July 11, 2012

Lists of endangered species become available daily, yet sometimes we don’t know what to do with such information. This time, read about which species are in bigger need of being salvaged, and what you can do about it from home.

Humans are animals of adaptation. We have been known to survive hostile environments, and reconfigure our lifestyle when big changes take place. However, in doing so, we often forget about the millions of species that have the same right to be on this Earth as we do, but instead are disappearing right before our eyes.

These are just ten – out of many – endangered species all across the world, according to All About Wildlife.com, and a few easy steps to take in order to reverse their extinction.

10. Kakapo Parrot

The Kakapo Parrot is the world’s heaviest parrot, weighing up to 9 pounds. It is also the only flightless parrot, and the only nocturnal one, according to All About Wildlife.com. Native to New Zealand, this bird has been driven to extinction by human-introduced invasive predators, such as rats and cats. Today, less than 150 Kakapos remain. Conservationists have named almost all of them. To help preserve the Kakapo parrot, click here and become involved with the Kakapo Recovery Program.

Photo Credit: Flickr / Department of Conservation

9. Chinese Giant Salamander

The world’s largest amphibian, Chinese giant salamanders can grow up to 6 feet, and used to be common in central, southwestern and southern China. Exploitation as a food source has decreased its population to the point that it almost disappeared in the last 30 years. It lives in cool streams, where it lays its 500 eggs in August. It reproduces at a speed that should save the salamander from extinction, but its habitat’s destruction has been so massive that only few individuals survive. To help preserve the Chinese Giant Salamander, click here and become involved with the Evolutionarily Distinct & Globally Endangered conservation organization (EDGE).

Photo Credit: Flickr / afagen

8. Siberian Tiger

The world’s largest cat, Siberian tigers live mainly in eastern Russia, and some in China and North Korea. Only between 400 and 500 individuals are still alive, according to National Geographic. Hunting has been their biggest threat, crumbling their population down to 40 in 1930, before the species was protected. However, illegal hunting and habitat loss from logging and development remain problematic for the tigers. To help preserve the Siberian tiger, click here and become involved with the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) tiger campaign.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Cburnett

7. Leatherback Sea Turtle

The world’s biggest turtle also has the largest range of any species, according to All About Wildlife.com. It is known to swim from the tropics to the sub-polar regions. But its populations have been dramatically in decline since 1982, threatened by egg theft by humans, illegal hunting and nesting-habitat loss due to beach development. Climate change and contamination also affect their decline. Rising temperatures erode the beaches, and their habitat, and they often mistake plastic and other trash for food. In 1982 there were 115,000 adult female leatherback turtles, but only 14 years later their numbers had fallen to 20,000. The largest leatherback ever found was 8.5 feet long, weighing 2,020 pounds, according to National Geographic. To help preserve the Leatherback Sea turtle, click here and become involved with the Sea Turtle Conservancy.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Ryan Somma

6. Western Lowland Gorilla

This species is considered endangered mainly because its populations have declined over 60 percent in the past 25 years. There are two kinds of Lowland gorillas in West Africa: the Western Lowland (most numerous of the four gorilla subspecies, with over 90,000 wild individuals), and the Cross River gorilla (only a few hundred remain), according to All About Wildlife.com. Habitat loss and poaching pressure are the biggest threats to Western Lowland gorillas, according to WWF. This is a problem particularly in the forests of Congo (Brazzaville), where the major population lives, protected by its remoteness and arduous environment. These gorillas like swampy forests. To help preserve the Western Lowland gorilla, click here and adopt one through WWF, or learn about other ways to contribute.

Photo Credit: Flickr / Cynr

5. Northern Right Whale

Around 350 Northern Right whales live in the Atlantic coasts of U.S and Canada. During the 19th century, whalers called this whale “right” because it was the right one to kill, according to All About Wildlife.com. Its oil was very valuable, but its ability to float after dead is what really appealed to the whalers. They are very easy to collect, handle and process. This drove them nearly to extinction. The species is officially protected, but remains threatened by entanglements in commercial fishing gear as, “Whales drown after becoming wrapped in nets, lines and other equipment,” All About Wildlife.com states. These whales are also threatened by global climate change, which affects the availability of the crustaceans they feed on. To help preserve the Northern Right whale, click here and become involved with the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, and their Northern Right Whale conservation project. You may also adopt a whale through the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.

Photo Credit: NOAA Fisheries, Office of Protected Resources

4. Greater Bamboo Lemur

Popular creatures of Madagascar, the Greater Bamboo lemur is also known as the broad-nose gentle lemur, according to The Nature Conservancy. Less than 100 remain in the southeastern African island, threatened by illegal hunting and habitat loss due to logging and burning of forests. It is one of few mammals that feed on bamboo with expertise. Because it depends solely on this source of food, it is a sedentary species. This also makes it difficult for it to adapt to a rapidly changing environment, such as the rainforest it inhabits. To help preserve the Greater Bamboo lemur, click here and become involved with EDGE.

Photo Credit: Flickr/wallygrom

3. Javan Rhinoceros

The most endangered out of the world’s five rhinoceros’, only 40 to 60 species remain in Java, Indonesia. The good news is that they inhabit the protected Ujung Kulon Tien National Park, but the bad news is that even the national park cannot prevent fully the presence and actions of poachers.Their horn is what attracts poachers in the first place, since it is used to make Asian folk medicines, according to All About Wildlife.com. This is the main cause of their extinction. To help preserve the Javan rhinoceros, click here and become involved with Saving Rhinos.org. You may also adopt a Javan Rhino through the World Wildlife Fund.

Photo Credit: The Rhino Resource Center

2. Amur Leopard

Only 30 to 35 wild Amur leopards remain in eastern Russia’s Primorye region and between 4 and 7 in northeast China, making it the world’s most endangered cat. Although 150 are known to be in captivity, only 12 of them are purebreds. According to Amur Leopard.org, its disappearance is mainly from habitat destruction by wildfires; intensive logging and clear cutting; poaching of hares, roe and sika deer leaves the leopard without prey; and poaching of Amur leopards, since its coat and bones are of high market value. To help preserve the Amur leopard, click here and become involved with ALTA Amur Leopard Conservation.

Photo Credit: ALTA Amur Leopard Conservation

1. Ivory-Billed Woodpecker

One of the world’s largest woodpeckers, this bird was abundant in the swampy forests of the southeastern and lower Mississippi valley states. In 2004 it was believed to be extinct, however new evidence proved very few are still living in the U.S. and Cuba. The number of living species remains unknown. They are easily recognizable due to their size – they average 20 inches in length – and red or black feathered pointy heads. The ivory-bill is also known as Lord God Bird, because people would say, “Lord God, what a bird!,” according to The Nature Conservancy. Deforestation and changes in their habitat have driven them to almost extinction. To help preserve the Ivory-Billed woodpecker, click here and become involved with The Nature Conservancy.

Photo Credit: Flickr /ecoagriculture partners

It’s sad to see such creatures become less and less known on Earth. Pitch in and do what you can to preserve these beautiful animals.

-Alexandra Gyarfas