With millions of animal species facing extinction around the globe, protecting our biodiversity is more important than ever.
The BIODIVERSITY of the plant and animal species in our ecosystems makes our planet beautiful — and we hold the key for their recovery. This WORLD WILDLIFE DAY, we're raising awareness to three of the most critically endangered animals on our planet:
- African Forest Elephant: If you want to meet an African Forest elephant, you'll need to traverse through the beautiful lush rainforests located across Africa; spanning from Cameroon to Ghana. African Forest elephants are foragers, and contribute to the distribution of fruit and tree seeds across the ecosystem. Sadly, these gentle giants have decreased in population by over 86% in the past three decades due to poaching and environmental destruction.
- Javan Rhinos: Native to Indonesia and Vietnam, only 76 Javan rhinos exist in the world today. Facing similar issues to the African Forest elephant, the Javan rhino is threatened by human activities, like poaching. They are currently considered the most endangered rhino — but despite this, Javan rhinos recently saw a glimmer of hope for their continued survival. In January 2023, two more Javan rhinos were born in Ujung Kolun National Park —proof that dedicated conservation efforts do pay off.
- Mountain Gorillas: These beautiful beasts live in high elevations in central Africa. They are social omnivores and rely on leaves as a substantial part of their diet. Mountain gorillas used to be labeled as critically endangered, but in recent years their status has changed to endangered. Despite this success, scientists are still keeping a close eye on mountain gorillas. Only one thousand mountain gorillas remain in the wild today, and without increased conservation efforts, they are predicted to go extinct in 2025. Mountain gorillas are threatened by human activity — such as hunting and tourism.
Despite the status of these three animals, the Javan rhino and the mountain gorilla are proof that conservation efforts can create positive change for our wonderful wildlife. Further help is needed to guarantee the continued survival of these species for future generations.
Be a part of the change. Donate on WORLD WILDLIFE DAY - March 3.
