Five Endangered Species of Animals

There are many different types of animals that are on the endangered species list. This means that if something is not done, they will become extinct. We must do what we can as a society to ensure that this does not happen by protecting these animals and helping them to survive so that they can reproduce in order to thrive as a species.

The Grey Wolf

This type of wolf once thrived in North America. Unfortunately, it was seen as a threat to both people and farm animals so they were trapped and killed in large numbers. This type of wolf lives predominately in Canada now, and is still on the protected species list. It is encouraged by wildlife conservation organizations that alarm systems and live traps be used to prevent this type of wolf from harming people or other animals.

Giant Panda

The giant panda is native to China. However, due to expansion of human civilization, much of their territory has become settlement for human population forcing these gentle giants into the forests that lye at high elevation levels. There are approximately only 1,500 giant pandas in China today, with another 250 in captivity. They breed at a slow rate which is one cub every two years for a female in their prime. Due to this, they are having a hard time repopulating at a fast enough rate to keep their species thriving.

Javan Rhinoceros

As the name implies, this type of rhino is native to Java, Indonesia. It is listed as critically endangered due to the fact that there are only 40 to 45 living Javan rhinos today. Although the area where they live in Indonesia is protected, there are none in captivity which could lead the species to die off if a natural disaster was to plaque the land where they live. These rhino’s became extinct due to hunters killing them for their single horn which is considered highly valuable in the region.

Black Rhinoceros

This species of rhino is native to Africa. There are laws in place to protect this endangered species, although the laws do not always do what they should due to the high price tag associated with black rhino's horns. Poachers are often not caught, leading to a drastic decrease in the amount of black rhino’s left in population. There are around 3,000 black rhinos alive today. Unfortunately, if something is not done to stop these beautiful animals from being hunted, the species could soon become extinct.

Manatee

The manatee is a large mammal that lives in the ocean primarily off of the coast of Florida. These gentle creatures have slowly died off due to humans inhabiting the land and causing a decay of their living environment. The manatee is also affected by speed boats in the area and flood gates where they can become stuck and killed. This gentle giant is also known as the sea cow due to its large size.