Endangered Species.By. Emily and Erica.

Endangered Species. Humans are one type of animal species, mammals. Endangered means that there are very few of a

species left. Animals species are becoming extinct because of

human hunting. Some of the species that have gone extinct are the do-

do bird, steller’s seacow, the passenger pigeon, and

the great auk. Scientists estimate that there are about 30 million

different kinds of species. Today fewer than 1,500 grey wolves remain on earth.

Why Save Species. The worlds supply of coal, oil, and natural gas

will eventually be used up so fuel from plants and trees may be the wave of the future.

Rice husks, corn stacks, straw, tumble weed, and coconut shells can be burned and used for fuel.

A single brown bat can eat 1,000 mosquitos in an hour.

Why Endangered? Animals become endangered because of pollution hunting, or

the destruction of their habitats. Many animals loose their homes and sources of food too,

because people are cutting down forests for farm lands and houses.

The European otter and the dugong are endangered because of pollution and hunting.

Giant pandas are going extinct because people are clearing away their bamboo tree’s.

Hunting/fishing has made sea turtles endangered because fishers are catching shrimp, crab, and fish that the sea turtles eat.

Nearly one million African elephants were killed in the 1980’s for there ivory (used to make jewelry).

Two sides for every issue. Cutting down trees for human use are

making the spotted owl endangered. People are clearing out forests to build

farmlands which is causing certain animals to become endangered.

Success Not all animals on the endangered list become extinct. Koalas are one of the species that almost became

extinct. Actress Brigitte Bardot and super model Christy

Turlington helped save cheetahs and leopards from almost going extinct.

Quaggas had roamed the plains of southern Africa until August 12th,1883 when the last Quagga died in the Amsterdam Zoo.

People have changed their attitudes against buying shoes and bags made of crocodile skins, the endangered spectacled caiman may yet survive.

Zoos, Reserves, National Parks. There was once over 65,000 black rhino’s, because of

zoo’s and reserves, but now there are only 2,000 left, because of poachers.

The Chinese government recently established reserves in attempt to protect the Giant Panda.

Starting in 1970, refuges in India have protected their tigers.

At one point there was over 60 million American Bison used to live on Prairies. Then there were 300. Yellowstone and Wood Buffalo National Parks helped raise the population up to 100,000.

51 years ago there were only 21 whopping cranes. Today there are over 200.

Endangered, and why. Blue spotted salamander- pollution. Black footed ferret- killing of prey (prairie

dogs) Ruffed Lemur- loss of habitat, hunting,

and capture. Gouldain Finch- disease and capture. Pileated Gibbon- loss of habitat, hunting Jaguar- loss of habitat. Resplentent- loss of habitat, capture.

Image… Image a world without these

endangered creatures, wouldn’t it be a lot less interesting, beautiful, diverse, colorful, inspiring, and majestic? Do what you can to help save endangered species!

Resource: KIDS DISCOVER Endangered Species June/July 1995 Volume 5, Issue 6

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