Our current way of life is extremely unsustainable and leads to the extinction of many species. These are some of the animals that are endangered due to human activity.

Orangutans

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A major decline in the population has been observed in recent years. About a century ago there was likely more than 230,000 a century ago. According to estimations, the Bornean Orangutan’s world population is currently about 104,700 – in other words endangered. The Sumatran Orangutan reportedly has a population of 7,500 and therefore declared a Critically Endangered species.

 

Asian Elephants

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The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the Asian elephant as Endangered. Only around 20,000 – 40,000 Asian elephants are living in the wild today after a significant population decline of approximately 50% over the past 75 years.

The U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) classified the Asian elephant as Endangered in 1976. Per law, it is illegal to trade Asian elephants and their parts commercially due to their status under CITES and the ESA.

 

Javan Rhinoceros

Javan Rhinoceros endangered

According to current updates, only 67 Javan rhinos exist in the world – making them one of the planet’s most endangered large mammal species.

The three Rhinoceros subspecies are highly endangered, i.e., Black, Javan, and Sumatran rhino species. On the northernmost point of the Indonesian island of Java, just one single national park is home to the last small population of Javan Rhinos. Vietnam already declared the subspecies of the Javan rhino extinct in the year 2011.

International Rhino Foundation works locally in Indonesia with The Rhino Foundation of Indonesia alongside the park’s management to protect the Javan Rhinos, looking for ways to expand the species’ habitat.

Vaquita

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A relatively small region in the far northern Gulf of California, Mexico, is home to the Vaquita, a little harbor dolphin. Despite its lengths of just 4-5 feet (1.2-1.5 m) and weighing no more than 100 pounds, it is the smallest known cetacean (porpoise, whale & dolphin) in the family.

Vaquita Habitat

The species known as the Vaquita, or “small cow,” is only exists in the northern part of the Gulf of California.

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

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Overfishing and illegal fishing have caused Bluefin Tuna numbers to decline significantly over the past few decades. Said overfishing does not only affect the Atlantic Bluefin Tuna, but also Southern Bluefin Tuna and Pacific Bluefin Tuna. The demand for this fish in posh sushi markets is one of the main factors contributing to the population decline.

The severely endangered bluefin tuna accounts for barely 1% of the world supply. The management and conservation of tuna have not advanced as quickly as the methods of collecting tuna have over the years.

Scientists anticipate that the extinction of bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean Sea would significantly increase the number of benthopelagic cephalopods, e.g squid. 

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Habitat

They are typically present in the Mediterranean Sea of the North Atlantic Ocean, and here and there from Ecuador to Norway, and from the Black sea to Mexico.