Birds have fascinated human beings since long by their attractive characteristics and flight mode. But today there are very few species of birds left due to destruction of their natural habitats. Pollution and infestation of invasive species has threatened all animals and plants resulting in the decline of their population. A lot of species have become extinct and a many more are on the verge of extinction.

Endangered Bird Species of America

• Cuban Parrot - Amazona leucocephala
• Harpy Eagle - Harpia harpyja
• Ivory-billed Woodpecker - Campephilus principalis
• Resplendent Quetzal - Pharomachrus mocinno
• California Condor - Gymnogyps californianus
• Imperial Woodpecker - Campephilus imperialis
• Red-cockaded Woodpecker - Picoides borealis
• Wood stork - Mycteria americana
• Galapagos Penguin - Spheniscus mendiculus
• Black Rail - Laterallus jamaicensis
• Black-browned Albatross - Thalassarche melanophrys
• Bristle-thighed Curlew - Numenius tahitiensis
• Brown Pelican - Pelecanus occidentalis
• Buff-breasted Sandpiper - Tryngites subruficollis
• Buller's Shearwater - Puffinus bulleri
• Caribbean Coot - Fulica caribaea
• Chestnut-collared Longspur - Calcarius ornatus
• Golden -winged Warbler - Vermivora chrysoptera
• Ivory Gull - Pagophila eburnea
• Least Tern - Sterna antillarum
• Olive-sided Flycatcher - Contopus cooperi
• Painted Bunting - Passerina ciris
• Red Siskin - Carduelis cucullata
• Sooty Shearwater - Puffinus griseus
• White-crowned Pigeon - Patagioenas leucocephala

Africa

• Egyptian Vulture - Neophron percnopterus
• Eurasian Peregrine Falcon - Falco peregrinus
• Ostrich - Struthio camelus
• Mauritius Cuckoo - shrike - Coquus typicus
• Pink Pigeon - Columba mayeri
• Thyolo Alethe - Alethe choloensis
• Jackass Penguin - Speniscus demersus
• Black Harrier - Circus Maurus
• African Black Oystercatcher - Haematopus moquini
• African Green Broadbill - Pseudocalyptomena graueri
• Bank Cormorant - Phalacrocorax neglectus
• Beaudouin's Snake eagle - Circaetus beaudouini
• Black Crowned Crane - Balearica pavonina
• Blue Bustard - Eupodotis caerulescens
• Botha's Lark - Spizocorys fringillaris
• Bush Blackcap - Lioptilus nigricapillus
• Chestnut banded Plover - Charadrius pallidus
• Corncrake - Crex crex
• Denham's Bustard - Neotis denhami
• Knysna Warbler - Bradypterus sylvaticus
• Knysna Woodpecker - Campethera notata
• Madagascar Pond -heron - Ardeola idea
• Melodius Lark - Mirafra cheniana
• Neergaard's Sunbird - Nectarinia neergardi
• Plain backed Sunbird - Anthreptes reichenowi
• Red Lark - Certhilauda burra
• Rudd's Lark - Heteromirafra ruddi
• Rueppell's Vulture - Gyps rueppellii
• Sclater's Lark - Spizocorys sclateri
• Shelley's Eagle Owl - Bubo shelley
• Shy Albatross - Thalassarche cauta
• Slaty Egret - Egretta vinaceigula
• Southern Bals Ibis - Geronticus calvus
• Taita Apalis - Apalis fuscigularis

Asia and Europe

• Egyptian Vulture - Neophron percnopterus
• Whiskered Pitta - Pitta kochi
• Tristam's Woodpecker - Dryocopus javensis richardsi
• Japanese Crested Ibis - Nipponia nippon
• Palawan Peacock Pheasant - Polyplectron emphanum
• Barau's Petrel - Pterodroma baraui
• Ala Shan Redstart - Phoenicurus alaschanicus
• Amami Jay - Garrulus lidthi
• Andaman Crake - Rallina canningi
• Andaman Treepie - Dendrocitta bayleyi
• Bar - tailed Pheasant - Syrmaticus humaie
• Beautiful Nuthatch - Sitta formosa
• Broad -tailed Grassbird - Schoenicola platyurus
• Chevron-breasted Babbler - Sphenocichla roberti
• Chinese Crested Tern - Sterna bernsteini
• Crested Shellduck - Tadorna cristata
• Fairy Pitta - Pitta nympha
• Falcated Duck - Anas falcata
• Firethroat - Luscinia pectardens
• Forest Owlet - Heteroglaux blewitti
• Giant Babax - Babax waddelli
• Gray-crowned Prinia - Prinia cinereocapilla
• Great Hornbill - Buceros bicornis
• Great Indian Bustard - Ardeotis nigriceps
• Greater Adjutant - Leptoptilos dubius
• Gray-headed Fish Eagle - Ichthyophaga ichthyaetus
• Himalayan Quail - Ophrysia superciliosa
• Indian Skimmer - Rynchops albicollis
• Izu Thrush - Turdus celaenops
• Japanese Night Heron - Gorsachius goisagi
• Japanese Yellow Bunting - Emberiza sulphurata
• Jerdon'd Babbler - Chrysomma altirostre
• Kashmir Flycatcher - Ficedula subrubra
• Laggar Falcon - Falco jugger
• Long-billed Murrelet - Brachyramphus perdix
• Long-tailed Parakeet - Psittacula longicauda
• Nicobar Bulbul - Hypsipetes nicobariensis
• Nilgiri Pipit - Anthus nilghiriensis
• Painted Stork - Mycteria leucocephala
• Pale-backed Pigeon - Columba eversmanni
• Relict Gull - Larus relictus
• Siberian Grouse - Dendragapus falcipennis
• Slender-billed Vulture - Gyps tenuirostris
• Ward's Trogon - Harpactes wardi
• Yellow Weaver - Ploceus megarhynchus

Australia

• Abbot' Booby - Papasula abbotti
• Chatham Island Black Robin - Petroica traversi
• Christmas Island Frigatebird - Fregata andrewsi
• Cloven-feathered Dove - Drepanoptila holosericea
• Kakapo - Strigops habroptilus
• Kokako - Callaeas cinerea
• Turquoise Parakeet - Neophema pulchella
• Albert's Lyrebird - Menura alberti
• Australian Bittern - Botaurus poiciloptilus
• Black-breasted Buttonquail - Turnix melanogaster
• Black-eared Miner - Manorina melanotis
• Black-throated Finch - Poephila cincta
• Blue-billed Duck - Oxyura australis
• Carpentarian Grasswren - Amytornis dorotheae
• Diamond Firetail - Stagonopleura guttata
• Eastern Bristlebird - Dasyornis brachypterus
• Flame Robin - Petroica phoenicea
• Grey Falcon - Falco hypoleucos
• Ground Parrot - Pezoporus wallicus
• Hooded Plover - Thinornis rubricollis
• Kea - Nestor notabilis
• Malleefowl - Leipoa ocellata
• Noisy Scrub -bird - Atrichornis clamosus
• Paradise Parakeet - Psephotus pulcherrimus
• Red Goshawk - Erythrotriorchis radiatus
• Royal penguin - Eudyptes schlegeli
• Saddleback - Philesturnus carunculatus
• Star Finch - Neochmia ruficauda
• Swift Parrot - Lathamus discolor

This was the detailed endangered birds list. There are many different species of plants and animals in the endangered list and the number of endangered species is increasing with increase in pollution.

Tigers have been hunted and poached so much that they have been brought to the brink of extinction.Spread Awareness or we might not have any more of these beautiful creatures. 

Save The Tigers

Why are Sharks Endangered

Always assumed to be dangerous man-eaters, not many really care whether sharks exist or near extinction. However, this myth about sharks ought to be dispelled, and the reality of their waning numbers has to be brought to light. Sharks are endangered and a lot of factors are contributing to this process. What are these reasons? Let's find out here.

 

Beautiful and elegant creatures of the sea, sharks have commonly been perceived as vicious, man-eating creatures by us human beings; perceptions further intensified by movies and television shows. However, what would you say if you learned that sharks are the real victims here? Just because there is no movie that shows how sharks may be the victims at the hands of insensitive human beings, it does not mean they should be forgotten, or that their plight shouldn't be looked into. Sharks are on the brink of extinction with studies reporting their numbers all over the world being lower than those of tigers. This news is anything but good, and unless we ourselves take some measures and find out why sharks are endangered and spread awareness, things could only get worse.

Why are Sharks on the Brink of Extinction?

Sharks are very powerful predators of the sea, and they feed primarily on fish, dolphins, and seals found underwater. That they are only man-hunting creatures is a myth. Studies have reported that more often than not, sharks attack humans either by error of perception (assuming them to be seals), or when they think they are threatened by them. Sharks take a long time to grow and breed. On the other hand, their disappearance from the underwater food chain is increasing at a very alarming rate. What is the reason for this? Let's take a look.

To Prepare Delicacies
Shark fin soup is a delicacy in south-east Asian countries, and is becoming increasingly popular all over the world. So, what fishermen do is catch sharks, slice off their fins, and leave them to die at sea. The fins are then exported to various countries to make this exotic delicacy that people enjoy, blissfully unaware of the misery that the sharks have gone through. Sharks are also killed for their teeth and their cartilage, which is used as a medicinal product in China, and as aphrodisiac in Japan. Reports indicate that up to 73 million sharks are killed in a year solely for this purpose.

Accidental Killing
Fishermen who set traps to catch other fish usually end up with sharks that got enticed by the bait. This is because of the method of fishing that is used to catch fish such as the swordfish and tuna. By using a gear known as the pelagic longlines that has one single strand with about 1500 hooks of bait and is about 10 to 40 miles long, fishermen accidentally trap sharks such as the shortfin Mako and the blue fin sharks.

Attacks on their Prey
An indirect effect on the sharks and their life cycles, overfishing of their prey such as tuna and other types of fish are also leading them to the brink of extinction. The less there is to eat in the sea, the more difficult it will be for sharks to survive. This is one of the reasons sharks have been migrating to various areas, thereby catering to the perception that there are still many more sharks in the sea. However, a tagging system started in Australia where the movement of these sharks is monitored shows that it is the same sharks that have been traveling to different areas to survive.

Destruction of their Habitat
Finally, it is the destruction of their habitat that has led to their endangered status. Water pollution, destruction of the mangroves and reefs that make for their breeding grounds, areas where young sharks are allowed to grow, and to hunt for prey, have all contributed to the reducing number of sharks worldwide.

Measures have been taken by countries such as the United States of America and the European Union to ban shark finning and their use for commercial purposes. Shark sanctuaries have been started to protect endangered sharks and allow them to grow in a natural, healthy habitat. However, changes need to be implemented at a global level to make a real difference to the waning numbers of various shark breeds. A little awareness on part of us humans, combined with an education of sharks in terms of their habitat, their diet, their life cycle, and their role in the marine ecosystem will help us reduce the atrocities (intentional or unintentional) meted out to sharks, and save this beautiful creature.

Why It’s Not Enough

 There are currently 1,361 species that qualify for protection under the ESA, with plenty more candidate species in the wings. If we want to save them, we have to think beyond simple laws.

 

 

The Law

The Endangered Species Act is enforced by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. These two agencies are responsible for the identification and protection of endangered and threatened species, and also for penalizing those who illegally threaten or harm the listed populations. A species may be listed if the population is threatened by habitat loss, predation, disease, or other man-made factors, and the ecosystem in which that species lives is deemed "critical habitat" and receives separate but related protection under the law.

Success Stories

The program has worked, and there are a few especially dramatic success stories. The bald eagle is a big one - our national symbol was down to 400 breeding pairs in the 1960s, but the protection afforded by the Endangered Species Act allowed it to rebound to over 7,000 current breeding pairs. The gray wolf, grizzly bear, Florida panther and peregrine falcon are also experiencing benefits from federal protection, although they have a long way to go to match the bald eagle’s success.

Clearly, this set of laws has had its intended effect. Nobody wants anything to go extinct, and most people are more than happy to make the accommodation necessary to comply. But what happens when those accommodations - or the endangered species themselves - infringe on the rights of citizens? It happens more often than you might think.

The Problem

In many areas, critical habitats are found mostly on private lands. When that land is a farm, the farmer may be prevented from disturbing the soil, planting non-native vegetation, or using machinery - all of which prevent him from planting and harvesting his crops. Suddenly he’s left with no income, and a parcel of land that cannot be worked. So yes, that endangered grasshopper may be doing okay, but the farmer and his family may go hungry.

The solution to this problem becomes ugly for everyone involved. When the farmer finds an endangered species on his property, instead of alerting the FWS, he may go to extraordinary lengths to make his land as unattractive to the creature as possible. The grasshoppers move out, and the farmer can continue with his crops. So the endangered species loses a little bit more habitat. Multiply that same scenario by the hundreds of farms where the grasshopper may have appeared, and soon there is no critical habitat left, leaving the creature at a much higher risk of extinction.

Or, take the farmer with livestock. The gray wolves in his state have enjoyed a gradual population resurgence thanks to Endangered Species Act protection, but now he’s finding half-eaten goats and spooked cows on his property. Those animals are his livelihood, and any loss translates into a loss of income. Instead of notifying the FWS the next time he spots a wolf, he shoots it and buries it, keeping the secret forever. This way his property is not designated critical habitat, and can continue his farm operations without having to uproot his livestock and let his fields return to a wild state, which usually comes with a crippling financial cost. The wolves lost another potential breeder, and the use of suitable habitat.

The Bigger Picture

In both cases, the endangered species clearly came out the loser - but this isn’t hunting for sport. Both farmers were forced into untenable situations by the proximity of wildlife to their farms, and just writing laws about it isn’t the solution. Some species-human interaction will always occur only because we all have to share this little blue marble we call home. But the bigger picture is the overall destruction of the greater ecosystem that caused the food shortage in the wild places, which led the species to more populated areas. Temperature change might have led to altered migration patterns, and droughts or floods may have destroyed natural habitats forever.
 

The Bear That Thinks It’s a Cat

You’ve probably seen pictures of huge black and white giant pandas, but the lesser panda is the giant panda's lesser known cousin.

The lesser panda, also known as the red panda, is a medium-sized, bear-like mammal that lives in the steep forested mountain slopes of Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Burma, and Nepal. This endangered species is about the size of a house cat, weighing about 12 pounds, and some of its characteristics resemble those of cats. Although the usual sounds made by lesser pandas are short squeaky whistling noises, if they are frightened or angry they stand on their hind legs and give sharp spitting noises, just like a cat. The face of the lesser panda looks very much like a cat’s face, with long whiskers, broad cheeks, and a black nose. The muzzle, eye patches, and inner ears of the lesser panda are white. They have thick rusty brown or deep chestnut-colored coats, with a long, luxurious tail ringed in broad brown and ginger-colored bands.

Some people call the lesser panda a "bear-cat," probably because of its appearance. But the lesser panda isn’t actually a bear, and it’s not even related to a cat. Although it walks like a bear—on all fours, with its forepaws pointed inward—it’s actually more closely related to raccoons than it is to the giant pandas you’re probably familiar with. Its claws are very sharp, just like a cat’s, but they are only partly retractable. The front feet have an extended pad on the sole and the first toe that the panda uses to help out in climbing and grasping bamboo poles, one of their favorite meals. Their teeth and jaws are also well suited to eating bamboo, because they have broad teeth and strong jaw muscles, which result in a relatively large head compared to other mammals the same size. Although bamboo is the lesser panda’s meal of choice, it also eats roots, acorns, berries, insects, young birds, and small rodents.

The lesser panda tolerates much colder temperatures than the giant panda does, making its home in steep, snow-covered mountain slopes with thickets of bamboo, giant rhododendron and oak. It rests and shelters itself high in tree branches or rock crevasses. As a result of the habitat it prefers, the lesser panda has become endangered due to deforestation and forest fragmentation—all caused by population growth and humans encroaching on the lesser panda’s natural habitat. Other human activities are also affecting the species, including the demand for lumber, inadvertent trapping, hunting, and even wars in the regions where the lesser panda lives. The World Conservation Union has listed the lesser panda as endangered because of these threats to its natural environment, and there is concern that recovery of the species may be difficult since these threats are not likely to diminish or go away.

Hopefully with the growing awareness of the lesser panda and species like it, the world will begin to understand that the fragility of ecosystems can be shattered forever with just the loss of even one species. To ensure the future of this beautiful, engaging creature, humans must take notice and learn to share the earth instead of destroy it.