Endangered species

Today, thousands of endangered species across the globe are on the verge of becoming extinct.

US:

Although conservation efforts have helped significantly to increase awareness, find sustainable resources, and re-establish endangered populations, there are still nearly fifty native species in the U.S. that are in critical danger of becoming extinct as a result of harmful human activities, such as excessive hunting and fishing.

According to the World Wildlife Foundation, "Destructive human activities have led to the current rate of species extinction, which is at least 100–1,000 times higher than the expected natural rate."

As of November 1, 2009, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service listed approximately 1,200 animals and 750 plants as endangered or threatened in North America.

Examples of endangered animals:

Red Wolf:

Today, a small population of the Red Wolf, which was believed to be extinct in the 1970s, can be found in North Carolina.

Florida Bonnet Bat:

The 21-inch-long Florida Bonnet Bat, the biggest in Florida, was thought to be extinct in 2002, until a small population of approximately 100 bats were rediscovered in Fort Myers.

UK is no better:

The United Kingdom’s Biodiversity Action Plan (UKBAP) lists a total of 1150 native animals and plants that the government considers as “priorities for conservation action.”

Wildcat:

The wildcat is Britain’s last large mammal predator, but it could become extinct within the next decade. Fewer than 400 remain, all in Scotland – the last recorded wildcat in England was shot in 1849. A captive breeding programme has been set up in a bid to save the species.

The red squirrel

Sciurus vulgaris) is another British species whose population is dropping quickly due to a North American invasive animal. The red squirrel’s nemesis is the North American gray squirrel, which is a carrier of a viral disease called “squirrel pox.” While gray squirrels are resistant to the virus’s ravages, the native red squirrels die from it.