5 Species On The Brink Of Extinction
We know what global warming, the destruction of the ozone layer, climate change are and how they act … but we do not usually put a face on those most affected by human actions: animals. These five species on the brink of extinction will not get a second chance unless we drastically change our relationship with the environment.
The black rhinoceros, one of the species on the brink of extinction
At the beginning of the 20th century, there could be between five and six daily deaths of black rhinoceros specimens (photo that opens this article). European colonizers and their particular love of hunting decimated the population of this species, which never recovered, adding the rhino to the list of species on the brink of extinction.
In 2011, hunting black rhinos to sell their horns on the black market led the Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to declare on its Red List that this species was ‘officially extinct’. Despite this, a zoo in the Czech Republic has managed to have two young in captivity.
The extraordinary vaquita porpoise
With a scientific name Phocoena sinus , the vaquita porpoise is the rarest cetacean on the planet. Discovered just 60 years ago, it is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List as endangered.
In 2015, the population of the vaquita porpoise was reduced to 97 specimens. In 2017, the population suffered a decrease of 67%, and today we have fewer than 40 specimens worldwide. Unethical fishing techniques, as well as the contamination of its natural habitat, are some of the factors that have led the species to be practically extinct.
The Amur leopard, the rarest cat on the planet
An investigation carried out by a group of Soviet scientists determined that at the end of the 20th century there were only 30 specimens left in the wild worldwide. The leopard, a native of the Russian taiga, began to recover only 10 years ago thanks to local recovery initiatives for the species.
According to the Leopards of the Far East and WWF Russia organizations, today we have more than 90 leopards in the wild. This animal, capable of reaching 60 km / h, can once again run freely through its territory if we manage to keep current conservation initiatives afloat.
The South China Tiger and Poaching
In 1950 it was estimated that the population of these tigers exceeded 4,000 specimens. Years of indiscriminate hunting later, only about 80 individuals survive. Regulations around the marketing of tiger bones have undergone several changes in the last decade: at the end of 2018, the Chinese government came close to re-legalizing the marketing of tiger bones.
After protests from the international community, China decided to postpone the measure until it could analyze its impact on the country’s tiger population. Although for now the ban remains in force, there are fears for the survival of this species.
The Sumatran elephant, another species on the brink of extinction
The ecological organization WWF estimates that this species of elephant is about to disappear completely. Reports from the IUCN, which add this elephant to its Red List of Threatened Species, declare that 85% of its habitat is in danger of being completely destroyed.
The diet and lifestyle of this elephant are essential to maintaining the Indonesian forest ecosystem. Its disappearance could have irreparable consequences for the flora of this country, but also for other endangered species – such as the Sumatran rhinoceros – that live with the elephant in peace and harmony within their ecosystem.
