Scientists state that many species of plants, animals, birds and insects are disappearing from the face of our planet 1,000 times faster than the natural level. This means we are losing between 10 and 130 species every day.
Today, more than 40% of all living species on Earth are threatened with extinction. If these rates of extinction continue or accelerate, the number of endangered species in the next decades will be in the millions. Of course, this is a reason for thought for every inhabitant of the planet, because the disappearance of individual species inevitably leads to global environmental problems, threatening the stability of the entire Earth’s ecosystem.
Today we offer a look at 15 species of animals that are in danger of complete extinction due to human fault.
2. Sumatran and Bornean orangutan
Habitat loss due to over-logging and conversion for agriculture and road construction are major issues critical to both orangutan species. Currently, despite the creation of national parks, forests continue to be cut down illegally. In addition, poaching of cubs for the purpose of their further sale poses a serious danger.
Over the past 75 years, the number of orangutans inhabiting Sumatra has decreased by more than 80% and continues to decline inexorably. In Borneo, the population has declined by more than 50% over the past 60 years.
2. Iberian (Spanish) lynx
The Iberian lynx is classified as a "critically endangered" animal. These data are taken from the Red List of Threatened Animals (compiled by the International Union for Conservation of Nature).
According to some sources, there are only a little more than 200 Iberian lynxes left on the planet. Although around US$35 million has been allocated to save these wild cats, a group of scientists recently called their situation critical. Of the just over 200 individuals living in the wild, only 22 to 32 females are ready to breed, according to Nicholas Guzman, director of the National Iberian Lynx Rescue Plan. According to Guzman, the salvation of the Iberian lynx depends on them. However, sad as it may be, the history of the Iberian lynx is just one of many black pages from the life of our smaller brothers.
3. White Rhinoceros
Rhinoceros - Near Threatened, Sumatran, Black and Javan rhinos are critically endangered.
In the wild, an adult rhinoceros has virtually no enemies except humans. The main threat to all rhino species is poaching. Rhino horn is a very valuable commodity on the black market and is used for both ornamental and medicinal purposes.
In Chinese medicine, rhinoceros horn is considered good remedy against fever and an effective aphrodisiac. On the black market, the cost of a kilogram of rhinoceros horns reaches $30,000. If you feel like you have nothing to do with it, think about all the different Chinese drugs that end up in our pharmacies.
4. Whale shark
Currently, there is no accurate data on the number of whale sharks living in the wild. Some researchers report that there are only about
1,000 individuals.
The main threat to the existence of whale sharks is, of course, their commercial fishing. Despite current fishing bans, shark fishing continues in Southeast Asia and India. A feature of the development of whale sharks is their very long puberty and slow reproduction rate, which makes rapid population recovery impossible. Every year the number of whale sharks in the world decreases by 5% - 6%.
5. Sifaka
Sifakas are a genus of lemurs, members of the Indriidae family. There are several types of sifaka: Verreaux's sifaka, Walnut sifaka, Crowned sifaka, Golden crowned sifaka, Silky and Perrier sifakas. All of them live only on the island of Madagascar.
Habitat loss due to active logging and burning of forests in the region and ongoing hunting of lemurs are the main threats to the existence of this amazing animal.
6. Woolly-nosed wombat
The largest among the gentle wombats. By the way, he runs at a speed of 40 km/h. But that doesn't save him. There are about a hundred of these left in the world, and they are in one Australian reserve.
7. Wild Bactrian camel Who would believe that there are less than a thousand of them left in the world. It is assumed that in another 10-20 years, there will be none left. They are hunted, they are scared away during construction, and finally, they simply interbreed with domestic camels, and the offspring in such cases are infertile.
8. Amur tiger
The main threat to the existence of big cats has always been poaching. Tiger bone is worth its weight in gold on the Chinese black market, while tiger skin is a coveted trophy.
At the end of the 1980s, the demand for tiger bone increased sharply; well-organized gangs of poachers at this time greatly reduced the tiger population. It was only by 1993 that programs for the conservation of the Amur tiger were resumed, and already in 1996 their number approached 430. Today, the number of tigers living in the wild is estimated at 431 – 529 individuals.
Large-scale illegal logging and forest fires, depriving them of their usual habitats, have also become a serious threat to tigers.
9. Red wolf
About 30 years ago, the last 17 red wolves were brought together in an attempt to restore their population. It was possible to increase their numbers to almost a hundred, but the American forests where the wolves were released are being cut down, and the poor creatures are still in danger of extinction.
10. Leatherback turtle
These turtles feed on jellyfish and are able to dive to incredible depths for them. But, alas, they often get confused and swallow plastic bags thrown away by people, which is why they die. Several decades ago, there were more than 115 thousand females of such turtles. Now their number has decreased to about 30 thousand.
11. Galapagos tortoise or elephant tortoise
It is believed that by the beginning of the 20th century, more than 200,000 elephant turtles were destroyed. This led to the fact that on Charles and Barington islands turtles became completely extinct, and on others they disappeared almost completely.
In addition, natural habitats for agriculture were destroyed, and alien animals such as rats, pigs and goats were introduced and spread, becoming competitors for the turtles in obtaining food.
Since the beginning of the 20th century, much effort has been made to restore the population of Galapagos tortoises. The captive-bred cubs were released on the islands in their natural habitat. Today the number of elephant turtles is more than 19,000 individuals.
12. Saharan gazelle
Once upon a time, countless herds of these beauties ran in the African deserts. But the firearms did their job, and now there are at most a hundred of them left.
13. African elephant
In the 20th century, the number of African elephants declined exponentially. Poaching of ivory has acquired a monstrous scale. Thus, during the 10 years preceding the international ban on ivory trade (1990), the number of African elephants fell by half. Kenya was one of the countries where African elephants were virtually wiped out. Between 1973 and 1989, the number of elephants here declined by 85%. In Burundi, Gambia, Mauritania and Swaziland, elephants have disappeared completely.
The African elephant now has formal government protection, and some areas have recently seen population increases averaging 4%. However, poaching is still rampant.
14. Western gorilla
Back in 2007, western gorillas were listed as endangered species.
Poaching, commercial logging and climate change are all disrupting the ecological balance of the habitat and leading to the gradual extinction of the western gorilla population.
But perhaps the biggest threat to the existence of gorillas today is the Ebola virus, which is wiping out individuals of this species, including in protected areas. From 1992 to 2011, over a period of 20 years, the number of western gorillas declined by 45%. At present, the Ebola virus may deplete the western gorilla population to a critical point where recovery is no longer possible.
15. Giant Panda
The giant panda is currently found only in some mountain ranges in central China, mainly in Sichuan province and in smaller numbers in Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. As a result economic activity Between humans and deforestation, giant pandas have been driven out of the low-lying areas where they once lived.
Since ancient times, the giant panda has been a target of poaching not only for locals who hunt them for their soft skin, but also for foreigners.
The giant panda population is inexorably declining every year, which is largely due to the extremely low birth rate both in the wild and in captivity. Scientists estimate that there are currently about 1,600 individuals left on Earth.
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. Very important role What matters is 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,...
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 Russian Federation There is a similar one that keeps records of our country’s endangered species. 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.
Internet marketer, editor of the site "In an accessible language"
Date of publication: 12/05/2017
Have you ever seen Bali tiger or marsupial wolf? Most likely no…
It’s a shame, but there will no longer be a chance to see these amazing animals live, since they were recently declared extinct.
Despite all the efforts of organizations to protect endangered animals, some species are periodically listed as extinct and many are on the verge of extinction. The main culprit in the disappearance of animals in our time is man.
Today we will tell you about 15 striking representatives of the fauna that became extinct quite recently, literally over the last 100 years.
Considered extinct since 1922.
The Barbary lion lived in North African semi-deserts, steppes and forests, and was also common in the Atlas Mountains in northwest Africa.
The main distinguishing features of the predator are its very thick mane and large size. Male Barbary lions weighed from 160 to 250 kilograms, females weighed an order of magnitude less - from 100 to 170 kg. The mane of the Barbary lion grew not only on the neck and head, it went far beyond the shoulders and also grew on the stomach.
IN Ancient Rome Entertaining competitions involving the Barbary lion were common; its opponent was usually the Turanian tiger, which also became extinct.
The reason for the extinction of the subspecies is considered to be targeted extermination due to frequent attacks by Barbary lions on livestock; the number of predators decreased especially strongly after they began to use firearms for shooting.
The last Barbary lion was killed in 1922 in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco.
Considered extinct since 1927.
Photo: ru.wikipedia.org The Syrian kulan was widespread on the Arabian Peninsula, living in deserts, semi-deserts, dry meadows and mountain steppes. Lived in Syria, Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
The main component in the diet of the Syrian kulan was grass, leaves of bushes and trees.
The Syrian kulan was one of the smallest representatives of horses, its height at the withers was only one meter. Also, its distinctive features include its color changing depending on the season; in summer, the color of the fur of the kulan was olive, and in winter it acquired a sandy and even pale yellow color.
The last wild member of the subspecies was shot in 1927 near the Azraq oasis in Jordan, and the last captive specimen died the same year at the Schönbrunn Zoo in Vienna, Austria.
3. Marsupial wolf (thylacine)
Considered extinct since 1936.
Marsupial wolves at the New York Zoo, 1902. The marsupial wolf (or Tasmanian wolf) is the only representative of this family that survived into the historical era.
The thylacine was the largest marsupial predator of our time, its weight was 20-25 kg, its height at the withers reached 60 centimeters, and its body length was 1-1.3 meters (with a tail - 1.5-1.8 m).
It is known that in ancient times (the end of the Pleistocene and the beginning of the Holocene) stylacine lived on the territory of mainland Australia, as well as on the island of New Guinea; about 3000 years ago, marsupial wolves were forced out of their territory by dingo dogs, brought there by people from Southeast Asia.
In historical times, marsupial wolves lived only on the island of Tasmania - where dingoes did not penetrate.
The reason for the extinction of the Tasmanian wolf, as in a number of other cases, is mass extermination by humans. The marsupial wolf was considered the main enemy of Tasmanian farmers; it attacked sheep and ravaged poultry houses. In the 30s of the 19th century, mass hunting of predators began; the authorities gave rewards to hunters for the head of each killed animal.
After prolonged shooting, the number of thylacines decreased; rare specimens were found only in hard-to-reach areas. In addition to shooting, severe damage to the population of Tasmanian wolves was caused by a viral disease that flared up at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1914, there were only a few marsupial wolves.
The last marsupial wolf living in the wild was killed on May 13, 1930, and in 1936 the last individual kept in a private zoo in Hobart died of old age.
In March 2017, the media reported that animals similar to the thylacine were caught on video traps in Cape York Park. For reasons of keeping the animal's habitat secret, the photographs were not presented to the public. There was no official confirmation that it was the marsupial wolf that was captured.
Considered extinct since 1937.
Illustration: ru.wikipedia.org Gray's kangaroos lived in the south and southeast of Australia. Individuals of this species could be found in open spaces next to eucalyptus forests, in which these animals hid during the rains.
The animal was named in honor of Sir George Gray, who served as Governor of South Australia from 1812 to 1898.
Like other members of the kangaroo family, Gray's kangaroos ate plant foods, mainly the foliage of bushes and trees.
The main cause of extinction is considered to be poaching - people hunted kangaroos for their fur and meat. In addition, scientists believe that the reason for the decline in the population of Gray's wild kangaroos is attacks on us by predatory animals.
Gray's last wild kangaroo was killed in 1924, and the last individual living in the national park died in 1937.
Declared extinct in 1937.
Photo: animalreader.ru The Bali tiger lived exclusively on the island of Bali (Indonesia); most often this representative of the cat could be found in local forests.
The Bali tiger was one of the smallest representatives of the tiger species. The weight of males was 90-100 kg, females were slightly smaller, their weight rarely exceeded 80 kg, usually 65-75 kg. The body length of adult males was in the region of 120-230 centimeters, females - from 93 to 183 cm.
The lifespan of Bali tigers is 8-10 years.
After the killing of the first Bali tiger in 1911, representatives of this subspecies began to be of interest to hunters. Due to comparatively small area habitat of these animals, Bali tigers were very quickly exterminated.
The last female was killed in the western part of the island. The subspecies was officially declared extinct in 1937.
Considered extinct since 1938.
Photo: ru.wikipedia.org The Schomburgk's deer lived in central Thailand in the valley of the Chao Phraya River. It could be found on swampy plains overgrown with bushes, reeds and tall grass.
During the rainy season and floods, Schomburgk's deer left the marshy areas and rose to higher ground, becoming easy prey for hunters.
Representatives of this species were named after the British consul in Bangkok, Sir Robert Schomburgk, who worked there from 1857 to 1864.
According to scientists main reason The extinction of the Schomburgk's deer is the development of the infrastructure of cities located near the animals' habitats. The draining of swamps and the construction of roads and enterprises have virtually destroyed the habitats of this animal. In addition, hunters and poachers made their “contribution” to the disappearance of this species.
It is known that the last Schomburgk's deer living in the wild was killed in 1932, and the last individual living in the zoo died in 1938.
Considered extinct since 1950.
Photo: Harvard Museum of Natural History/Peabody Museum The island hutia lived exclusively on the island of Little Cisne in the Caribbean Sea (territory of Gohonduras). Due to the fact that the base of the island on which the Huti lived consists mainly of coral rock, these animals, as a rule, could not dig holes, so they settled in the crevices of the coral rock.
Representatives of the species were herbivores. Their weight could reach one kilogram, and the body length of an adult was 33-35 centimeters. The sizes of males practically did not differ from the sizes of females.
It is believed that the island's Hutias were exterminated by cats brought to the island by people. The last mention of these creatures dates back to 1950.
The species has been considered extinct since 1952. It was officially declared extinct only in 2008.
Photo: ru.wikipedia.org The Caribbean monk seal was the only representative of the seal genus to live in the Caribbean Sea. They could be found on sandy beaches, as well as reef lagoons.
Caribbean monk seals were last seen in the western Caribbean in 1952 and have not been seen since. During an expedition conducted in the Caribbean in 1980, scientists did not find a single monk seal.
According to zoologists, the main reason for the extinction of Caribbean monk seals is the negative impact of human activities on the environment.
Considered extinct since the 1960s.
Photo: ru.wikipedia.org The Mexican grizzly lived in forests and could be found in the states of Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila and Northern Durango in Mexico; in addition, individuals of this species were also found in the United States - in the states of Arizona and New Mexico.
The last time a live Mexican grizzly was seen was in 1960.
The extinction of Mexican grizzlies is associated with uncontrolled hunting of them, as well as with human development of the habitats of these animals.
In 1959, the Mexican government banned hunting of Mexican grizzlies, but this measure was too late and did not help save the population.
Considered extinct since 1974.
Photo: ru.wikipedia.org The Japanese sea lion lived in the Sea of Japan on the west and east coasts of Japan, as well as on the east coast of Korea.
In addition, it could be found on the Ryukyu Island (Japan), on the southern coast of the Russian Far East, on the Kuril Islands, Sakhalin and in the south of the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Sea of Okhotsk.
The main reason for the extinction of the Japanese sea lion is considered to be hunting and persecution by fishermen.
Scientists estimate that in the 19th century the population of Japanese sea lions numbered from 30 to 50 thousand individuals. Uncontrolled hunting of them and development of their habitats has led to a terrifying reduction in their numbers. The last reliable information about 50-60 individuals was obtained in 1951, when a small population was discovered on the Liancourt Islands.
The last time a Japanese sea lion was seen was in 1974 on the coast of the small island of Rebun. Since that time, no one has seen these animals again.
11. Canarian Black Oystercatcher
Declared extinct in 1994.
Photo: fishki.net The Canary Black Oystercatcher lived in West Africa on the Atlantic coast. This bird also suffered at the hands of humans. It is worth noting that people did not hunt this bird, but still brought it to starvation.
Reading time approximately: 4 - 6 minutesHumanity has been developing for tens of thousands of years, adjusting the environment to suit its needs. And only in last years we began to think about how detrimentally this very development is affecting nature. We have Red Data Books, the fight against poachers has intensified, nature reserves have opened, but animals continue to die out, and the main reason for this is still .
Why do animals go extinct?
The disappearance of old species and the emergence of new ones is a completely natural process on Earth. For hundreds of thousands of years, extinction has occurred for various reasons, and recently humans have been added to these reasons. But first things first.
All previous periods of extinctions were associated with climate changes, the movement of tectonic plates, volcanic activity, collisions with celestial bodies, etc. The current (rapidly increasing) extinction of animals began about 100,000 years ago- just during the period of human settlement on Earth. Our distant ancestors unknowingly invaded ecosystems and destroyed the ecological balance by hunting, destroying habitats and spreading disease.
But then more, about 10,000 years ago we mastered agriculture and began to lead a sedentary lifestyle. By creating his settlements, man changed the local ecosystem to suit himself, which no other species has allowed itself in history. Because of this, some animals simply died, others moved to new territories and, again, displaced local species.
Habitat disturbance
For our own needs, we had to cut down forests, plow the land, drain swamps, create reservoirs - all this radically changed the habitat habitual for living organisms. Animals were deprived of their habitat where they obtained food and reproduced.
The usual habitats of animals become unsuitable largely due to... Pesticides, oil, phenols, metals, toxic and nuclear waste - all this contaminates the atmosphere, soil, oceans and, of course, negatively affects all inhabitants of the Earth.
All living things are interconnected, and the extinction of animals of one species often provokes other extinctions. This phenomenon is called "cumulative effect".
Example. In Malaysia, they decided to radically get rid of malaria mosquitoes by resorting to the use of the pesticide DDT. Mosquitoes are defeated - malaria is not scary! But there were also cockroaches there that were not exposed to DDT. The cockroaches were eaten by lizards, which were weakened by the pesticide. So the lizards became easy prey for cats, which caused the death of the latter. As a result, the number of rats, carriers of diseases comparable to malaria, has sharply increased in that region.
Excessive production
Today we use the animal world not only as a source of food, but also for the extraction of raw materials and many needs that are not vital.
For the production of medicines, perfumes, cosmetics and some industrial products, raw materials are needed, namely animal raw materials. Officially, endangered animals are not used for these needs, but there is no law written for poachers.
Poaching and smuggling of animals is incredibly developed in all countries and causes irreparable damage to nature. So you knew that smuggling of animals and plants can be compared with smuggling of weapons and drugs? And, of course, we are not always talking about the illegal trafficking of rare animals alive, but often about their valuable parts: bone, fur, etc.
A striking example of extinction due to overharvesting is the Dodo bird, which we will talk about later.
Impact of introduced species
There is such a concept "introduction" is human-intentioned and unintentional relocation different types animals outside their habitats. In other words, because of humans, new species began to appear where they had not existed before and should not exist. At the same time, introduced species, having no natural enemies in the new territory, begin to multiply and displace local inhabitants.
A classic example is the introduction of rabbits to Australia. They were brought there from England for sport hunting. The local climate was to the liking of the rabbits, and the local predators were not agile enough to hunt them. Therefore, the long-eared animals quickly multiplied and began to destroy entire pastures. To exterminate them, foxes were brought to Australia, but they began to hunt local marsupials, which only worsened the situation. With the help of a special virus, we managed to get rid of the rabbits.
Destruction to protect agricultural and fishing facilities
More than 20 species are at risk of extinction due to the fact that their representatives harm agriculture and fishing. These include birds of prey, rodents, pinnipeds, monkeys, etc.
What animals and birds have become extinct recently?
Over the past 500 years 844 species of animals and birds became extinct. Let's remember some of them.
Dodos (Dodo)
These flightless birds lived in the Mascarene Islands and Mauritius. But the active colonization of these territories in the 17th century caused their rapid extinction. People are not only hunted Dodos immensely, but also brought in some predators (rats, cats, dogs), which also contributed.
These birds received the name “Dodo” (from Portuguese - “stupid”) from sailors. The fact is that in their habitat they had no enemies and were trusting of people. There was no particular need to hunt Dodos - they simply approached them and hit them on the head with a stick. And it was difficult for these birds to hide from danger, because... they could neither fly, nor swim, nor run fast.
The coat of arms of Mauritius features the Dodo
The largest representative of one of the subspecies of these birds reached 3.5 meters and weighed about 250 kg. They didn't have wings. Until the 16th century they lived in New Zealand, until they were completely exterminated by the aborigines.
Carolina parrot
This species was the only parrot that lived in North America. But this turned out to be unimportant and the Carolina parrot was exterminated, because harmed fields and fruit trees. They were last seen in the 1920s.
Another example when creatures unable to hide simply died from human onslaught. They flew poorly, or maybe they couldn’t fly at all. That's why hunting it was not difficult for them. Within 100 years of its discovery, the species had completely disappeared.
The last representative of this species died in 1936. It was the largest marsupial carnivore, living mainly on the island of Tasmania. Destroyed by man due to damage to agriculture.
By the way, they tried to clone the Tasmanian tiger using the DNA of puppies preserved in alcohol. But the project failed because... DNA could not be recovered.
The only place where these tigers lived was the island of Bali. With the appearance there firearms The locals began to take an interest in these cats hunters, and in 25 years they destroyed the entire species.
At one time, representatives of this subspecies of rhinoceros were distributed almost throughout Africa, but through the efforts poachers by the early 2000s, only a few individuals remained. In 2011, the last representative of this species passed away.
By the way, a number of scientists claim that about half are now existing species will disappear in 100 years.
Lonesome George, the last of this species, died in 2012. These huge land turtles were inhabitants of the Galopogo Islands. Many of them lived to be 200 years old. Unfortunately, these turtles were killed by proximity to people. Delicious meat and gorgeous shell - what hunter can resist this? It would seem that the ban on hunting was introduced in a timely manner, but poachers do not care about the laws...
This unusual animal, resembling a hybrid of a zebra and a horse, was common in South Africa. They were trusting and friendly, so taming the quagga was not difficult. They were exterminated because of their tasty meat and valuable skins. The last representative of the species died in 1883.
Declared extinct in 1964. Lived in North America until he was completely exterminated by local farmers, because attacked livestock.
Be sure to watch the video, which tells about some more animals that became extinct due to our fault:
Animals in danger of extinction
Marsupials living in the eucalyptus forests of Australia. It is on the crowns of these trees that koalas spend most of their lives. In the 18th and 19th centuries they began to be killed because of their valuable thick fur. Millions of skins were exported annually. Fortunately, the Australian government stopped this madness in time, first limiting and then completely banning koala hunting.
Today, the population of these “cubs” is gradually recovering, but there is still a risk of extinction of the entire species. This is due to forest fires, deforestation and disease.
Ivory is highly prized throughout the world, and poachers, of course, know this. They are doing their best, despite international bans.
Annually the elephant population is declining by 30 thousand individuals. And for what? For the sake of producing jewelry and other useless things?!
Several centuries ago, cheetahs were common in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Today it is a representative of a purely African fauna. At the same time, single individuals are found mainly in protected areas. Local farmers see them only as pests that prey on livestock. Yes and poachers are interested in obtaining cheetah skins.
Today there are no more than 12 thousand individuals left in the world, while 100 years ago there were about 100,000 (!).
Found on the grassy plains between Kenya and Somalia, this antelope species suffers greatly from disease, predators and, of course, humans. We are gradually destroying the habitat of these animals, hunting them and depriving them of food by grazing herds of livestock.
Today the number of hirola does not exceed 1000 individuals. However, they are not kept in zoos or placed in nature reserves.
In nature, these monkeys are the closest relatives of humans. But this does not stop us from cutting down the forests where they live, and constantly hunt for them.
Today, the orangutan's range is limited to Borneo and Sumatra. Their total number is about 70 thousand, which is several times less than in the middle of the last century.
The orangutan is the smartest creature on Earth after humans, and in just 10 years it could completely disappear if the rate of extinction continues.
Outwardly, this animal resembles a large fluffy cat. True, he is quite ferocious in character and it is very difficult to tame the Pallas's cat. It is on the verge of extinction because of its valuable fur.
Today it is the world's largest lizard. Some representatives of the species reach 2 meters in length.
Their disappearance is associated with tourism, settlement of territories and the destruction of their usual food.
These sea animals are found off the northern shores Pacific Ocean. In the 18th and 19th centuries, sea otters began to be exterminated en masse because of valuable fur. Fortunately, the lawlessness was stopped through international efforts, and hunting them was banned almost everywhere.
Today the sea otter population is 88 thousand. However, its growth is not observed. The reason for this is a number of environmental problems associated with ocean pollution.
This is the largest land predator. There are about 25 thousand of them on the planet. In recent decades, despite attacks from poachers, the polar bear population has been relatively stable.
However, scientists are sounding the alarm, predicting the complete extinction of this species between 2050 and 2100. Reason – global warming, because of which the Arctic. And without them, polar bears cannot fully hunt.
By the way, the polar bear is the only predator that tracks and hunts humans as ordinary prey.
What is being done to protect animals from extinction
First of all, hunting for certain species is regulated by law, both at the international and state levels. Our document is Federal Law “On the Animal World”.
The Red Book is used to record endangered animals. It is available in every country and also has an international version.
It should be mentioned that depending on the risk of extinction, certain species may have different protective status, proposed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN):
- Extinct. This includes species that have completely disappeared (EX) and those that are no longer found in the wild - only in captivity (EW).
- Endangered. This category includes animals that in a few generations may completely disappear from the wild (CR), endangered (EN) and vulnerable species (VU).
- The risk is low. These include conservation-dependent (CD), near-threatened (NT) and least-threatened (LC).
Animals with status "Disappeared in the Wild" (EW) are one example of human attempts to preserve endangered species. Such animals can only be found in an artificially created environment, which are various zoological institutions. Unfortunately, several of these types have already been given up, because their representatives cannot give birth to offspring and simply live out their last days.
Nature reserves and sanctuaries are one of the most effective ways conservation of endangered animals. There are about 150 nature reserves in our country. In such areas, hunting, tree cutting, and sometimes human presence are prohibited.
In addition, there are also animals whose threat of extinction is simply not assessed for one reason or another. All these criteria are applied in the IUCN Red List.
A species is officially considered extinct when its last representative dies out. There is also a concept functional extinction– all remaining individuals can no longer reproduce, for example due to age or health conditions.
Who was saved from extinction?
Once common throughout North America, today it is a rare bird species. Their number does not exceed 150 individuals.
The condor was a prestigious game for hunters. It got to the point that in 1987 there were only 27 representatives of this species left. Fortunately, they managed to be placed in nature reserves, where they began to multiply quickly.
Most rare view wolves. They lived in the southeastern United States. They were exterminated mainly by farmers, unhappy that red wolves were attacking livestock and birds.
As of 1967, there were 14 representatives of the species left in the world. They were placed in captivity, and today the number of red wolves is 100 individuals.
Back in the 17th century, saigas were one of the most widespread species in Eurasia, but due to humans, their range was narrowed to the relatively small steppe regions of the southern Volga region, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Mongolia.
Because of uncontrolled hunting Saiga antelopes were almost extinct by the beginning of the 19th century. But thanks to timely conservation measures, the population was restored and permission to hunt them again appeared. Their numbers again sharply decreased to a critical state.
Today there are about 50 thousand saigas left in the world. The set of measures to preserve the species includes strict suppression of poaching and ensuring the safety of the protected area.
The reason for the decline in panda numbers was mainly the destruction of their habitat when China's forests were cut down for human settlements and arable land.
Today, areas inhabited by pandas are under strict control and are protected areas. Poaching is punishable by death. However, despite good conditions habitat, the panda population is recovering slowly. Today there are about 500 individuals.
The reasons for its decline are poaching, destruction of natural habitats and erosion of the food supply.
Today, about 550 Amur tigers live in the protected areas of Khabarovsk and Primorsky Krai. It is planned to resettle them in those places where they were exterminated - this will significantly increase the population.
These animals are no larger in size than an ordinary cat. They were well distributed on the islands near California until all eagles there were exterminated in the early 90s. These birds posed no danger to foxes and hunted only fish. The place of the eagles was soon taken golden eagles, who no longer hesitated to hunt foxes, and quickly destroyed almost the entire population.
The remaining foxes began to be raised in captivity until the golden eagles problem was resolved. Today the population has been restored and amounts to 3 thousand individuals.
This is the last representative of wild bulls in Europe. In the wild it completely destroyed by hunters. Fortunately, these animals were still kept in many zoos.
Thanks to the efforts of scientists, today bison have returned to the wild. Their total number is close to 4 thousand individuals.
Conclusion
Despite all the efforts of conservationists, almost a third of species are at risk of extinction. In many ways, this happened because we realized it too late. Official prohibitions today are ignored by poachers who, for the sake of profit, will not hesitate to kill the last elephant or tiger. Much of the blame also lies with the end consumers of the “product” supplied by poachers, who are crazy about possessing the skulls of rare animals, wearing coats made of valuable fur, or rubbing “healing” fats into their skin.
The natural extinction rate (or background rate) shows how quickly plants, mammals, birds and insects would die out if there were no people around. Scientists state that today these species are disappearing almost 1000 times faster than the natural rate, meaning we are losing about 150-200 species every day. About 15% of mammal species and 11% of bird species are listed as threatened.
Bengal tiger
Threat: Poaching for skin and other body parts is the most serious threat. Habitat loss due to human settlement and potential climate change due to rising sea levels are also threatening factors.
Species Information: Population size is less than 2,500 tigers with a declining trend.
Natural Habitat: Mangrove forests of Bangladesh, various national parks and forested areas in India and Nepal, and subtropical foothills of the Himalayas in Bhutan.
Orangutan
Status: Endangered (Borneo), Critically Endangered (Sumatra)
Threat: The main challenges for both species are habitat loss due to over-cutting of trees and habitat modification for agriculture and habitat fragmentation due to road construction. Fires have played a large role in the decline of Borneo's orangutan population. Hunting and trade in animals is also a threat to the species.
Species information: Over the past 75 years, the Sumatra orangutan population is estimated to have declined by more than 80% and continues to decline. Most animals live outside protected areas. Over 60 years, Borneo's orangutan population has declined by more than 50% and is expected to continue to decline.
Habitat: Sumatra orangutans are located in the northern part of the island of Sumatra, Indonesia, most of them live in the province of Aceh. Borneo orangutans are found throughout the island of Borneo, mainly in Sarawak, Malaysia and Kalimantan, Indonesia.
Polar bear
Status: in danger zone
Threat: Due to global climate change, sea ice is rapidly decreasing. This means loss of habitat for polar bears, whose survival depends on the presence of ice. Over 45 years (three generations), the population has decreased by more than 30%. According to some estimates, polar bears will disappear within 100 years. In addition to melting sea ice, there are other factors affecting the population, such as "overpopulation" in Canada and Greenland, poaching in Russia, and pollution (bears are at the top of the food chain, so the effect of pollution is on every link and on them). Oil production in the Arctic is also a serious problem, as it poses the threat of oil spills and increased levels of bear-human contact.
Habitat: Circumpolar Arctic (as far south as sea ice extends), Svalbard Archipelago in Norway and Churchill, Manitoba in Canada.
Western gorilla
Status: in critical zone
Threats: High levels of hunting and poaching, as well as diseases such as Ebola.
Species information: The western gorilla population, which includes the western lowland gorillas (pictured above), is estimated to decline by 80% within three generations (about 66 years) to 2,046 gorillas.
Habitat: The eastern (mountain) gorilla, found in Rwanda, Uganda and Eastern Congo, is critically endangered. The western gorilla can still be found in Cameroon, Central African Republic (CAR), mainland Equatorial Guinea (Rio Muni), Gabon, Nigeria, Republic of Congo and Cabinda (Angola).
Humpback whale
Status: endangered
Threat: Humpback whale numbers have increased since the hunting moratorium, but ongoing threats remain from noise pollution, entanglement in fishing gear, and ship strikes. Within established quotas, they continue to be targets for the whaling industry.
Species information: In 1966, a moratorium on the hunting of humpback whales was introduced after they were classified as endangered, about 90% of the population was destroyed.
Habitat: Off the coasts of Canada, the United States, South America, Australia and New Zealand, whale watching is a popular activity. IN summer time Humpback whales are found in polar regions where they feed and then return to warm waters to produce offspring. They typically migrate 25,000 km.
Sifaka
Status: critically endangered
Threat: Habitat loss due to logging (some of it illegal), arson and hunting are the main threats.
Species Information: The sifaka is a species of the lemur family. The silky sifaka is endangered; as of 2008, there were approximately 250 adults of the species. Perrier's sifaka is also endangered.
Habitat: The sifaka, like all lemurs, exists only in Madagascar.
African lion
Status: vulnerable
Threat: One of the main threats to lions today is retaliatory/deliberate killing to protect human lives and livestock (a common practice is luring lions with poisoned carcasses). Habitat loss, trophy hunting and disease are also threats.
Species Information: There has been a population decline of 30% over the past 20 years (three generations).
Habitat: Most countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
North American grizzly bear
Status: Endangered in the US; special danger in Canada; became extinct in Mexico.
Threat: human settlement and conflicts with humans. Today, bears are endangered in British Columbia's Jumbo Valley due to plans to develop a large ski resort. This region is one of the most important wildlife corridors in North America through which grizzly bears come and go from the Purcell Wildlife Refuge, an area free of human influence.
Species information: After the Yellowstone grizzly bear disappeared in 2007—due to the "effective removal of endangered grizzly bear protections in the Yellowstone National Park area"—the federal government sued to have the bear relisted. Grizzlies were added to the list in 2009.
Habitat: Grizzly bears in North America exist primarily in Alaska, Western Canada, and the northwestern United States.
Giant Galapagos tortoise
Status: vulnerable
Threat: Until recently, the main threat was commercial hunting for museum collections. Today, the biggest threat is predators such as "wild pigs, dogs, cats and black rats." Donkeys, goats and cattle compete with turtles for grazing areas.
Information about the species: In the 19th century, the species' numbers decreased significantly due to the fact that passing ships caught turtles. Between 1811 and 1824, records show that 15,000 turtles were caught by 105 whaling ships. One subspecies, the Pinta Island giant tortoise, is believed to be extinct after the last of the species, Lonesome George, died in captivity earlier this year.
Habitat: Ten of the 15 subspecies exist on the seven Galapagos Islands.
Chimpanzee
Status: endangered
Threat: Chimpanzee decline is due to habitat destruction and modification (farming and logging), poaching (for meat, animal trade, and crop protection), and disease (they are susceptible to human diseases, and as human populations increase, so do numbers human-chimpanzee contacts).
Species Information: The reason for the endangered status of the chimpanzee is the rapid decline in numbers over the past 20-30 years, which will continue for the next 30-40 years.
Habitat: Chimpanzees live "from southern Senegal through the forested north of the Congo River to western Uganda and western Tanzania, from sea level to altitudes of 2800 m."
Rothschild's giraffe
Status: endangered
Threat: agricultural development has become the main reason for the decline in the species' numbers.
Species Information: The Rothschild's giraffe - or Baringo, or Uganda giraffe - is the second most endangered species, along with the West African giraffe. As of 2010, fewer than 670 individuals remained in the wild.
Habitat: The remaining population lives in protected areas in Uganda and Kenya. Captive breeding programs such as the Giraffe Center in Nairobi are looking to increase these numbers.
Hippopotamus
Status: vulnerable
Threat: The main reasons for the decline are exploitation and habitat loss; there is no evidence that these threats will be mitigated in the near future.
Species information: Over the past ten years, the hippopotamus population is estimated to have declined by 7-20%, with an overall decline of 30% predicted over the next 30 years (three generations).
The pygmy hippopotamus, found in West Africa (Sierra Leone, Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire and Liberia) is critically endangered.
Habitat: rivers, lakes and swamps south of the Sahara.
African elephant
Status: vulnerable
Threat: Elephant poaching for ivory is, unfortunately, not a new problem. Earlier this year, the New York Times published an article in which Congolese authorities suspected the Ugandan military of using helicopters to slaughter animals. Historically, armed groups have killed elephants for the purpose of selling ivory to buy weapons and support their causes.
Species Information: Despite poaching, the African elephant's status has been upgraded from Critically Endangered to Vulnerable. While some regional populations are in decline, most are growing at 4% per year. It is believed that the overall effect will be an increase in population. Elephants became regionally extinct in Burundi, Gambia, Mauritania and Swaziland, although they were reintroduced to Swaziland throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
Habitat: They can be found in 37 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
Grevy's zebra
Status: endangered
Threat: The main threats to Grevy's zebra are reduction in available water sources; habitat changes and loss due to increased pastures; competition for resources; diseases.
Species information: The population of Grévy's zebras is thought to have declined by 50% over the past two decades. The species "has undergone one of the most dramatic range reductions of any African mammal."
Habitat: Grevy's zebra can be found in Ethiopia and Kenya.
Cheetah
Status: vulnerable
Threat: habitat loss and fragmentation; clashes with farmers (cheetahs that prey on livestock are considered "pests"); poaching.
Species Information: Current population ranges from 7,500 to 10,000 individuals. Based on 1970 estimates of 15,000 individuals, the population has declined by at least 30% over the past two decades.
Habitat: The vast majority of the remaining population is found in Southern and Eastern Africa. The Asiatic cheetah is found in Iran.
African wild dog
Status: endangered
Threat: Declines are primarily due to human dispersal, habitat loss, and control of predator kills.
Species Information: African wild dogs, which hunt in packs, are very efficient hunters with kill rates of around 80%, compared to 30% for lions and, surprisingly, less than 2% for polar bears. From numbers of over 500,000 in over 39 countries, their populations have declined to numbers between 3,000 and 5,500 in 14 countries.
Habitat: eastern and southern Africa: two large groups in Tanzania (Selous Game Reserve) and northern Botswana/eastern Namibia.
Sloth
Status: from “causes concern” to “critical threat”
Threat: different kinds Sloths suffer from habitat loss due to deforestation, hunting/poaching and illegal animal trade.
Species Information: Critically endangered three-toed sloths are the smallest of all sloths and live on an uninhabited island off the coast of Panama. The three-toed maned sloth is classified as a species of concern and is showing population decline.
Habitat: Sloths live in trees in the jungles of Central and South America.
Rhinoceros
Status: from “endangered” to “critical threat”
Threat: The main threat to all subspecies is poaching. Rhino horn is sold on the black market for ornamental and medicinal purposes. Habitat loss due to soil development for agricultural purposes is also a threat to some species.
Species Information: There are two species in Africa: the White Rhinoceros and the Black Rhinoceros. Black rhinos are listed as critically endangered and their population has declined by almost 98% since 1960. Asian species are the rhinoceroses of Java, Sumatra and India. Of these, the rhinoceroses of Java and Sumatra are critically endangered. As of 2008, there are fewer than 50 adult males of the Javan species remaining; the Sumatra population shows a decline of approximately 80% within three generations (about 60 years)
Habitat: White rhinos are found in South Africa, and Black rhinos are found in Angola, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania and the United Republic of Zimbabwe. Both species have been reintroduced to several other African countries. In Asia, the Indian rhinoceros is found in India and Nepal, the Javan rhinoceros is found in Indonesia and Vietnam, and the Sumatra rhinoceros is found in Indonesia and Malaysia.
Koala
Status: endangered
Threat: spread of people destroying eucalyptus trees, food sources for koalas. In addition, the “nutritional value of remaining eucalyptus trees” is decreasing due to increasing CO2 in the atmosphere, leading to the inclusion of the koala in the list of the 10 most vulnerable species to climate change in the world.
Species information: The koala population is found in Australia. Some populations are declining while others are increasing.
Habitat: Regions in Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia
Magellanic penguin
Status: endangered
Threat: The threat mainly comes from oil pollution (according to 1994 reports, this causes more than 40,000 deaths per year). In addition to this, the fishing industry also plays a big role in the population decline.
Habitat: The Magellanic penguin breeds on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of South America in Chile, Argentina and the Falkland Islands.