Malayan Tiger (Panthera tigris jacksoni)

Malayan Tiger (Panthera tigris jacksoni)
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This rare species is found only one place on Earth – the Malay Peninsula in southern Thailand, where only an estimated 200 of the cats remain. Tragically, China, which has traditionally used tiger bone for certain medicines, recently reversed a ban on the use of tiger parts; it’s a move that the WWF calls “an enormous setback for wildlife conservation.” Another: tigers are often killed by Malayan villagers protecting their livestock; however, this is one area where WWF is concentrating its efforts and may see good results.

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African wild dog (Lycaon Pictus)

African wild dog (Lycaon Pictus)
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These fast-running, critically endangered hunters of the African deserts and grasslands are down to paltry numbers – about 3000 by most recent count. As with Malayan tigers, standoffs with livestock farmers have proved detrimental to their populations, but so have rampant diseases like rabies and distemper. They’re also rapidly losing habitat; conservation efforts are focused on connecting wildlife corridors to game preserves.

Black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes)

Black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes)
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Some good news for a change: this denizen of the Northern Great Plains of the United States, once thought extinct, has been given ‘a second chance for survival’ thanks to multiple, decades-long conservation efforts (especially among tribal groups). Still, with numbers hovering around 350, it might be too soon to celebrate – especially since North America’s only native ferret species, which is prone to sylvatic plague, is also quickly losing habitat.

Bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus)

Bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus)
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Call them victims of their own deliciousness; bluefin tuna have been fished to the point of near-annihilation – with Asia’s sushi demands a large contributor to their decline. And with tanking numbers have come inflated prices, which has led to an uptick in illegal fishing practices that have continued to decimate their stocks. This has made attempts to conserve what remains of these swift-swimming predator fish an uphill battle.

Ganges river dolphin (Platanista gangetica gangetica)

Ganges river dolphin (Platanista gangetica gangetica)
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A blind freshwater dolphin native to India and Nepal’s severely degraded river systems, this ancient aquatic mammal is in serious trouble, perishing from chemical dumping, hunting, and starvation. The WWF monitors its populations, analyses their various threats, and also works with local communities to introduce better conservation practices.

Borneo pygmy elephant (Elephas maximus borneensis)

Borneo pygmy elephant (Elephas maximus borneensis)
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They’re the smallest elephants in Asia, with a small – and swindling – population of 1500. Conservation organisations hope that China’s ivory ban will put a significant dent in the poaching of these and all elephants – although this will do nothing to minimise threats from increases in palm oil plantations throughout the region. Efforts are afoot to increase the wildlife corridors these beloved and intelligent animals rely on as their foraging grounds.

Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus)

Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus)
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It’s one of the most iconic animals in the world and it is quickly succumbing to warming oceans clogged with plastic and other pollution, and declining food sources thanks to climate change. Luckily, the pro-whale community is active and vocal, which means efforts to preserve the 10,000 to 25,000 blue whales estimated to still be swimming our global waters are strong and ongoing.

Hine's Emerald Dragonfly (Somatochlora hineana)

Hine's Emerald Dragonfly (Somatochlora hineana)
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Thought extinct in the mid-1900s, discovered anew in 1988, this iridescent green insect native to North America in danger once again. Efforts to preserve the wetlands, marshes, and streams that are critical to its survival from invasive species are underway, as are proposals to limit dragonfly-killing speed limits for cars.

Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata)

Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata)
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Coral reefs the world over are threatened by ocean acidification and warming, which are results of climate change. In the United States, the Center for Biological Diversity petitioned the National Marine Fisheries Service to put 83 species of coral on the Threatened and Endangered lists; as of 2015, 22 had been added as threatened – including reef-building Elkhorn coral (although the petition requested endangered status) – and three had been added as endangered. Many efforts persist worldwide to restrict harvesting, but tackling the effects of climate change will require enormous sustained and coordinated global efforts.

But is the Great Barrier Reef really dying? Learn more here.

Mountain gorilla

Mountain gorilla
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Dian Fossey made the study of, and advocacy for, this majestic, thick-furred primate her life’s work; nevertheless, for all the efforts she and others made over the years, the mountain gorilla of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda is critically endangered. The WWF reports that thanks to recent conservation efforts, some strides have been made to preserve populations. Will they be enough to ensure its continued existence? One population has grown by 124 individuals since 2010, to a total of over 1000 so, yes, slow progress is being made.

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Source: RD.com

 

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