Questions & Answers about Endangered Animals

Gentle giants of the oceans.

In the past, the world's biggest mammals were not strong enough to survive the effects of over-hunting. Today, thankfully, the Endangered Species Act has reduced the number of whales slaughtered for commercial purposes. Still, the general whale population has suffered.

What's an endangered animal?
A species is called endangered when there are so few of its kind left that it could disappear from the planet altogether and become 'extinct.'

Extinct means an animal hasn't been seen in the wild for 50 years.

In total 762 plant and animal species are now recorded as extinct.

Which animals are in danger?
12,259* species are threatened to some extent, including mammals, birds, reptiles, insects and fish.

Our closest relatives, the great apes of Africa and Asia could be close to extinction in the wild.

*This number is obtained from the 2003 Red List, an annual report by the World Conservation Union.

Picture: PHNOM PENH, Cambodia Jun 14, 2005 — Four giant catfish will be released back into the wild in Cambodia to try to boost numbers of the species thought to be on the verge of extinction, a wildlife conservation group said. The fish, which weigh about 110 pounds each, have been raised in captivity for the past seven years and will hopefully reproduce after they are returned to the Mekong River, said Seng Teak, country director of the World Wildlife Fund.

How big is the problem?

• The Mekong giant catfish is one of the world's largest freshwater fish. It's up to three meters long. Numbers have dropped by 80 percent in just 13 years because of humans. If that carries on it will soon disappear.

• There are now less than 1,000 pandas left in the wild.

• A hundred years ago there were 100,000 tigers in the wild, now there are less than 7,000. Three types of tiger, the Bali, Caspian and Javan tiger, have already become extinct. The South China tiger is struggling to survive.

• There used to be millions of koalas in Australia. Now there are less than 100,000.

What can you do?
Support conservation organisations like the World Wildlife Fund, UNEP, and Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.

Or you could adopt an animal at your local zoo which would pay for its keep.

Is it all our fault?
Animals have always died out naturally, the Dinosaurs were around for millions of years before they became extinct.

BUT conservationists reckon animals are now becoming extinct up to 10,000 times faster than they would do if there were no humans around.

But the our growing population and interference with our environment mean the process of extinction's getting faster.

Our world is changing faster than some species can adapt.

What's being done?
In 1985 many countries joined together to ban whaling because some types were on the verge of extinction, but Japan and Norway still catch them for food. Iceland has now started whaling again after 14 years.

Organisations like the World Wildlife Fund and Born Free, campaign to save animals which are under threat.

Some governments have passed laws to stop certain animals from being hunted.

Why are they dying out?

• Pollution, chopping down rainforests and building all affect animal habitats which means they have nowhere to live and nothing to eat.
• Another big problem is humans introducing new plants and animals on to small islands. This can result in older species being wiped out.

• Buying and selling some exotic animals for their skins like crocodiles is illegal in many places but people still do it.

• Elephants are killed for their ivory tusks which are used for jewellery and medicine in some countries.

Endangered Animals Of the World

Exploring the World at Risk

Endangered Animals Website

Endangered Species Websites