They need our help..

Ways to help the endangered  One of the most important ways to help threatened plants  and animals survive is to protect their habitats permanently in national parks, nature reserves or wilderness areas. There they can live without too much interference from humans. It is also important to protect habitats outside reserves such as on farms and along roadsides.  You can visit a nearby national park or nature reserve. Some national parks have special guided tours and walks for kids. Talk to the rangers to find out whether there are any threatened species and how they are being protected. You and your friends might be able to help the rangers in their conservation work.  When you visit a national park, make sure you obey the wildlife code: follow fire regulations; leave your pets at home; leave flowers, birds’ eggs, logs and bush rocks where you find them; put your rubbish in a bin or, better still, take it home.  If you have friends who live on farms, encourage them to keep patches of bush as wildlife habitats and to leave old trees standing, especially those with hollows suitable for nesting animals.    Some areas have groups which look after local lands and nature reserves. They do this    by removing weeds and planting local native species in their place. You could join one of these groups, or even start a new one with your parents and friends. Ask your local parks authority or council for information.  By removing rubbish and weeds and replanting with natives you will allow the native     bush to gradually regenerate. This will also encourage native animals to return.

Why to save the endangered ?

“Diversity of life and living systems are a necessary condition for human development” 

Since life began on this planet, countless species have come and gone, rendered extinct by naturally changing physical and biological conditions. Since extinction is part of the natural order, and if many other species remain, some people ask: “Why save endangered species? What makes these animals and plants so special that money and effort should be spent to preserve and recover them?” While extinction does occur naturally, unfortunately the accelerating decline of our wild animals and plants is less and less a result of natural events. Most dangers to wildlife are from habitat loss and degradation, environmental pollution, the introduction of exotic (non-native) organisms, and over exploitation; all generally a direct result of human activities.

Many question the importance of maintaining biodiversity in today’s world, where conservation efforts prove costly and time consuming. Species should be saved for “aesthetic and moral justifications; the importance of wild species as providers of products and services essential to human welfare; the value of particular species as indicators of environmental health or as keystone species crucial to the functioning of ecosystems; and the scientific breakthroughs that have come from the study of wild organisms”.In other words, species serve as a source of art and entertainment, provide products such as medicine for human well-being, indicate the welfare of the overall environment and ecosystem, and provided research that resulted in scientific discoveries.
NEED OF SAVING THE ENDANGERED SPECIES

Conserve biodiversity

Influences and supports the survival of other species
Offers opportunities to protect whole landscapes or marine areas

The chemical secrets of most species have yet to be unraveled for potential benefits to mankind.

A planet with high biological diversity is a planet worth living on.

Save them...or else..

Facts About Endangered Ones..

According to scientists, more than one and one-half million species exist on the earth today. However, recent estimates state that at least 20 times that many species inhabit the planet.  In the United States, 735 species of plants and 496 species of animals are listed as threatened or endangered.  266 of these listed species have recovery plans currently under development.  There are more than 1,000 animal species endangered worldwide.  There are more than 3,500 protected areas in existence worldwide. These areas include parks, wildlife refuges and other reserves. They cover a total of nearly 2 million square miles (5 million square km), or 3% of our total land area.  Aquatic species, which are often overlooked, are facing serious trouble. One third of the United States’ fish species, two-thirds of its crayfish species, and almost three-quarters of its mussel species are in trouble.

Threats to birds..amazing facts!!

• One of the major threats faced by birds is from the loss as well as deterioration of their habitat. Trees are being felled at a rapid pace to make way for human settlements as well as agricultural activities. Even aquatic habitats are being drained, plowed, filled in, and channelized. Last but not the least, the introduction of invasive plant and animal species is also altering the natural habitat of birds.
• Birds are also facing increased competition from one another. Especially the native species of birds are finding it difficult to cope up with the exotic species.
• The direct exploitation of birds by humans is reaching alarming proportions. Human activities, such as hunting and capturing birds, are leading to a rapid decline in the bird population.
• Birds are highly sensitive to chemicals and toxins and can become fatally sick from inhaling them, either by eating or through their skin. It has been found out that, along with DDT, pesticides and oil spills, even herbicide spraying on lawns leads to death of the birds.
• Even indirect pollution of the atmosphere is having an effect on the population of birds. Things like acid rain have been discovered to affect the population of forest birds. It washes away the calcium of the soil and decreases the amount of calcium-rich prey of the birds, affecting their diet and thus, their population.
• The nesting, feeding, and roosting areas of birds have faced a lot of disturbance from the human beings, affecting their population.

Birds too in danger!!

Endangered birds in india

• Himalayan Quail (Ophrysia superciliosa)
• Siberian Crane (Grus leucogeranus)
• Sarus Crane (Grus antigone)
• Jerdon's Courser (Rhinoptilus bitorquatus)
• Forest Owlet (Athene blewitti)
• White-bellied Heron (Ardea insignis)
• Oriental Stork (Ciconia boyciana)
• Greater Adjutant (Leptoptilos dubius)
• White-headed Duck (Oxyura leucocephala)
• White-winged Duck (Cairina scutulata)
• Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps)
• Bengal Florican (Houbaropsis bengalensis)
• Lesser Florican (Sypheotides indica)
• Nordmann's Greenshank (Tringa guttifer)
• Rufous-breasted Laughingthr (Garrulax cachinnans)
• Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus)
• White-rumped Vulture (Gyps bengalensis)
• Long-billed Vulture (Gyps indicus)

Protect them..or they will be no more...

 10. Hawaiian Monk Seal
9. Chinese Giant Salamander
8. Siberian (or Amur) Tiger
7. Leatherback Sea Turtle
6. Mountain Gorilla
5. Northern Right Whale
4. Greater Bamboo Lemur
3. Javan Rhinoceros
2. Amur Leopard
1. Ivory-Billed Woodpecker                            

Know them.. Save them...

Bengal tiger

Beautiful and majestic,the bengal tiger,also known as the Royal Bengal Tiger or Indian tiger,is worshipped by some,protected by some and hunted by alot.It is the most common sub-species,yet its numbers are fast dwindling even in the special tiger reserves.According to the WWF,these tigers are poisoned,shot,trapped and snared,and the majority of these animals are killed to meet the demands of a continuing illegal wildlife trade-which includes traditional Chinese medicine.

Giant Panda
The giant panda is the rarest member of the bear family,and among the world's most threatened animals. This bamboo eating member of the bear family faces the threat of extinction because of the forest that is its home in the mountainous regions of South West China,is increasingly fragmented by rail and roads.However,great strides have been made in recent years to conserve Giant pandas.It is a lovable animal,and has been the famous symbol of the World Wildlife Fund. 

Black rhino
The Black Rhinoceros or Hook-lipped Rhinoceros(Diceros bicornis), is a species of rhinoceros, native to the eastern and central areas of Africa including Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Angola. Although the Rhino was referred to as black, it is actually more of a grey/brown/white color in appearance.Since 1970, the Black Rhino population, native to southern and east Africa, has declined by 90% to less than 3,000. They are killed primarily for their horns. Trade of Rhinos has been banned for more than twenty years. Although having banned trading of the species, there still continues to be a great demand for Rhino parts.

Hawks bill Turtle

The hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only extant species in its genus. The species has a worldwide distribution, with Atlantic and Pacific subspecies. E. imbricata imbricata is the Atlantic subspecies, while E. imbricata bissa is found in the Indo-Pacific region. Hawksbill Turtle is becoming extremely vulnerable due to their slow reproduction rates and high volume of illegal trade for the prized jewel-like "tortoise shell.
Kakapo
The kakapo also called owl parrot, is a species of large, flightless nocturnal parrot endemic to New Zealand.
It is the world's rarest and strangest parrot The arrival of Polynesian people thousands of years ago,and later of the Europeans in 1800's,resulted in the massive decline of kakapo populations to a mere handful of birds.there are now only about 62 kakapos left and scientists call them"The Living Dead",because they too will die out if they are not protected.

Conservation status

The conservation status of a group of organisms (for instance, a species) indicates whether the group  still exist (that is, members of it are still alive) and how likely the group is to become extinct in the near future. Many factors are taken into account when assessing conservation status: not simply the number of individuals remaining, but the overall increase or decrease in the population over time, breeding success rates, known threats, and so on.
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is the best-known worldwide conservation status listing and ranking system. The system divides threatened species into three categories: Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN), and Vulnerable (VU)
Conservation status by risk of extinction

  Extinct

     Extinct
     Extinct in the wild
 Threatened
    Critically endangered
    Endangered
    Vulnerable
  At lower risk
    Conservation dependent
    Near threatened
    Least concern


THE RED DATA LIST


The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data List), founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species. A series of Regional Red Lists are produced by countries or organizations, which assess the risk of extinction to species within a political management unit.

The percentage of species in several groups which are listed as      critically endangered,      endangered, or      vulnerable on the 2007 IUCN Red List.


MORE DETAILS---- IUCN RED DATA LIST

Man : A curse ???

Can you name the most sucdessful animal on earth? We can imagine many hands go up in the air, shouting the answer "MAN!".
Well, it is good to feel proud of ourselves as the most successful animal around.Yet,would nature be absolutely happy with this success of ours? Doubtful,indeed.It is because Man's success and insatiable greed have actually bought many disaster to many kinds of animals.As the skills and knowledge of man increased,more and more animals have actually become endangered or have actually reached the point of extinction.
Yet,all hope is not lost,as man is becoming increasingly aware that each and every species is a valuable part of the grand design of nature.
Efforts on,across the world,to protect animal species that face threat of extinction.