The wonderful biodiversity and richness of life in the world is getting lost. Life processes not only add beauty and wonder to the natural world, but also are of great global economic importance. A great diversity of species maintains the ecosystems essential to our existence by helping to regulate the natural processes required for clean air and water, nutritious food and shelter.
The alarming rate at which species are disappearing is something which should be a cause for concern for us all. The current rate of extinction is thought to be far greater than the expected natural rate, with many species going extinct before they have even been discovered. Endangered species are threatened by factors such as habitat loss, hunting, disease and climate change, and usually, endangered species, have a declining population or a very limited range.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations. It provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together.
The most global and comprehensive system that determines the conservation status of each species is the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Species are assessed according to a number of different criteria, such as how many individuals there are and whether this number is in decline. They are then placed on a scale in one of the following categories:
Extinct
Extinct in the Wild
Critically Endangered
Endangered
Vulnerable
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Data Deficient
Any species which fall into the categories Vulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered are considered to be at risk of extinction.
Here in “Endangered Animals” our efforts are to spread the awareness about required conservation efforts to protect the natural world and sustain biodiversity by carefully preserving and managing existing habitats and restoring areas which have been damaged or degraded.