From Butterflies, to Penguins, to Walruses

Every year, millions of these Monarch Butterflies migrate from North America to their winter habitat in Mexico. There is a well preserved and protected high-altitude pine and fir forest in Mexico that is essential for the survival of the overwintering of monarchs, which has been recognized as an endangered biological phenomenon. These butterflies reproductive habitats are protected in the United States and Canada because these locations are also crucial to saving this species migration, one of the most remarkable natural phenomena on the planet. WWF and the Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature have designated a strategy to protect and restore the Monarch butterflies wintering habitat in Mexico, so that the butterflies are protected from extreme weather and other threats.

These Magellanic Penguins were once threatened by oil spills. Now they face a much larger threat as fish are displaced by warming ocean currents, forcing the penguins to swim farther to find food. In 2009, many of these penguins washed up on beaches around Rio de Janeiro, many emaciated or dead. Their traditional nesting area is at the southern tip of Argentina. Scientists speculate that changes in ocean currents or temperatures, which may be related to climate change, could have been responsible for these penguins moving more than a thousand miles north of their traditional nesting area. 12 out of the 17 penguin species are currently experiencing rapid population decline.

The Pacific Walrus, one of the latest victims of climate change, live in the Arctic Bering and Chukchi Seas. In September of 2009, up to 200 dead walruses were spotted on the shore of the Chukchi Sea on Alaska's northwest coast. These animals use floating ice for resting, birthing and nursing calves, and protection from predators. With Arctic ice melting, the Pacific Walrus is experiencing habitat loss to the extent that in September 2009, the US Fish and Wildlife Service announced that adding the walrus to the Endangered Species list may be warranted.

Here are even more species that are endangered and their populations are rapidly decreasing. The world should consider helping them, before it's too late.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/6927330/Top-10-most-endangered-species-in-the-world.html