3 Endangered/Vulnerable Species
By Noemi Keller
By Noemi Keller
Across the world there are many endangered and vulnerable animals, usually because of human activity. The black-footed ferret, giant panda, and asian elephant are all either endangered or vulnerable, and can be found at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.
1: Black-Footed Ferret
The black-footed ferret is a species that is native to North America and was almost extinct in the 1960’s. Due to habitat loss and prairie dog plague, the ferrets are dying. At the moment, the amount of black-footed ferrets is around 350. The ferrets are still facing the bacterial disease that killed colonies of prairie dogs. This is a problem because ferrets eat prairie dogs. To get more information about black-footed ferrets CLICK HERE.
2: Giant Panda
Giant pandas are an alive version of your typical stuffed animal. Covered in black and white fur, you would think that no one would hurt them or anything they need. However, people have been destroying their habitat, and when their habitat is destroyed, they get less and less food. In China, where the pandas live, the human population is growing. Therefore, they are cutting down the panda’s trees and bamboo to make room for more houses and property. To watch giant pandas CLICK HERE.
3: Asian Elephant
There are two types of elephants - African elephants, and the less commonly known type, Asian elephants. This species population has declined 50% over 60-75 years, and they’ve been on the endangered species list for 30 of them. Some of the most common reasons for this decrease are because people are destroying their homes, their grasslands, and poaching the males for their tusks (which are used to lift and move objects, gather food, and defend against other males).
Sources
World Wildlife Federation - Species - Asian Elephant: worldwildlife.org/species/asian-elephant
National Zoo - Animals - Black-Footed Ferret: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/black-footed-ferret#:~:text=Black%2Dfooted%20ferret%20News&text=Black%2Dfooted%20ferrets%27%20color%20and,and%20a%20black%2Dtipped%20tail.
National Zoo - Animals - Giant Panda:
https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/giant-panda
Images
Asian Elephant: https://www.worldwildlife.org/photos/asian-elephants_kui-buri_thailand
Black-Footed Ferret: https://www.worldwildlife.org/photos/black-footed-ferret-mustela-nigripes
Giant Panda: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/giant-panda
1: Black-Footed Ferret
The black-footed ferret is a species that is native to North America and was almost extinct in the 1960’s. Due to habitat loss and prairie dog plague, the ferrets are dying. At the moment, the amount of black-footed ferrets is around 350. The ferrets are still facing the bacterial disease that killed colonies of prairie dogs. This is a problem because ferrets eat prairie dogs. To get more information about black-footed ferrets CLICK HERE.
2: Giant Panda
Giant pandas are an alive version of your typical stuffed animal. Covered in black and white fur, you would think that no one would hurt them or anything they need. However, people have been destroying their habitat, and when their habitat is destroyed, they get less and less food. In China, where the pandas live, the human population is growing. Therefore, they are cutting down the panda’s trees and bamboo to make room for more houses and property. To watch giant pandas CLICK HERE.
3: Asian Elephant
There are two types of elephants - African elephants, and the less commonly known type, Asian elephants. This species population has declined 50% over 60-75 years, and they’ve been on the endangered species list for 30 of them. Some of the most common reasons for this decrease are because people are destroying their homes, their grasslands, and poaching the males for their tusks (which are used to lift and move objects, gather food, and defend against other males).
Sources
World Wildlife Federation - Species - Asian Elephant: worldwildlife.org/species/asian-elephant
National Zoo - Animals - Black-Footed Ferret: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/black-footed-ferret#:~:text=Black%2Dfooted%20ferret%20News&text=Black%2Dfooted%20ferrets%27%20color%20and,and%20a%20black%2Dtipped%20tail.
National Zoo - Animals - Giant Panda:
https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/giant-panda
Images
Asian Elephant: https://www.worldwildlife.org/photos/asian-elephants_kui-buri_thailand
Black-Footed Ferret: https://www.worldwildlife.org/photos/black-footed-ferret-mustela-nigripes
Giant Panda: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/giant-panda