The first Saturday in June is National Black Bear Day. Black bears are the most widely distributed bear in North America as they are found in 40 U.S states and every Canadian province. Although Black Bears are not considered an endangered species (in fact, the Black Bear population is actually increasing), I wanted to use them as an example of a generally protected species. For example there are roughly 900,000 Black Bears in North America with the population increasing, and 23 states have made Black Bear hunting illegal. With that being said, let’s talk about some animals that are less fortunate.
Here’s a list of animals that are critically endangered:
- Black Rhino. Population is about 5,600
- Sumatran Elephant. Population is about 2,400–2,800
- Sunda tiger. Population is less than 400
- Vaquita- the world’s rarest marine mammal. Population is about 10 individuals
- Amur Leopard. Population is slightly more than 84
There are far more endangered and critically endangered species in the world than the ones I listed, but the species with less than 500 remaining is ultimately shocking. However, there is still hope for the animals we have left. Wildlife organizations help to protect and preserve an animal and it’s home with our donations.
Here are some organizations accepting donations.
I hope this was helpful in shedding some light on a pressing issue in this word, and hopefully no more animals’ lives are lost.
