the unabashed cutting down of trees. In India, 80% of their forests are gone. Kudos must go to the men and women behind the move to save this species from extinction. In past 10 years, the tiger population has seen an upward growth, although if this is to continue, they must be given protected land to live in.