Degree Space

“Young people are the future of conservation. We must inspire them and we must lead them by our example,” said Dr. Sybille Klenzendorf from the World Wildlife Federation. Over the years, Dr. Klenzendorf has worked on the conservation of endangered animals like tigers, leopards, elephants, rhinos and orangutans around the world. “We are really at a crisis. So many species are in decline right now,” she told the Buffalo News recently. To put things into perspective, the rhino population has dropped 90% since 1970 and there are only 4,000 to 5,000 tigers living in the wild right now. Here is a list of the most endangered species on the planet.

The Sumatran tiger is one of the world’s most endangered animals, particularly because they are highly coveted in the world of poaching and their habitat is rapidly being destroyed by the logging industry. The island’s nature preserve houses 100 tigers but the poachers have managed to find their way into the park to kill. Three similar breeds of tiger — the Bali, the Java and the Trinil — have already gone extinct. It is believed that there are less than 400 Sumatran tigers in the wild. Similarly, the Siberian tiger has been whittled down to less than 200 existing in the wild. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums has 1,000 tigers in their breeding programs, which has female tigers birthing several cubs each year.

Another one of the most endangered species in the world is the orangutan, which experts warn could be extinct within 10 to 20 years. In 2006, 1,000 apes were killed in raging forest fires that swept Indonesia; not to mention that 80% of their habitat has been destroyed by palm oil/bio-fuel loggers and farmers. Now only small pockets of orangutan exist in Borneo and Sumatra. Their numbers have dwindled from 300,000 to 50,000, with 5,000 of these endangered animals perishing each year. “Orangutans are in catastrophic decline and everything that is being done to protect them is not up to the challenge,” explained Ape Alliance chairman Ian Redmond. “It is all looking pretty bleak.”

The endangered species study also found that 99% of the threats to wildlife are man-made. For instance, the Bornean Orangutan and the Sumatran Orangutan are threatened by illegal logging operations to obtain palm oil plantations. Even though it is illegal, the locals can’t help but try to obtain these valuable resources — at all costs, even if it means wrecking the home of precious endangered animals. The Sumatran tiger has been hurt significantly by the illegal animal trade since the killing of one tiger can feed a whole family for a year. Hippos are slaughtered for their ivory teeth, reducing their numbers by 95%. Chimpanzees are often hunted for bush meat and for use in Southeast Asian medicines.

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How do zoos help endangered animals?

Mankind has been key in helping put many animals on the endangered species act. So to help keep these animals alive many zoos will breed and house these animals to prevent their extinction. Some zoos will release a portion of the offspring back into the wild if that is what is best for the animal and the animal’s native environment is still intact. This is particularly great if the zoo has a great breeding program. A good example of an endangered species that zoos can help is the panda. The panda is extremely endangered due to mankind encroaching upon their habitat and through poaching. The more pandas that can be bred and grown in captivity before being released, the better chance the species has for staying alive.

How do zoos get their funding?

Zoos get their funding in several ways. Obviously the first way is through government grants. These grants are usually what will get the zoo built and stocked. Another source of funding is, of course, daily visitors. The more visitors a zoo has then the more money they have to put towards animal care, park maintenance and even employee pay. Another way that a zoo can get funding is through charity fundraisers. You will often see a charity fundraiser if the zoo wants to add a special exhibit or if they want to renovate a particular animal enclosure.

Are there any free zoos in the United States?

Yes, there are zoos that are free in the United States. Two zoos stand out among the crowd. These are the Lincoln Park Zoo and the St. Louis Zoo. While it is true that a zoo does get a lot of its funding from charging admission, these two are funded by local corporations. In St. Louis the zoo is funded by Anheuser Bush Brewing Company. You do still have to pay for parking but that is a small price to pay.

How does the quality of zoos differ across the world?

The quality of a zoo is largely dependent on who runs the zoo and where it is located. If the zoo is in an impoverished area then chances are it will not be top quality zoo. Sometimes people will come across a small zoo in small towns. This type of zoo is usually the worst because it is a private exhibition and is rarely in good condition. The animals are usually kept in small cages and not given much area to roam. Many of these “road side zoos” are being shut down due to animal cruelty.

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There is some debate over the best way to save endangered animals. Some say zoo conservation programs and species survival plans are the best way to protect biodiversity and ensure that animals are reproducing and surviving those critical early years, when young offspring are so vulnerable. Others say the “adopt an animal” programs and donating money toward the purchase of nature preserves are best. Some animal rights activists believe in putting pressure on governments to regulate habitat destruction, poaching and human interference as the only way we’re going to see any progress. In the end, the solution may very well consist of a combination of all these ideas, as well as some new innovations.

The Sumatran tiger is one of the world’s most endangered animals, particularly because they are highly coveted in the world of poaching and their habitat is rapidly being destroyed by the logging industry. The island’s nature preserve houses 100 tigers but the poachers have managed to find their way into the park to kill. Three similar breeds of tiger — the Bali, the Java and the Trinil — have already gone extinct. It is believed that there are less than 400 Sumatran tigers in the wild. Similarly, the Siberian tiger has been whittled down to less than 200 existing in the wild. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums has 1,000 tigers in their breeding programs, which has female tigers birthing several cubs each year.

Another one of the most endangered animals is the South China tiger. This feline is said to be the ancestor of all modern-day tigers. The population is so small (60 in captivity) that they are expected to be extinct within a decade. In 1959, there were 4,000 in the wild, but Mao Zedong declared them “pests” and ran campaigns to exterminate them until 200 were left in 1982. No wild South China tigers have been spotted in over 25 years, so they are now considered “functionally extinct,” save for a few scattered tigers in zoos around the world. Since then, the Chinese government has pledged to help conserve them in zoos and on preserves.

“It’s sad to see in my lifetime the loss of so many species. It’s like watching the end of the world in slow motion,” said Donna Fernandes, president of the Buffalo Zoo. In Buffalo, NY there are captive breeding and resettlement programs for 28 endangered species, including the snow leopard, Indian rhino, Siberian tiger, Puerto Rican Crested Toad and Golden Lion Tamarin. “I sometimes wish I could time travel back 200 years ago, and see the world the way it was,” she sighs, referring to the numerous endangered animals who have already met their end — including the Vancouver Island wolverine, the Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit, the Dusky Seaside sparrow and the Bay Spring salamander, which have gone extinct since 1960. Fernandes adds, “I’m hoping people will realize there is hope if they take an active role in changing their behavior, and in supporting organizations trying to halt extinction.”

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