Five Endangered Species That Are on the Verge of Extinction

Along with climate change, hunting, and poaching from mankind, many species are facing extinction. Some of these species are so rare that researchers and scientists must take immediate action, and joint in effort to help them.

The Kakapo

The kakapo is also known as owl parrot, and they are in critically endangered stage. In 1980, the Kakapo Recovery Plan began when there were only 91 living birds left. Through this conservation, the kakapo brings awareness to its species. Many books and documentation have been written about them.

Mediterranean Bluefin Tuna

Although the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna had set a quota to restrict the catches of tuna to 32,000 tons annually, the bluefin tuna is still near extinction in the Mediterranean Sea and east Atlantic Ocean.

According to the organization, an estimation of 50% of these catches is in violation, and the real numbers are around 50,000 tons.

Sumatran Orangutan

The Sumatran orangutan is a rarer orangutan of two orangutans' species. The orangutans live in Indonesian forests, and they are facing an impending extinction since every day, an area of about six football field is being cleared out.

The Sumatran Orangutan Society needs help with your donations, and sign petition against illegal trading of orangutans. For every orphan orangutan that is sold at the market, an estimate of six to eight orangutans dies in the process.

Javanese Rhinos

The Javan rhino is one of the world's rarest large mammals, and it has one single horn on its snout. These rhinos once roam in Southeast Asia, but now can only be found in two small areas. The Indonesian Javan rhinos can be found at Ujung Kulon National Park in Java, and the 10 Vietnamese Javan rhinos can be found at Cat Tien National Park in Dong Nai, a region of Vietnam.

Vaquita porpoise

The vaquita, the smallest and most endangered marine cetacean in the world, have fewer than 600 left. The threat for their extinction is entanglement in fishing gear. Around 40 to 80 vaquitas are killed in gillnets, and trawl net each year, both from commercial, and artisanal.

Protective measures and intensive study of this species are in progress, but without restrictions on fisheries, their future is not ensured.

As mention earlier, there are more endangered species than I can cover here. We should do what we can to preserve these species for our children's future, or at least, we should be aware of these endangered species.