From migratory monarch butterflies to cotton-topped marmosets living in Colombian forests to African elephants roaming the savannahs, many of the world's animals are endangered.
1. Cotton-topped marmoset. It lives mainly in a small area in northwestern Colombia where the greatest threat is habitat loss, where deforestation is currently high. The cotton-roofed marmoset was also promoted in 2008 to the IUCN Red List's Critically Endangered Species Level, which indicates a high probability of extinction.
Cotton-topped marmoset
2. Red sea turtle. The most common species of sea turtle in U.S. waters. In recent years, many red sea turtles have suffocated to death after being entangled in bottom nets due to pollution, shrimp trawling operations and changes in nesting areas. This widespread marine population has declined year after year, and the red sea turtle has been considered endangered since 1998 and protected by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Red sea turtles
3. American manatee. Manatees that once roamed the coastal waters of the Caribbean and gulf of Mexico are now illegally poached and sold at high prices because their ribs rival those of ivory. There is also a growing threat from water pollution, fishing and boat collisions. West Indian manatees are now protected by law in all of their habitat.
Underwater manatee
4. Western lowland gorillas
The expansion of agriculture, grazing and human settlements is shrinking the living space of the western lowland gorillas.
Climate change further threatens their habitats as warming temperatures dry out the region, making it more susceptible to the threat of wildfires and forest degradation. The Ebola outbreak, combined with hunting by local tribes, has made it a critically endangered species. [3]
Angry gorillas
5. Komodo Dragon
In 1980, Indonesia established Komodo National Park to protect Komodo dragons and their habitat.
The 700-square-mile sanctuary is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is estimated that only 6,000 Komodo dragons remain, living on Indonesia's Lesser Sunda Islands.
Komodo dragons
6. African elephant
The illegal trafficking of poached ivory is the greatest threat to the survival of african elephants. Before Europeans began colonizing Africa, there could have been as many as 26 million poachers. Seeing that African elephants were on the verge of extinction, nature reserves were set up, and by 1970 that number had dropped to 1.3 million.
African elephant
7. Grey-crowned crane
The Grey-crowned Crane, Uganda's national bird, has striking hard golden feathers and its greatest threat comes from humans who see it as a status symbol, which has led to massive poaching and illegal trade.
Two grey-crowned cranes
8. Sunda pangolin
The Sunda pangolin is on the verge of extinction.
Like pangolins in Asia and elsewhere in Africa, their flesh and scales were poached to the point of extinction, and these scales were used in traditional Chinese medicine, but there is no evidence that they are effective.
Sunda pangolin
9. Okapi
Living in the rainforests of Africa, Okapi is related to giraffes and is the only surviving relative of giraffes. The researchers estimate that the number of okapis has been cut in half over the past 20 years, threatened by environmental destruction and poaching.
Okapi
10. Large-toothed sawfish
The great-toothed sawfish once roamed the warm waters of the world. Today' populations are drastically reduced, and the biggest threat to sawfish is overfishing and entanglement with other megalodons in fishing nets. It is reported that the sawfish can reach a maximum length of about 7 meters. Now sawtooth rays are very rare.
sawfish
11. Ground hornbills
Native to sub-Saharan Africa, the Hornbills are extremely long-lived, making them one of the longest-lived birds in the wild. They have hovered on the brink of extinction as pollution, logging and agriculture have destroyed their habitat.
Ground hornbills
12. White rhinoceros
White rhinos were thought to have become extinct at the end of the 19th century until a small herd was discovered in South Africa in 1895. White rhinos are not aggressive, but when threatened, they can still run at speeds of more than 50 kilometers per hour. Poaching rhino horn is a serious threat to this endangered animal.
White rhino in Kenya National Park
13. Koala
Koalas are Australia's iconic animals. Also like to call it a tree bear
Koalas are nocturnal, have a slow metabolism and require 17-20 hours of sleep per day. Most of the time when awake is spent eating. Koalas, which were hunted and exported in large numbers at the beginning of the last century, plummeted from 1 million to more than 1,000 and are now protected by legislation.
Koalas in the trees
14. Snow leopard
The expansion of human settlements, especially the grazing of livestock, has led to increasing clashes with the big cat.
Herders sometimes kill snow leopards to prevent or retaliate against their predation on livestock. Snow leopards have always been the subject of hunting and hunting. Hunting snow leopards for precious and beautiful fur is currently the biggest threat to the species.
snow leopard
15. The Great Anteaters
Large anteaters have small eyes and ears and poor vision, but their sense of smell is 40 times more sensitive than that of humans. With a long tongue, it can eat 30,000 termites a day. Threats to anteaters include habitat loss and rampant poaching for their fur and flesh. In many areas face localized extinction. The great anteaters have been classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
The great anteater is foraging
Hopefully, our children and grandchildren will see these beautiful animals in the future. All things have a spirit, and without buying and selling, there is no harm. What kind of animal do you think is in urgent need of protection? I would like to hear your opinion, welcome to leave a comment.