Today is the 12th annual Endangered Species Day. It makes me think of all of the species that we are in danger of losing forever. I have recently blogged about two, the small Vaquita porpoise and the Pangolin. Most of the reasons for their impending extinction are human related: habitat destruction, climate change and poaching. Among the most endangered and some of the primary reasons cited are:
The Tiger - Hunting, poaching
The Polar Bear - climate change
The Pacific Walrus - climate change
The Magellanic Penguin - climate change
The Leatherback Turtle - climate change and over fishing
The Bluefin Tuna - over fishing
The Mountain Gorilla - Habitat destruction
The Monarch Butterfly - Habitat destruction and pesticides
The Javan Rhinoceros - Poaching and habitat destruction
The Giant Panda- Habitat destruction
The Vaquita Porpoise - gill net fishing by-catch
The Pangolin - Poaching and habitat destruction
The Amur Leopard - Hunting, poaching
The Cheetah - Hunting, trophy collection
The Orangutan - Poaching, habitat destruction
The Sumatra Elephant - Poaching, habitat destruction
There are many other endangered species - too many to list here but they are listed on the Internet.
There are many organizations helping in the fight to save these animals but I am sometimes overwhelmed with the enormous challenge to save them; and I think "what can one person do?" I have recently made it a priority to do something small to help every day. I have my favorite organizations which I have checked out with Charity Navigator, a site that rates them according to criteria of worthiness (look CN up - they are wonderful to help me decide where I can best send my small contribution and know that it is going to the right place). My contribution can be as little as what I would spend on lunch or some useless thing that I think I must have but I want it to go to something better. Some that I like that are rated four star (the best rating) are The Center for Biological Diversity, The Wildlife Conservation Network, The African Wildlife Foundation and our own San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservation. Some have banded together in the Endangered Species Coalition. You can choose your own organizations and check on Charity Navigator's Review for their rating to know where to give. If everyone gave just a little on Endangered Species Day we could make a big difference to help our planet and the animals that inhabit it.
The Tiger - Hunting, poaching
The Polar Bear - climate change
The Pacific Walrus - climate change
The Magellanic Penguin - climate change
The Leatherback Turtle - climate change and over fishing
The Bluefin Tuna - over fishing
The Mountain Gorilla - Habitat destruction
The Monarch Butterfly - Habitat destruction and pesticides
The Javan Rhinoceros - Poaching and habitat destruction
The Giant Panda- Habitat destruction
The Vaquita Porpoise - gill net fishing by-catch
The Pangolin - Poaching and habitat destruction
The Amur Leopard - Hunting, poaching
The Cheetah - Hunting, trophy collection
The Orangutan - Poaching, habitat destruction
The Sumatra Elephant - Poaching, habitat destruction
There are many other endangered species - too many to list here but they are listed on the Internet.
There are many organizations helping in the fight to save these animals but I am sometimes overwhelmed with the enormous challenge to save them; and I think "what can one person do?" I have recently made it a priority to do something small to help every day. I have my favorite organizations which I have checked out with Charity Navigator, a site that rates them according to criteria of worthiness (look CN up - they are wonderful to help me decide where I can best send my small contribution and know that it is going to the right place). My contribution can be as little as what I would spend on lunch or some useless thing that I think I must have but I want it to go to something better. Some that I like that are rated four star (the best rating) are The Center for Biological Diversity, The Wildlife Conservation Network, The African Wildlife Foundation and our own San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservation. Some have banded together in the Endangered Species Coalition. You can choose your own organizations and check on Charity Navigator's Review for their rating to know where to give. If everyone gave just a little on Endangered Species Day we could make a big difference to help our planet and the animals that inhabit it.
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