It is an unfortunate fact that many different types or animals across the world are getting fewer in their numbers each year, mainly due to hunting and environmental changes. Some species are becoming so low in their numbers that they are in danger of dying out altogether and becoming totally extinct. Five species that are at high risk of becoming extinct in the near future are;
- Tiger
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Poaching is one of the key factors in the demise of the numbers of tigers, in Asia their body parts are used for medicine, while their skins are popular all over the world. Deforestation and climate change have also played a massive part in their dwindling numbers, with sea level rises threatening the mangrove habitat which is the home to many tigers in Bangladesh and India. Recent studies show that there may only be around 3,200 tigers left in the world which was a decrease of around 40% based on a study taken ten years before.
- Polar Bear
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Due to their delicate environment, the habitat of polar bears is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. If global warning trends continue it is highly likely that many polar bear populations will become extinct within the next hundred years. The drilling of oil in the Arctic has further damaged their environment as bears have become stranded on land for longer periods of time due to the lack of ice.
- Pacific Walrus
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Another victim of the effects of climate change is the Pacific Walrus, who live in the Arctic’s Chukchi and Bering Seas. These animals rely on the Arctic’s floating ice to rest, for protection form predators and to birth and nurse their calves. As the Arctic’s ice melts the Pacific Walrus are finding it more and more difficult to survive.
- Magellanic penguin
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Although these birds used to be under threat from oil spills, today they face something far worse. As climate change has caused the oceans to warm up, many fish have become displaced meaning the penguins have found it far harder to find food. Out of all seventeen penguin species twelve are currently experiencing a rapid drop in population numbers.
- Leatherback Turtle
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One of the largest living reptiles, the leather back turtle is now facing extinction, after the species has survived more than a hundred million years. It is thought that this is mainly because of the fishing industry catching them or killing them by mistake. There is also concern that the rising temperatures on the Atlantic beaches could affect their eggs as male offspring are likely to die if the nest becomes too hot. It is estimated that as few as 2.300 adult females now remain in the wild.
Although these facts are upsetting and perhaps frightening there are still things that can be done to try and prevent these species and many others from dying out. If we try and be more responsible towards our environment and make efforts to preserve the habitats these animals live in we can hopefully encourage the numbers to begin to grow again, but unless things begin to change the sad truth is these and many other animals will disappear from our planet forever.