Some extinct or endangered species

Life on Earth is disappearing fast and will continue to do unless urgent action is taken.

In September 2007 there were 41,415 species on the 'Red List' and 16,306 of them are threatened with extinction.

     90% of threatened species are at risk from human activities.

Here are some animals critically endangered :

  Western lowland Gorilla  (Africa )                                                       Sumatran Orangutan

       The Mauritius Parakeet                                                                   The Madagascar Flying Fox (bat)

In 2007 corals have been added to the Red List for the first time

Wellington's Solitary Coral (Galapagos)(possibly extinct)

Not only animals but also trees and plants can be in a difficult situation.

If you want to know more about this problem consult

IUCN : The World Conservation Union

 Our lives are inextricably linked with biodiversity and its protection is essential for our very survival.

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1.
Emblem of New Caledonia this ash-grey and white coloured bird is listed as endangered.
It lives in the forest and is nearly flightless aurochs buffalo coelacanth dodo floreana coral giant beaver kagu okapi przewalski thylacine
2.
It was a flightless bird native only to the island of Mauritius. It has been driven to extinction (1681) by humans and also by the dogs, pigs, rats and monkeys that the Europeans introduced on the island aurochs buffalo coelacanth dodo floreana coral giant beaver kagu okapi przewalski thylacine
3.
It is the largest animal of North America.
The destruction of this animal leading almost to extinction began in 1830. By 1900 less than 1000 of them remained.
But thanks to federal regulation there are now about 30 000. aurochs buffalo coelacanth dodo floreana coral giant beaver kagu okapi przewalski thylacine
4.
Commonly known as the Tasmanian tiger

it was the largest carnivorous marsupial of modern times.
It is thought to have become extinct in the 20th century aurochs buffalo coelacanth dodo floreana coral giant beaver kagu okapi przewalski thylacine
5.
It is an extinct very large type of cattle prevalent in Europe. Here it is fighting a wolf pack.
They are depicted in many caves paintings such as those found in Lascaux aurochs buffalo coelacanth dodo floreana coral giant beaver kagu okapi przewalski thylacine
6.
It is the national symbol of Mongolia. These horses are extinct in the wild.
They have never been domesticated and are the only remaining truly wild horses in the world.
A cooperation between the Zoologocal Society in London and Mongolian scientists saved them from extinction.
The world population was about 1500 in 2005, they mostly descend from
approximately 15 horses captured in 1900. Its name is aurochs buffalo coelacanth dodo floreana coral giant beaver kagu okapi przewalski thylacine's horse
7.
This fish is a living fossil. Pre-dating the dinosaurs by millions of years
and once thought to have gone extinct with them (65 million years ago) it was discovered alive in 1938
(off the coasts of South Africa).
Scientists think that it has survived in the cold depths of the West Indian Ocean. aurochs buffalo coelacanth dodo floreana coral giant beaver kagu okapi przewalski thylacine
8.
These animals are most closely related to the giraffe than the zebra.

They live in Central Africa rainforest. Although they are not classified as endangered,
they are threatened by habitat destruction and poaching. aurochs buffalo coelacanth dodo floreana coral giant beaver kagu okapi przewalski thylacine
9.
It was one of the largest rodent ever known it weighed up to 200 kg.
Fossils that are over 70 000 years old have been found in Toronto.
This animal died out with mammoths about 10 000 years ago during the last Ice Age. aurochs buffalo coelacanth dodo floreana coral giant beaver kagu okapi przewalski thylacine
10.
It is a rare species endemic to the Galapagos. It is found at depths of up to 46m .
The main threats are El Nino and climate change. Since 1982 it has suffered more than an 80% decline. aurochs buffalo coelacanth dodo floreana coral giant beaver kagu okapi przewalski thylacine