Overview of Endangered Species

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Endangered species are rare or threatened plants or animals that are rapidly vanishing and becoming extinct. This means they are plants and animals that now exist in only small numbers and soon may be gone forever unless whatever is causing this to occur changes. Maybe as humans, we need to cherish these plants and animals as much as we cherish our material possessions, as after all these may be the most valuable treasures for all of mankind.
According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (“IUCN”) there are 6 categories of endangered animals:
• Extinct meaning no living member of a particular species on earth.
• Critically endangered which is the highest risk category for wild species and means these animals are facing high risk of extinction.
• Endangered animals are those that are close to becoming critically endangered.
• Vulnerable animals have high risk of extinction.
• Near threatened animals are ones that are believed to be endangered and close to extinction in the future, and
• Least concerned animals are species that have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category.

The main reason animals are becoming extinct is due to direct human causes and environmental issues. Some of these include:
• Habitat deprivation
• Human use
• Entertainment purposes
• Environmental causes such as climate change, rising sea levels and global warming
• Exotic organisms
• Pollution
• Over fishing and poaching

Habitat Deprivation
Habitat loss is one of the main reasons why some species of animals are considered endangered. For example, the population of Africa doubles every twenty-four years. This means forests are destroyed to create space for people, to live and to grow crops, with the wood fro...

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