It feels good to think of a time when we did not use the word ‘endangered’. There were no categories of animals like threatened, endangered or extinct. There were just animals. At this moment, there are hundreds of animals in these categories. Thus, it is important to spread awareness in children about taking care of animals, plants and nature.

What are endangered Animals?

Endangered animals are animals that may not exist in the future. In other words, they will become extinct if not saved. It happens due to human or natural acts. Humans hunted Dodos and they became extinct. Dinosaurs became extinct due to other natural causes. Now climate change is a major threat to endangered animals. Since they will be long gone, we will lose a chance to see and admire them. Also, it hurts the ecosystem and other animals and plants also suffer. One out of five species, whether plants or animals, become extinct due to natural causes every year. However, as per predictions, by 2050 around one million species of plants and animals will be lost due to man-made causes.

What is Endangered Species?

Endangered species are animals that belong to a specific group or species. For e.g., frogs, wolves and tigers all belong to different species. Now that you know about species, let’s look at some of the endangered species out there.

1. Rhinos

Rhinos are native to Asia and Africa. Humans poach these powerful animals for their horns that are used to make medicine in Asia. It’s sad but true that humans have killed almost 94% of rhinos.

2. Tigers

Tigers are also on this list due to man-made reasons. These majestic animals need a large amount of space to live and hunt. But we have cut so many forests that tigers often come in contact with humans with fatal results for both. Other than that, humans also kill tigers for pelts, teeth and bones.

3. African Wild Dog

Are you a bit surprised to see dogs included here? Well, all animals are precious but these are African wild dogs that live in Sub-Saharan Africa. They are much taller than normal dog breeds and have black, brown and white fur. Less than 5000 of these beautiful animals remain as they have been hunted by the local people.

4. Gold Lion Tamarins

The golden lion tamarin, despite its name, is a monkey. It is also known as the golden marmoset. These are small with less than 1 kg weight and have bright red fur and hairless feet. Here is an endangered animal fact for you. Golden lion tamarins were less than 200 in 1970’s but today there are nearly 1000 of them in the wild. It’s not a high number but is still more than 200. And efforts are going on to protect them.

5. Axolotl

This unique-looking animal is a salamander found in Mexico. Just like frogs, they can live both on water and dry surface. It looks like a cross between a fish and a lizard. This is due to the presence of the outer gills that stick out from both sides of its heads. These alien-looking creatures can heal themselves and also grow back lost limbs. Axolotls are only found in Lakes Xochimilco and Chalco in central Mexico. Lake Chalco has dried out and Lake Xochimilco is reduced to a polluted canal. Unless protected, Axolotls may soon become extinct.

6. Amur Leopard

Amur Leopards are a sub-species of leopards that are found in Russia and China. These leopards live in freezing weather. Their fur is thicker and their legs longer than an average leopard. These features help them survive the harsh cold. These beautiful animals are on the endangered list due to human causes. Forests were cut down in the name of growth which destroyed their natural habitat. Poachers also kill them for their beautiful fur. A worrying endangered animal fact! As of now only fewer than 70 Amur leopards are alive.

7. Galápagos Penguins

Galápagos penguins as per their name live on the Galápagos Islands. They are the only penguin species that lives north of the equator. These cuties are also known as “little penguins” as they are the second smallest penguins on earth. Due to climate change and pollution, nearly 60% of them were lost. If we start polluting less, maybe we can help them survive.

8. Whooping Crane

Whooping cranes are found in North America and are the tallest bird in the continent. It is named due to its extremely loud whooping call. This imposing bird is a treat to watch. It has long legs and a long elegant neck with amazing white feathers. As of now, there are only about 250 of them in the wild. They are endangered due to overhunting, drought, habitat loss and colliding with the power lines.

Also Read : Inspiring Children’s Books to Make Them Aware of Nature’s Wonders

This is not a total list of endangered animals. We have only discussed a few animals here. There are thousands and maybe millions more on the list. That is if we include bugs, plants and microbes too. Maybe we will discuss more in some other topic. Let’s move on to IUCN Red List now. IUCN tries to find out the endangered species and lists them so efforts are made to save them.

IUCN Red List

The IUCN Red List was first created in 1963. It provides a list of animals and plants species that may become extinct from all over the world. It uses specific criteria to evaluate and find this out. Species are divided into 9 groups as per the decline in their numbers. These groups are as follows:

1. Extinct

2. Extinct in the wild (But found as captive )

3. Critically endangered

4. Endangered

5. Vulnerable

6. Near-threatened

7. Least concern

8. Data deficient

9. Not evaluated (these are species that have not been studied yet)

What Animals are Extinct? 

Extinct animals means those that do not exist now. The last of their kind has died. Some examples include Sabretooths, Mammoths, Dinosaurs, Dodo, terror birds and the Tasmanian wolf.

What does “Extinct in the Wild” Mean?

Extinct in the wild means that animals declared so are only found living in captivity, zoos or in shelters. They are not found in the wild anymore.

Why Do Animals Become Endangered?

The most important endangered animal fact! Humans are a major cause of animals becoming endangered. Their greed for money, land and resources are the biggest reason for this issue. Let’s have a look at some of the ways humans have done this.

1. Poaching and Hunting

Hunting and poaching got Dodos and Tasmanian devils extinct. Even now Blue Whales, rhinos, tigers, lynx and thousands of other animals are killed every day so people can sell their horns, oil and furs.

2. Habitat Loss

Humans clear rain forests, lakes and other natural habitats by thousands of acres every day. This is done to get more farmland, build towns and cities and get timber. Due to this, we are taking away the natural homes and food of the animals. This makes it difficult for them to survive. The poor animals come out of these limited areas in search of food and are killed by humans as they consider them a threat.

3. Pollution

Pollution is a major problem for humans now but has affected wildlife from the start. All types of pollution, whether air, water, soil or sound pollution harms animals, plants and fishes. The result is their becoming endangered.

4. Global warming

Global warming is the sum total of all the above. It is affecting us as well the whole earth. Due to the rise in temperature, many species of plants, animals and microbes are at high risk. Some examples include snow leopards, coral reefs, polar bears, hawksbill turtles etc.

How can You Help Save Endangered Animals? 

There are a number of things, we and you together can do to help endangered animals. It is the small but joint efforts that bring results. Here are some of the ways you can help with this cause.

1. Plant trees. Make sure to plant the native species of trees as they will provide shelter and food to the wildlife of your area.

2. Use only organic manure. Ask your parents not to get chemical urea.

3. Close the dust bins. Make sure not to use plastic. Animals eat them and suffer. If you have to use plastic, dispose it in separate bins.

4. Save water. Water is precious and scarce now.

5. Donate to charities that help endangered animals. Support them on social media too.

6. Write letters and emails to newspapers and other media voicing these concerns.

7. Write letters to politicians and leaders. Ask them to double their efforts for animal safety.

8. Support wildlife parks.

9. Contact the Forest department if you see wild animals like snakes in your house.

10. Help a wounded animal if you see one. If possible, take them to an animal doctor nearby.

This is not a complete list. You can also find your ways to help the animals.

Conclusion

So, these are some of the endangered animal facts for children and adults alike. These animals need your help. If you decide to follow the above pointers and also do something on your own, you will be able to make a huge difference. So, go ahead, and start protecting animals from this moment itself.

Also Read : Benefits of Environmental Education for Kids

It feels good to think of a time when we did not use the word ‘endangered’. There were no categories of animals like threatened, endangered or extinct. There were just animals. At this moment, there are hundreds of animals in these categories. Thus, it is important to spread awareness in children about taking care of animals, plants and nature.

What are endangered Animals?

Endangered animals are animals that may not exist in the future. In other words, they will become extinct if not saved. It happens due to human or natural acts. Humans hunted Dodos and they became extinct. Dinosaurs became extinct due to other natural causes. Now climate change is a major threat to endangered animals. Since they will be long gone, we will lose a chance to see and admire them. Also, it hurts the ecosystem and other animals and plants also suffer. One out of five species, whether plants or animals, become extinct due to natural causes every year. However, as per predictions, by 2050 around one million species of plants and animals will be lost due to man-made causes.

What is Endangered Species?

Endangered species are animals that belong to a specific group or species. For e.g., frogs, wolves and tigers all belong to different species. Now that you know about species, let’s look at some of the endangered species out there.

1. Rhinos

Rhinos are native to Asia and Africa. Humans poach these powerful animals for their horns that are used to make medicine in Asia. It’s sad but true that humans have killed almost 94% of rhinos.

2. Tigers

Tigers are also on this list due to man-made reasons. These majestic animals need a large amount of space to live and hunt. But we have cut so many forests that tigers often come in contact with humans with fatal results for both. Other than that, humans also kill tigers for pelts, teeth and bones.

3. African Wild Dog

Are you a bit surprised to see dogs included here? Well, all animals are precious but these are African wild dogs that live in Sub-Saharan Africa. They are much taller than normal dog breeds and have black, brown and white fur. Less than 5000 of these beautiful animals remain as they have been hunted by the local people.

4. Gold Lion Tamarins

The golden lion tamarin, despite its name, is a monkey. It is also known as the golden marmoset. These are small with less than 1 kg weight and have bright red fur and hairless feet. Here is an endangered animal fact for you. Golden lion tamarins were less than 200 in 1970’s but today there are nearly 1000 of them in the wild. It’s not a high number but is still more than 200. And efforts are going on to protect them.

5. Axolotl

This unique-looking animal is a salamander found in Mexico. Just like frogs, they can live both on water and dry surface. It looks like a cross between a fish and a lizard. This is due to the presence of the outer gills that stick out from both sides of its heads. These alien-looking creatures can heal themselves and also grow back lost limbs. Axolotls are only found in Lakes Xochimilco and Chalco in central Mexico. Lake Chalco has dried out and Lake Xochimilco is reduced to a polluted canal. Unless protected, Axolotls may soon become extinct.

6. Amur Leopard

Amur Leopards are a sub-species of leopards that are found in Russia and China. These leopards live in freezing weather. Their fur is thicker and their legs longer than an average leopard. These features help them survive the harsh cold. These beautiful animals are on the endangered list due to human causes. Forests were cut down in the name of growth which destroyed their natural habitat. Poachers also kill them for their beautiful fur. A worrying endangered animal fact! As of now only fewer than 70 Amur leopards are alive.

7. Galápagos Penguins

Galápagos penguins as per their name live on the Galápagos Islands. They are the only penguin species that lives north of the equator. These cuties are also known as “little penguins” as they are the second smallest penguins on earth. Due to climate change and pollution, nearly 60% of them were lost. If we start polluting less, maybe we can help them survive.

8. Whooping Crane

Whooping cranes are found in North America and are the tallest bird in the continent. It is named due to its extremely loud whooping call. This imposing bird is a treat to watch. It has long legs and a long elegant neck with amazing white feathers. As of now, there are only about 250 of them in the wild. They are endangered due to overhunting, drought, habitat loss and colliding with the power lines.

Also Read : Inspiring Children’s Books to Make Them Aware of Nature’s Wonders

This is not a total list of endangered animals. We have only discussed a few animals here. There are thousands and maybe millions more on the list. That is if we include bugs, plants and microbes too. Maybe we will discuss more in some other topic. Let’s move on to IUCN Red List now. IUCN tries to find out the endangered species and lists them so efforts are made to save them.

IUCN Red List

The IUCN Red List was first created in 1963. It provides a list of animals and plants species that may become extinct from all over the world. It uses specific criteria to evaluate and find this out. Species are divided into 9 groups as per the decline in their numbers. These groups are as follows:

1. Extinct

2. Extinct in the wild (But found as captive )

3. Critically endangered

4. Endangered

5. Vulnerable

6. Near-threatened

7. Least concern

8. Data deficient

9. Not evaluated (these are species that have not been studied yet)

What Animals are Extinct? 

Extinct animals means those that do not exist now. The last of their kind has died. Some examples include Sabretooths, Mammoths, Dinosaurs, Dodo, terror birds and the Tasmanian wolf.

What does “Extinct in the Wild” Mean?

Extinct in the wild means that animals declared so are only found living in captivity, zoos or in shelters. They are not found in the wild anymore.

Why Do Animals Become Endangered?

The most important endangered animal fact! Humans are a major cause of animals becoming endangered. Their greed for money, land and resources are the biggest reason for this issue. Let’s have a look at some of the ways humans have done this.

1. Poaching and Hunting

Hunting and poaching got Dodos and Tasmanian devils extinct. Even now Blue Whales, rhinos, tigers, lynx and thousands of other animals are killed every day so people can sell their horns, oil and furs.

2. Habitat Loss

Humans clear rain forests, lakes and other natural habitats by thousands of acres every day. This is done to get more farmland, build towns and cities and get timber. Due to this, we are taking away the natural homes and food of the animals. This makes it difficult for them to survive. The poor animals come out of these limited areas in search of food and are killed by humans as they consider them a threat.

3. Pollution

Pollution is a major problem for humans now but has affected wildlife from the start. All types of pollution, whether air, water, soil or sound pollution harms animals, plants and fishes. The result is their becoming endangered.

4. Global warming

Global warming is the sum total of all the above. It is affecting us as well the whole earth. Due to the rise in temperature, many species of plants, animals and microbes are at high risk. Some examples include snow leopards, coral reefs, polar bears, hawksbill turtles etc.

How can You Help Save Endangered Animals? 

There are a number of things, we and you together can do to help endangered animals. It is the small but joint efforts that bring results. Here are some of the ways you can help with this cause.

1. Plant trees. Make sure to plant the native species of trees as they will provide shelter and food to the wildlife of your area.

2. Use only organic manure. Ask your parents not to get chemical urea.

3. Close the dust bins. Make sure not to use plastic. Animals eat them and suffer. If you have to use plastic, dispose it in separate bins.

4. Save water. Water is precious and scarce now.

5. Donate to charities that help endangered animals. Support them on social media too.

6. Write letters and emails to newspapers and other media voicing these concerns.

7. Write letters to politicians and leaders. Ask them to double their efforts for animal safety.

8. Support wildlife parks.

9. Contact the Forest department if you see wild animals like snakes in your house.

10. Help a wounded animal if you see one. If possible, take them to an animal doctor nearby.

This is not a complete list. You can also find your ways to help the animals.

Conclusion

So, these are some of the endangered animal facts for children and adults alike. These animals need your help. If you decide to follow the above pointers and also do something on your own, you will be able to make a huge difference. So, go ahead, and start protecting animals from this moment itself.

Also Read : Benefits of Environmental Education for Kids