Talking with people of different generations can be quite an experience. When you talk to older generations, they talk about things that you’ve only read about. And younger generations can’t even wrap their heads around the whole “the internet didn’t exist” concept let alone anything else you share with them.
What about the different species of animals that we know and love, though?
When we go to the zoo, we may have the opportunity to interact with lions, tigers, elephants, and more. We take photos and we talk about these animals and our love for them.
What if some of our favorite animals are no longer around for the next generation?
We’ve grown up hearing about how some animals once existed – but since we never laid eyes on them, we only assume that they were once around. This includes everything from the Woolly Mammoth to the Dodo Bird.
Now, we are facing even more animals that are on the endangered list. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), there are over 41,000 species that are under the threat of extinction. And most likely, you’ve never even heard of half of the species on the list.
Unfortunately, there are quite a few that you most certainly have heard of.
The World Wildlife Federation has identified 10 of the most endangered species. What this means is that if something isn’t done (and fast) to protect these animals, they could be gone in a matter of years. If the animals fail to reproduce, the last living ones are it – and if they don’t fail to reproduce consistently, they won’t be around for the next generation.
So, what animals are on the list?
– Javan rhinos
– Black rhinos
– Amur leopard
– Sunda Island tiger
– Mountain gorillas
– Tapanuli Orangutan
– Sumatran Orangutan
– Yangtze Finless porpoise
– African forest elephant
– Hawksbill turtles
These animals span the planet, and many are already living in captivity as a way to protect the species.
As for why they’re endangered, it can vary from accidental capture to poaching to logging and expanding infrastructure.
I don’t know about you, but I can’t imagine what the zoos would look like if many of these animals simply cease to exist.
