Life on Earth is in great danger of a new wave of mass extinction, unlike anything since the extinction of the dinosaurs. In the last 500 years, 844 species - like the passenger pigeon, auk, thylacine, and quagga - are known to have died out, and up to 16,000 others are now known to be threatened. Two thirds of turtles could be gone by the 2025, great apes have recently declined by over 50% in parts of Africa, half of marsupials and one in three amphibians are in jeopardy, and a staggering 40% of Asia’s plants and animals could soon be lost.
But according to scientists, these numbers may only be a fraction of the true number facing extinction. Though only 1.5 million species have been described, there could be between 5 to 30 million in total. Of these, some experts predict that one could be falling extinct every 20 minutes - or 27,000 a year.
Species form and die out naturally as a part of evolution. However, many experts argue the current extinction rate is as much as 100 or 1000 times higher since the age of the dinosaurs
Of all species that have existed on Earth, 99.9 percent are now extinct. Many of them perished in five cataclysmic events.
According to a recent poll, seven out of ten biologists think we are currently in the throes of a sixth mass extinction. Some say it could wipe out as many as 90 percent of all species living today. Yet other scientists dispute such dire projections.
Animals on the Edge
By the year 2030, up to 20 percent of existing plants and animals may be extinct.
We must try to save them while there is still time!
Endangered Big Cats
Sadly, all big cats are endangered. Due to habitat distruction and poaching.
These are just the few animals of thousands of others that are at high risk of becoming extinict.
These pictures, and in zoo's, may be the only place where we ever see them again once they have vanished from their wild homes forever.
 |
 |
 |
| TIGER Tigers rely on their surrounding habitat for camouflage. When farmers and loggers destroy habitat, tigers lose their ability to hide from prey, which also becomes scarcer with the loss of food and habitat. Another serious threat is hunting. Tigers are illegally hunted because some body parts are used in traditional Asian medicines. Only 6,000 tigers remain and are rapidly disappearing. |
POLAR BEAR The primary threat facing polar bears today may be global warming. Other threats to the bears include pollution, poaching, and industrial disturbances. Around 22,000 to 27,000 polar bears only exist. Polar bears are a potentially threatened species rather than an endangered one. But are still a specie at great risk of becoming endangered. |
GIANT PANDA The giant panda has been declining for thousands of years due to hunting by humans and climatic changes. An estimate of only around 1,000 to 1,500 of these animals surive today. |
 |
 |
 |
| TURTLE All sea turtles are protected by the Endangered Species Act, which lists all species as endangered except the loggerhead, which is listed as threatened. Sea turtles are threatened with capture, harvesting of eggs, destruction of nesting beaches, ocean pollution, oil spills and entanglement in fishing and shrimp nets and are used in Southeast Asia for food and medicines. |
PRIMATES "Mankind's" closest living relatives are under threat around the World. 25 percent-or one in four-of the 625 primate species and subspecies are at risk of extinction. The risk is caused by mostly the result of the destruction of forests, though commercial bushmeat hunting, and the illegal animal trade are also the primary threats sending these animals on the brink. |
WOLF The illegal killing of wolves has become a leading threat to their survival. Another serious problem is human encroachment into wolf territory, which leads to habitat loss for wolves. There are an estimated 7,000 to 9,000 wolves in Alaska and more than 3,500 in the lower 48 states. Around the world there are an estimated 200,000 in some 57 countries, compared to up to 2 million in earlier times. |
 |
 |
 |
| AFRICAN ELEPHANT Increasing human populations, habitat loss and the ivory trade are the greatest threats to the elephants future. Today, it is estimated that between 400,000 and 660,000 elephants survive in Africa. |
BLUE WHALE Although blue whales are protected, their populations show few signs of recovery. Current figures suggest that a mere 11,700 animals are left. |
BLACK RHINOCEROS Rhinos rank among the most endangered species on Earth. Valued for their horns, they face a serious threat from poaching. Only a population of 2,400 known to be left. |
What is an Endangered Specie? Endangered species are species that are in danger of becoming extinct. And extinct means that they no longer exist in the wild. Or in other words...
Extinction is Forever
What causes animals to become endangered? Habitat losses is the most common reason animals go extinct. Ecosystems from wetlands to prairies and forests to coral reefs are being cleared or degraded for crops, cattle, roads and development. As more and more habitats are shrinking, it makes the animals more vulnerable and reduces population size, increases inbreeding, increases disease and opens access for poachers.
The Amazonian rainforest is today being cleared at rate of 24,000 km per year - equivalent to New York City’s Central Park being destroyed every hour. Worldwide, 90,000 km of forest is cleared annually.
For further information on what causes animals to become endangered, please visit my page called Facing Extinction.
Why save Endangered Animals and Habitats? We rely on ecosystems to provide food, oxygen and natural resources, recycle wastes and fertilise soils for agriculture. And besides, wouldn't you want your children, or your children's children to see what wonderful creatures and places inhabit the Earth?
Plants and animals are also an essential source of new foods and medicines - up to 20,000 plants are used in medicines worldwide. Preserving species could help protect us from disease.
How You Can Help Animals and Habitats Survive One of the most important ways to help threatened plants and animals survive is to protect their habitats. Get involved! There are many different ways you can help. Join an organization. Organizations are groups working on conservation activities. Like: World Wide Federation, National Wildlfe Federation, Rainforest Action Network and Defenders of Wildlife help protect habitats, prevent poaching, and to protect endangered animals.
Have your voice heard. Tell your family, friends and work mates about threatened species and how they can help. Or make a webpage like this one to help people be more aware of the threats endangering animals and habitats. How are people to help a problem when they don't know the problem?
Or can adopt an animal at your local zoo. All zoos have programs like adoptions, foundations, and sponsorships where you can help provide the very best care for their animals to ensure they have a healthy and happy future.
More Information
Below I have found some links if you would like more information about our Endangered Earth. These sites are more indepth, and if you really get involved reading these sites its scary to actually know the fact we are currently living in a mass extinction that we must not only save Earth's animals and habitats... but ourselves. And we, us humans have caused it.
MASS EXTINCTION UNDERWAY The World Wide Web's Most Comprehensive Source
of Information on the Current Mass Extinction. Great site! Lots of links to get you started.
The Sixth Extinction by Niles Eldredge
Zero Extinction The Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE), a global initiative of biodiversity conservation organizations, aims to prevent extinctions by identifying and safeguarding key sites where species are in imminent danger of disappearing.
Endangered Species Coalition represents more than 400 conservation, scientific, business, and religious organizations.
The Extinction Website This is the website about recently extinct animals and plants, animals and plants extinct in the wild, and rediscovered animals and plants! And much more!
Bagheera Website dedicated to Earth's Endangered Species
Animal Info Information on Rare, Threatened and Endangered Mammals; facts, pictures and more
Endangered Species.com is dedicated to providing all the best endangered species information, links, books, and publications regarding rare and endangered species. This site also includes information about conservation efforts and endangered species organizations that are dedicated to saving and preserving the world's most endangered wildlife and plant life.
ENDANGERED! About endangered animals and habitats.
ARKive - Images of life on Earth Great site with a digital library of heaps of photographs, film
clips and accompanying information about endangered species of Mammals, Fish, Birds, Amphibians, Invertebrates - terrestrial and freshwater, Invertebrates - marine Reptiles, Plants and Algae, and Fungi (including lichen).
Endangered Earth promotes the plight of endangered animals around the world. This "global source of information about the world's endangered animals" features links different conservation projects.
Endangered species of the new millennium Fascinating educational site teaches that humans cause much damage to our disappearing animal kingdom. View animals at risk in the Species Profiles section. Features an alphabetical list of endangered species.
Red List of Threatened Species IUCN has a very large site on animals on the brink
of extinction. Information provided by over 10,000 scientists from all over the world; this site has become a global directory to the state of all living things on our planet.
|
|
