If you like this post Join My Wildlife
Lovers Group or the Stopping
Extinction! group to raise awareness and plan events!

As someone who tries to keep an eye on endangered animals, I wonder if the world is making progress saving species, or losing the battle. I try to keep a watchful eye on when new animals are added to the threatened list, when animals are downgraded from "endangered" to "threatened" and when animals become extinct, and it seems like we are in grave danger of losing some very extraordinary species in the coming years. Due to human factors such as poaching, logging, development, the spread of disease and climate change (calculate your carbon footprint here!) I am worried that our children and our childrens' children will never be able to see many of the animals we have come to know and love.

A recent animal that has become completely extinct according to scientists include China's rare river dolphin, the Baiji, that was added to the endangered list, but just couldn't be saved. This delicate species was only found in the Yangtze River in China, and was most likely wiped out due to dams and ship traffic on the river. Dating back 20 million years, this extinction was fairly rapid with over 400 dolphins existing in the 1980's.

Some other animals that have become extinct include: the Golden Toad, Emperor Rat, Christmas Island Shrew, Guam flying fox, New Zealand Greater Short-tailed Bat, Barbary Lion, Western Black Rhinoceros just to name a few.

While we are still losing species, awareness seems to be higher than
ever before. More animals are on the threatened list according to an
article from 2007 by The Economist,
which means that animals are being protected much more often than
previously. By being placed on the "threatened" list before it's to
late, there stands a better chance to save the animals.

The Economist Graph

As animals like Canada's Mountain Beaver, and Australia's Tasmanian Devil seem to be struggling, others have been flourishing. Michigan's gray wolf and bald eagle may soon be taken off the endangered list and moved to the "threatened" list, and The Daily Star reports today that a number of new endangered babies have been born recently in captivity.

Unfortunately I do not have the answer to this question "Are More Species Being Saved or Lost?". I do believe the people of the world have good intentions as an overall average, but poaching is on the rise and it appears that some may decide to put economic interests over endangered animals as with the issue of drilling in the Arctic. By staying strong we will save future species from extinction so that eco systems remain the same and our grandchildren will know them as they should be.

If you like this post Join My Wildlife Lovers Group or the Stopping Extinction! group to raise awareness and plan events!

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