Thursday, May 19, 2011

Unknown Endangered Species






Many of these species are not very well known to be endangered. Take this Greater Bamboo Lemur for example. These lemurs live on the island of Madagascar, of the southeastern coast of Africa. It is home to dozens of species of lemurs and almost all of them are disappearing rapidly due to habitat loss and illegal hunting. Although many species of lemurs are disappearing here, the most critically endangered is the Greater Bamboo Lemur. Fewer than one-hundred remain on the island's southeastern and south-central forests, and they continue to be threatened by illegal hunting as well as habitat loss due to logging and the burning of forests due to agricultural purposes.


The Northern Right Whale is the most endangered of all of the world's whale species. They number around 350 individuals that travel the Atlantic coasts of Canada and the U.S. The right whale acquired it's name because in the 19th century, whalers considered it the "right" whale to kill. It was considered the right whale to kill because it carried a lot of whale oil, and it also floated when it was dead, so it was easy to handle and process. As a result, it was driven to near extinction. This whale is now protected, but it's species still continues to suffer losses due to entanglements in commercial fishing gear. Whales drown after becoming wrapped in nets, lines, and other equipment. Global climate change may also result as yet another threat to this species because it can affect the availability of the tiny crustaceans on which the right whales feed.


The Mountain Gorilla is the largest of the four gorilla subspecies. It's natural range in the highlands of East-Central Africa consists of two relatively small areas, a factor that has made it extremely vulnerable to a variety of human-related threats. Ongoing wars a poverty in the region have facilitated illegal hunting of gorillas as well as illegal timber harvesting that has further reduced the mountain gorilla's habitat. Due largely to the attention of international conservationists, the mountain gorilla population has actually increased somewhat over the last two decades. However, the animals still number fewer than 700, and poaching fueled by political instability continues to be a huge problem for the mountain gorilla. 

These poor animals need help from us to survive.
http://www.allaboutwildlife.com/ten-most-endangered-animals/mountain-gorilla

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