Namibia and Botswana have promoted wildlife conservation through the devolution of wildlife management and the establishment of benefit sharing initiatives between photographic tour operators, professional hunters and communities through Conservancies and Wildlife Management Areas. In North and West Africa, the Middle East and large parts of Asia, leopards are restricted to protected areas where they are afforded refuge if poaching is not significant.
However, many of these protected areas are not large enough to maintain genetically viable populations and will likely require intensive management.
Conservation organizations have worked with range states to rigorously track leopard population trends in order to identify populations in need of conservation attention, and to inform and evaluate effective management of the species.
There are about 7, Bornean orangutans left in the wild. The Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme is working to conserve these orangutans by rehabilitating rescued orangutans, confiscating pets and reintroducing them to the wild, increasing conservation education, and research. Similar to the orangutan, there are more than one type of gorilla in trouble. Despite the current dire outlook, these gorillas could bounce back — in fact, their cousins, the mountain gorillas are among the few success stories of conservation efforts, as Inverse reported in That is thanks in large part to the work of primatologist Dian Fossey, mountain gorillas rebounded from just individuals in to in Forest-clearing for timber, agriculture, and livestock cuts into their territory.
Poaching is a problem, too. These gorillas are similar to the western lowland gorilla, but have subtle unique differences in their skulls and teeth. The human-shy species is difficult to track, but estimates show there are about left. Conservationists are monitoring populations, increasing environmental education, and conducting research to better protect these gorillas.
Civil unrest in the Democratic Republic of Congo is part of the reason eastern lowland gorillas are endangered, WWF reports. Through the years, habitat destruction, poaching, and illegal mining have all taken a toll.
This is the largest gorilla subspecies, with a "stocky body, large hands and short muzzle," WWF reports. Accurate counting of these gorillas has been impossible because of violence in their region, WWF says. But it's estimated that the population has declined by more than half of its number in the mids, which was nearly 17, individuals. The largest protected population of these gorillas lives in Kahuzi-Biega National Park, which is in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Illegal mining and poaching in the park has threatened populations, but conservation organizations and park staff are working to regain control of the land. Hunting and trade, habitat loss, and disease are all threatening the western lowland gorilla. These gorillas are smaller than other subspecies, with brown-grey coats, auburn chests, wider skulls, pronounced brow ridges, and small ears, according to WWF.
There are expected to be up to , of these gorillas left, though researchers haven't been able to get an accurate estimate of this elusive animal. Efforts to protect these gorillas include stronger protections, better tracking of the animal, encouraging more sustainable development in areas where these gorillas live, and working toward adapting the human Ebola vaccine for gorillas.
These turtles are most threatened by the wildlife trade: Pieces of their shells are sold in markets as "tortoiseshell" goods. The sea turtles are also hurt by the loss of their habitats, fishing, pollution, and coastal development. With a pointed beaklike face — hence its name — this turtle swims through tropical coral reefs throughout the world and dazzles with its biofluorescent shell.
Hawksbill turtles are among the animals whose populations are difficult to estimate accurately, but one estimate showed there are probably about 8, nesting females remaining in the wild. Global population has dropped by 80 percent over the past century. Habitat protection, satellite tracking, and getting fishers to use "turtle-friendly fishing hooks " are all part of the efforts to conserve the Hawksbill. The funky saola was only discovered in , and unfortunately it has already landed on the list of the most endangered species.
Habitat loss is the main threat: Saola depend on the forest to survive, and humans' agriculture and infrastructure are shrinking and fragmenting saola habitat. There are fewer than saola left in the wild. Conservation organizations like WWF are working to strengthen protected areas, partner with communities to improve forest management, and are working with law enforcement to help secure protections. As Sumatran elephants' habitat has diminished over time, conflicts with humans have arisen.
Sumatra's high deforestation rates have driven the elephants into human settlements, where the animals sometimes raid crops, trample people's homes, or even kill people. As a result, communities may retaliate by poisoning or shooting the elephants. Like the hawksbill turtle, Sumatran elephants make their environments better, in this case by depositing seeds the natural way.
The other animals in its habitat all benefit from the presence of this elephant population, WWF says. WWF and others are working to reduce human-elephant conflict by setting up warning systems when elephants enter human settlements, and driving the elephants back into the forest.
They are also protecting forests to conserve habitat. Illegal wildlife trade is the main threat to these tigers. Leopards can also hunt from trees, where their spotted coats allow them to blend with the leaves until they spring with a deadly pounce. These nocturnal predators also stalk antelope, deer, and pigs by stealthy movements in the tall grass.
When human settlements are present, leopards often attack dogs and, occasionally, people. Leopards are strong swimmers and very much at home in the water, where they sometimes eat fish or crabs. Female leopards can give birth at any time of the year. They usually have two grayish cubs with barely visible spots. The mother hides her cubs and moves them from one safe location to the next until they are old enough to begin playing and learning to hunt.
Cubs live with their mothers for about two years—otherwise, leopards are solitary animals. Most leopards are light colored with distinctive dark spots that are called rosettes, because they resemble the shape of a rose.
Black leopards, which appear to be almost solid in color because their spots are hard to distinguish, are commonly called black panthers. All rights reserved. Common Name: Leopards. Scientific Name: Panthera pardus. Type: Mammals. Diet: Carnivore. Size: Head and body: 4.
Weight: 66 to pounds.
0コメント