The species that are endangered or officially extinct
In most cases, the demise of an animal species can be directly attributable to one of humankind’s many sins against the planet, whether it be hunting, urban development, pollution, deforestation, the introduction of invasive species, global warming or overfishing.
This history of destruction is long established with the demise of both the Woolly Mammoth and the Dodo attributed to hunting. The whales are now facing the same faith, they’re in danger of extinction.
From the WWF website, I want to share these animals that we will probably never seen again in their natural habitat. Some of them, like the Javanese tigers are the victim of humankind’s arrogancy, being hunted on the land where they’re used to live in to make it a place for us to build our own home.
So, here are some of the species that are endangered or officially extinct:
The Golden Toad (Bufo periglenes)
Small, shiny, bright-orange toad that was once abundant in a small region of high-altitude cloud-covered tropical forests, above the city of Monteverde. Golden toads, considered one of the most spectacularly coloured toads on earth, were conspicuous only during the breeding season.
Their breeding activity lasted one to two weeks, then the toads would disappear for another year. Since 1989, not a single Golden Toad has been seen anywhere in the world, and it is classified by the IUCN as extinct. Its extinction has been attributed to a number of factors including pollution, weather, and climate change due to global warming.
Barbary Lion and Cape Lion
The Barbary Lion (Panthera leo leo), also known as Atlas lion or Nubian lion and the The Cape Lion (Panthera leo melanochaitus) are both subspecies of lion that are now extinct in the wild.
One of its most spectacular features was its extensive mane. The mane surrounding the face was golden and the remainder, which ran all the way to the groin was dark brown or black. The last known Barbary Lion in the wild was shot in the Atlas Mountains in 1922.
The black-maned Cape Lion ranged along the Cape of Africa on the southern tip of the continent. As with the Barbary Lion, the Cape Lion’s most spectacular feature was its magnificent black mane which extended beyond its shoulders and along its stomach. The last Cape Lion seen in Cape Province was killed in 1858.
Tigers
The largest of all cats, is one of the most charismatic and evocative species to exist and is both revered and feared. However, in the past century, the world has lost 3 of the 8 tiger subspecies. The Balinese tiger (Panthera tigris balica) has always been limited to the island of Bali. These tigers were hunted to extinction – the last Balinese tiger is thought to have been killed at Sumbar Kima in 1937.
The Bali, Caspian and Javan tigers have all become extinct, with tiger habitats disappearing at an alarming rate, there are now strong concerns about other subspecies, in particular the South China tiger. Join WWF passport to help supporting the tigers campaign.
The Carolina Parakeet (Conuropsis carolinensis)
Was the only parrot species native to the eastern of United States. It was found from the Ohio Valley to the Gulf of Mexico, and lived in old forests along rivers. It was a colourful bird with green body, yellow head and red around the bill.
Once common in the southeastern United States, the Carolina parakeet became increasingly scarce as deforestation reduced its habitat. Already rare by the mid 1880s, its last stand was in Florida, where, in 1920, a flock of 30 birds was the last ever seen of the only native parrot of the United States.
Gastric brooding frogs
Unremarkable small and dully coloured. This species of frog have a truly remarkable method of reproduction. Following external fertilisation by the male, the female would swallow the tadpoles or the eggs, incubating them in her stomach. After a period of approximately 2 months as many as 25 baby frogs would hop from the mother’s mouth!
There are 2 species of Gastric Brooding Frog – the Gastric Brooding Frog (Rheobatrachus silus) and the Northern Gastric Brooding Frog (Rheobatrachus vitellinus). Both were discovered only relatively recently, in 1972 and 1984 respectively. Sadly, it is unlikely that we will ever be able to witness this particular miracle of birth again as both species are now believed to be extinct.
The Thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus)
Large carnivorous marsupial native to Australia, also known as the Tasmanian Tiger or Tasmanian Wolf, and colloquially the Tassie (“tazzy”) Tiger or simply the Tiger.
Light grey or brown in colour it was marked with dark stripes across its back. Although it is only one of many Australian mammals to have become extinct following European settlement of the continent, it is the largest and by far the most famous.
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June 29th, 2008 at 6:30 am
Mankind’s wanton greed has only led to one disaster after another.
For whatever cause that man shores up as a line of uncontrolled permissiveness, they fail to understand that the extinction of any species flora or fauna has irreversible repercussions on the fine and meticulous balance that is contained in the universal code of a self supporting life system on Earth.
July 16th, 2008 at 12:34 am
Too bad they must gone. I people stop hunting animal.
January 9th, 2009 at 11:24 am
I love animals every time I go to the manchester market at xmas theres always a stall with somebody selling animal fur last year at xmas 08 I aculey cried when I saw some fur again I have seen it every year thinking about those animals.