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We all can agree that many of us know a lot of species that are not extinct but when it comes to endangered species of animals we run out of facts. But before diving into facts about endangered animals, let’s know what endangered species are. These are the species that are on the verge of becoming extinct. It can be categorized as critically endangered, endangered, and vulnerable. The factors that these species might have turned endangered can be illegal poaching, invasive species, and habitat loss.
Pandas
These black and white bears are omnivores. 99% of their diet might be eating bamboo but the rest of it includes fish and other little animals. These giant pandas eat for up to 12 hours a day.
| Character | Features |
| Mass | 70-120 kg (Female, Adult) |
| Trophic Level | Herbivorous |
| Scientific Name | 20 years (in the world) |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Domain | Eukaryota |
Endangered Species
There are more than a million species of flora, fauna, and animals that lie on the verge of extinction. A few of them are
- Amur Leopard
- Sumatran Elephant
- Orangutans
- Gorillas
- Sea turtles
- Saola
- Rhinos
America Shows the Biggest Decline
As per the report submitted by the WWF, there was a 94% decrease in the number of wildlife populations in the tropical sub-regions of the Americas. This decline has happened in the past 50 years, from the year of 1970. It is also considered the largest fall in the history of Earth.
Asian Elephants
These elephants are comparatively smaller in size than their African cousin, but they are highly sociable, forming groups that the eldest female leads, said to be the matriarch. They maintain a close relationship with people especially if someone raises them.
| Character | Features |
| Conservation status | Endangered (Population decreasing) |
| Mass | 4,000 kg (Male, Adult), 2,700 kg (Female, Adult) |
| Scientific name | Elephas maximus |
| Trophic Level | Herbivores |
| Lifespan | 48 years |
| Gestation Period | 18-22 months |
| Height | 2.8 m (Male, Adult, At Shoulder)2.4 m (Female, Adult, At Shoulder) |
Sea Turtles
Sea turtles can live up to 50 years of age. Sea turtles keep their egg on the sand because they cannot hatch in the water. The fact about these endangered animals is that the temperature of the sand determines the hatchling’s sex. The cooler the temperature, the chances of the male are high, the warmer the temperature the chances of a female turtle are high.
Also Read- What is the Full Form of CITES?
Lion
These big cats are the laziest of all the big cats. They can sleep for 16-20 hours a day. Can you believe that a lion cub is born with spots on the body that help them camouflage in the forest?
Do you know?
A lion can live in a desert without water which is why it kills maximum prey near water bodies.
Sea Otter
These sea mammals are famous for their friendly behavior and incredible adaptations. They have 600,000 to 1,000,000 hair making them the densest hairy animals. When they come together holding hands, this is called floating rafts. It increases their social behavior and protects other predators.
Javan Rhinoceros
The rare and vital rainforest gazers scrape the ground from there which reflects their way of communication. They can live up to 35-40 years of age. They are endangered species because of illegal poaching. The single horns of these species are valued in the market which makes them borderline extinct species of animals.
Gorillas
These monkey-like animals are victims of habitat encroachment and poaching for their bushmeat, trophies, and supposed magical talismans. It has greatly led to their endangerment. In four years, a female gorilla can reproduce and the chances of sustaining them are pretty okay, but this factor is also one of the major reasons for their declining population.
Do you know?
Gorillas share 98.3% of their genetic code with humans.
Orangutan
Orangutan is a Malaysian word meaning “person of the forest.” This fact about the endangered species of orangutan is not much of a fact that they have cognitive abilities like humans. Their abilities can be stated as follows:
- Causal and logical reasoning
- Self-recognition in mirrors
- Deception
- Symbolic communication
- Foresight
- Tool production and use.
Related Blogs
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