An endangered species is a population of an organism which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters. An endangered species is usually a taxonomic species, but may be another evolutionary significant unit. Only a few of the many species at risk of extinction actually make it to the lists and obtain legal protection. Many more species become extinct, or potentially will become extinct, without gaining public notice.
Extinct: the last remaining member of the species has died, or is presumed beyond reasonable doubt to have died. Examples: Thylacine, Dodo, Passenger Pigeon
Extinct in the wild: captive individuals survive, but there is no free-living, natural population. Examples:South China Tiger, Alagoas Curassow
Critically endangered: faces an extremely high risk of extinction in the immediate future. Examples: Arakan Forest Turtle, Javan Rhino, Brazilian Merganser
Endangered: faces a very high risk of extinction in the near future. Examples: Blue Whale, Snow Leopard, African Wild dog, Tiger, Albatross, Crowned Solitary Eagle
Vulnerable: faces a high risk of extinction in the medium-term. Examples: Cheetah, Gaur, Lion, Wolverine
Conservation Dependent: The following animal is not severely threatened, but the animal must depend on conservation programs. Examples: Spotted Hyena, Leopard Shark, Black Caiman
Near Threatened: may be considered threatened in the near future. Examples: Blue-billed Duck, Solitary Eagle, Small-clawed Otter , Maned Wolf
Least Concern: no immediate threat to the survival of the species. Examples: Brown Rat, Nootka Cypress, Wood Pigeon
Extinct
Thylacine
The Thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus, Latin: wolf-headed pouched dog) was the largest known carnivorous marsupial of modern times. Native to Australia and New Guinea, it is thought to have become extinct in the 20th century. It is commonly known as the Tasmanian Tiger (because of its striped back), the Tasmanian Wolf, and colloquially the Tassie (or Tazzy) Tiger or simply the Tiger. It was the last extant member of its genus, Thylacinus, although several related species have been found in the fossil record dating back to the early Miocene.
The dodo
The dodo (Raphus cucullatus) was a flightless bird endemic to the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius. Related to pigeons and doves, it stood about a meter tall, weighing about 20 kilograms (44 lb), living on fruit and nesting on the ground.
The dodo has been extinct since the mid-to-late 17th century. It is commonly used as the archetype of an extinct species because its extinction occurred during recorded human history, and was directly attributable to human activity.
The adjective phrase "as dead as a dodo" means undoubtedly and unquestionably dead. The phrase "to go the way of the dodo" means to become extinct or obsolete, to fall out of common usage or practice, or to become a thing of the past
The South China tiger or South Chinese tiger
Critically endangered
Arakan Forest Turtle
The Arakan Forest Turtle (Heosemys depressa) is an extremely rare turtle species which lives only in the Arakan hills of western Myanmar.
The Arakan Forest Turtle was believed extinct (last seen in 1908), but in 1994 was rediscovered when a few specimens turned up in Asian food markets. Like most Asian turtles, it is collected yearly as a food source or for "medical cures." Only a handful of these turtles are in captivity, and their status in the wild, which is dubious at best, is listed as critical.
"The animals seem to be extremely difficult to establish in captivity," said Peter Paul van Dijk, director of the tortoise and freshwater turtle program for Conservation International. There are only 12 Arakan Forest Turtles in captivity in the United States -- at Zoo Atlanta, the St. Louis Zoo, the Miami Metro Zoo and River Banks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, South Carolina.
In May 2007 Zoo Atlanta, the only Arakan Forest turtle breeding facility in the world, announced the successful hatched of their fourth hatchling to have been born there in the last six years. They also announced that there is another egg near hatching, and two additional hatchlings did not survive. Arakan Forest turtles only mate once a year, and the eggs take 100 days to hatch.
The Brazilian Merganser, Mergus octosetaceus, is a typical merganser.
This is a dark, slender duck with a long crest. It has a dark hood with petroleum-green sheen, a pale grey breast and dark grey upperparts. It has a long, bushy hindcrest usually worn and shorter in females.
Their breeding habitat is shallow, fast-flowing rivers in south-central Brazil. They nest in tree-cavities and possibly rock-cavities. They mainly eat fish, small eels, insect larvae, dobson flies (Corydalis sp.) and snails.
This species is critically endangered. Numbers have reduced due to polluted rivers caused by forest clearance and agriculture. The current population is estimated at less than 250 adult birds.
The African wild dog
Vulnerable
The gaur (Bos gaurus, previously Bibos gauris) is a large, dark-coated bovine animal of South Asia and Southeast Asia. The biggest populations are found today in India. It is also called seladang or in context with safari tourism Indian bison, although this is technically incorrect. The gaur is the largest species of wild cattle, bigger even than the Cape Buffalo, water buffalo and Bison. The domesticated form of the gaur is called gayal or mithun.
The Spotted Hyena, or Laughing Hyena
The black caiman (Melanosuchus niger) is a crocodilian. It is a carnivorous reptile that lives along slow-moving rivers and lakes, in the seasonally flooded savannas of the Amazon basin, and in other freshwater habitats in South America. Once common, it was hunted to near extinction primarily for its commercially valuable hide. It is now listed as Conservation Dependent.
The Oriental Small-clawed Otter
IUCN Red List Endangered species
Endangered species under the IUCN Red List refers to a specific category of threatened species, and may include critically endangered species.
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species uses the term endangered species as a specific category of imperilment, rather than as a general term. Under the IUCN Categories and Criteria, endangered species is between critically endangered and vulnerable. Also critically endangered species may also be counted as endangered species and fill all the criteria
The more general term used by the IUCN for species at risk of extinction is threatened species, which also includes the less-at-risk category of vulnerable species together with endangered and critically endangered.
IUCN categories include:
Extinct: the last remaining member of the species has died, or is presumed beyond reasonable doubt to have died. Examples: Thylacine, Dodo, Passenger Pigeon
Extinct in the wild: captive individuals survive, but there is no free-living, natural population. Examples:South China Tiger, Alagoas Curassow
Critically endangered: faces an extremely high risk of extinction in the immediate future. Examples: Arakan Forest Turtle, Javan Rhino, Brazilian Merganser
Endangered: faces a very high risk of extinction in the near future. Examples: Blue Whale, Snow Leopard, African Wild dog, Tiger, Albatross, Crowned Solitary Eagle
Vulnerable: faces a high risk of extinction in the medium-term. Examples: Cheetah, Gaur, Lion, Wolverine
Conservation Dependent: The following animal is not severely threatened, but the animal must depend on conservation programs. Examples: Spotted Hyena, Leopard Shark, Black Caiman
Near Threatened: may be considered threatened in the near future. Examples: Blue-billed Duck, Solitary Eagle, Small-clawed Otter , Maned Wolf
Least Concern: no immediate threat to the survival of the species. Examples: Brown Rat, Nootka Cypress, Wood Pigeon
Extinct
Thylacine
The Thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus, Latin: wolf-headed pouched dog) was the largest known carnivorous marsupial of modern times. Native to Australia and New Guinea, it is thought to have become extinct in the 20th century. It is commonly known as the Tasmanian Tiger (because of its striped back), the Tasmanian Wolf, and colloquially the Tassie (or Tazzy) Tiger or simply the Tiger. It was the last extant member of its genus, Thylacinus, although several related species have been found in the fossil record dating back to the early Miocene.
The dodo
The dodo (Raphus cucullatus) was a flightless bird endemic to the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius. Related to pigeons and doves, it stood about a meter tall, weighing about 20 kilograms (44 lb), living on fruit and nesting on the ground.
The dodo has been extinct since the mid-to-late 17th century. It is commonly used as the archetype of an extinct species because its extinction occurred during recorded human history, and was directly attributable to human activity.
The adjective phrase "as dead as a dodo" means undoubtedly and unquestionably dead. The phrase "to go the way of the dodo" means to become extinct or obsolete, to fall out of common usage or practice, or to become a thing of the past
Extinct in the wild
The South China tiger or South Chinese tiger
The South China tiger or South Chinese tiger, also known as the Chinese, Amoy, or Xiamen tiger, is a subspecies of tiger native to the forests of Southern China. The South China tiger is one of the smaller and the most critically endangered of the living tiger subspecies. Experts maintain that there are fewer than 30 of these tigers left in the wild, and warn that it might become extinct within the next decade. One was recently born in a reserve in South Africa in November 2007, the first to be born outside China.
Critically endangered
Arakan Forest Turtle
The Arakan Forest Turtle (Heosemys depressa) is an extremely rare turtle species which lives only in the Arakan hills of western Myanmar.
The Arakan Forest Turtle was believed extinct (last seen in 1908), but in 1994 was rediscovered when a few specimens turned up in Asian food markets. Like most Asian turtles, it is collected yearly as a food source or for "medical cures." Only a handful of these turtles are in captivity, and their status in the wild, which is dubious at best, is listed as critical.
"The animals seem to be extremely difficult to establish in captivity," said Peter Paul van Dijk, director of the tortoise and freshwater turtle program for Conservation International. There are only 12 Arakan Forest Turtles in captivity in the United States -- at Zoo Atlanta, the St. Louis Zoo, the Miami Metro Zoo and River Banks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, South Carolina.
In May 2007 Zoo Atlanta, the only Arakan Forest turtle breeding facility in the world, announced the successful hatched of their fourth hatchling to have been born there in the last six years. They also announced that there is another egg near hatching, and two additional hatchlings did not survive. Arakan Forest turtles only mate once a year, and the eggs take 100 days to hatch.
The Brazilian Merganser
The Brazilian Merganser, Mergus octosetaceus, is a typical merganser.
This is a dark, slender duck with a long crest. It has a dark hood with petroleum-green sheen, a pale grey breast and dark grey upperparts. It has a long, bushy hindcrest usually worn and shorter in females.
Their breeding habitat is shallow, fast-flowing rivers in south-central Brazil. They nest in tree-cavities and possibly rock-cavities. They mainly eat fish, small eels, insect larvae, dobson flies (Corydalis sp.) and snails.
This species is critically endangered. Numbers have reduced due to polluted rivers caused by forest clearance and agriculture. The current population is estimated at less than 250 adult birds.
Endangered
The snow leopard
The snow leopard (Uncia uncia), sometimes known as the ounce, is a large cat native to the mountain ranges of Central Asia from Afghanistan, Northern India (Himalayas), northern Pakistan, to Lake Baikal and eastern Tibet. The taxonomic position of this species has been subject to change. In the past, many taxonomists included the snow leopard in the genus Panthera, with several of the other largest felids, but later it was placed in its own genus, Uncia. However, a recent molecular study places the species firmly within the genus Panthera, although the exact position remains unclear. It cannot roar, despite possessing an incomplete ossification of the hyoid bone, which was thought to be essential in allowing the big cats to roar. However, new studies show that the ability to roar is due to other morphological features, especially of the larynx, which are absent in the snow leopard. Well known for its beautiful fur, the snow leopard has a whitish-tan coat with ringed spots of dark, ashy-brown and rosettes of black. Its tail is heavy with fur and the bottom of its paws are covered with fur for protection against snow and cold.
The life span of a snow leopard is normally 15–18 years, but in captivity it can live up to 20 years
The life span of a snow leopard is normally 15–18 years, but in captivity it can live up to 20 years
The African wild dog
The African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) is a carnivorous mammal of the Canidae family, found only in Africa, especially in scrub savanna and other lightly wooded areas. It is also called the African hunting dog, the Cape hunting dog, the spotted dog, or the painted wolf in English, Wildehond in Afrikaans, and Mbwa mwitu in Swahili. It is the only species
Vulnerable
The cheetah
The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is an atypical member of the cat family (Felidae) that is unique in its speed, while lacking climbing abilities. As such, it is placed in its own genus, Acinonyx. It is the fastest land animal, reaching speeds between 112 kilometres per hour (70 mph) and 120 kilometres per hour (75 mph) in short bursts covering distances up to 460 metres (1,500 ft), and has the ability to accelerate from 0 to 110 kilometres per hour (68 mph) in three seconds, greater than most supercars.
The word "cheetah" is derived from the Sanskrit word chitrakāyaḥ, meaning "variegated body", via the Hindi चीता cītā.
The gaur
The gaur (Bos gaurus, previously Bibos gauris) is a large, dark-coated bovine animal of South Asia and Southeast Asia. The biggest populations are found today in India. It is also called seladang or in context with safari tourism Indian bison, although this is technically incorrect. The gaur is the largest species of wild cattle, bigger even than the Cape Buffalo, water buffalo and Bison. The domesticated form of the gaur is called gayal or mithun.
Conservation dependent
The Spotted Hyena, or Laughing Hyena
The Spotted Hyena, or Laughing Hyena, (Crocuta crocuta) is a carnivorous mammal of the family hyaenidae. It is the largest of the hyenas, and is native to sub-Saharan Africa, save for the Congo basin. It occurs in many different habitats, from extremely hot and arid lowland areas in its northern and southern ranges, to cold, mountainous terrains in East Africa and Ethiopia. The species can also survive near human habitations.
The species is best known for one of its vocalisations, which resembles the sound of hysterical human laughter. Though often labeled incorrectly as a scavenger, the spotted hyena is actually a powerful hunter, the majority of its nourishment being derived from live prey. The extinct Cave Hyena has been classified as a subspecies of spotted hyena.
The species is best known for one of its vocalisations, which resembles the sound of hysterical human laughter. Though often labeled incorrectly as a scavenger, the spotted hyena is actually a powerful hunter, the majority of its nourishment being derived from live prey. The extinct Cave Hyena has been classified as a subspecies of spotted hyena.
The black caiman
The black caiman (Melanosuchus niger) is a crocodilian. It is a carnivorous reptile that lives along slow-moving rivers and lakes, in the seasonally flooded savannas of the Amazon basin, and in other freshwater habitats in South America. Once common, it was hunted to near extinction primarily for its commercially valuable hide. It is now listed as Conservation Dependent.
Near Threatened
The Blue-billed Duck
The Blue-billed Duck (Oxyura australis) is a small Australian stiff-tailed duck. BirdLife International has classified this species as Near Threatened. Major threats include drainage of deep permanent wetlands, or their degradation as a result of introduced fish, peripheral cattle grazing, salinisation and lowering of ground water.
The Oriental Small-clawed Otter
The Oriental Small-clawed Otter(Aonyx cinerea), also known as Asian Small-clawed Otter, is the smallest otter species in the world.
The Oriental Small-clawed Otter is found in mangrove swamps and freshwater wetlands of Bangladesh, Burma, India, southern China, Taiwan, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and vietnam. It prefers to live near water.
The full grown otters measure approximately 0.9m from nose to tail tip, and can weigh up to 5kg. It feeds on fish, frogs, crabs, crayfish and shellfish.
This otter is especially distinct for its forepaws, as the claws do not extend above the fleshy end pads of its toes and fingers. These attributes give it human-like proficiency and coordination to the point which it can use its paws to feed on mollusks, crabs and other small aquatic animals.
The Oriental Small-clawed Otter lives in extended family groups with only the alpha pair breeding and previous offspring helping to raise the young.
Due to ongoing habitat loss, pollution and hunting in some areas, the Oriental Small-clawed Otter is evaluated as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
This species was formerly thought to be the only member of the genus Amblonyx, however it has recently been confirmed as Aonyx after mitochrondrial DNA analysis (Koepfli and Wayne, 1998).
Ways to Help Preserve Endangered Species
It is the goal of conservationists to create and expand upon ways to preserve endangered species and maintain biodiversity. There are several ways in which one can aid in preserving the world’s species who are nearing extinction. One such way is obtaining more information on different groups of species, especially invertebrates, fungi, and marine organisms, where sufficient data is lacking. For example, to understand the causes of population declines and extinction an experiment was conducted on the butterfly population in Finland. In this analysis, the butterflies’ endangered list classification, distribution, density, larval specificity, dispersal ability, adult habitat breadth, flight period and body size were all recorded and examined to determine the threatened state of each species. It was found that the butterflies’ distribution has declined by fifty-one and a half percent, and they have a severely restricted habitat. One example of specific butterflies who have a declining distribution rate are the Frigga’s Fritillary and Grizzled Skipper, who have been affected by habitat loss due to extensive draining of the bogs where they live. This experiment proves that when we know the causes of endangerment, we can successfully create solutions for the management of biodiversity. Another way to help preserve endangered species is to create a new professional society dedicated to ecological ethics. This could help ecologists make ethical decisions in their research and management of biodiversity. Also, creating more awareness on environmental ethics can help encourage species preservation.
