Little Dodo Bird

The disappearance of the dodo bird from the face of the earth almost 400 years ago is one of our most well-known extinction stories. It’s an infamous case in the history of humankind’s relationship with wildlife because it marks one of the first, confirmed instances in which our species completely obliterated another species.

However, the Manumea bird (Didunculus strigirostris), a smaller, lookalike dodo relative—it is also called the tooth-billed pigeon —still remains in existence on two islands in Samoa. The Manumea’s genus name, Didunculus, means “little dodo,” and like it’s larger, extinct cousin, the bird is also a member of the pigeon family. Unfortunately, another thing the Manumea may soon have in common with the dodo bird is extinction.

The Little Dodo Bird (Raphus cucullatus)

The little dodo lives only on the Samoan islands of Upolu and Savai’i. Between the two populations, as many as 7,000 of the birds were thought to exist in the 1980s; since then, due to habitat destruction and hunting by humans, numbers have collapsed to a few hundred individuals. Conservationists currently are trying to learn more about the species in order to come up with an effective recovery plan before it’s too late. Captive breeding of the little dodo is one of the measures being considered.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the little dodo as Endangered, and is considering changing the bird’s status to Critically Endangered.

The extinct dodo was a large—one meter, or 3.3 feet tall, and from 10–18 kg, or 22–40 pounds in weight—and flightless bird that lived on the Island of Mauritius, east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. Europeans received their first reports of the dodo bird around 1600—and in less than 100 years, they were gone, having been killed for food by the crews of visiting sailing vessels.

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Northern Right Whale

The Northern Right Whale (Eubalena glacialis) numbers around 350 individuals is the most endangered of all the world’s whale species that travel the Atlantic coasts of Canada and the US. During the whaling days of the 19th century, the right whale got its name because whalers considered it the “right” whale to kill, as it not only was full of valuable whale oil, but it floated after it was dead, which made it easy to handle and process. As a result, it was driven to near extinction. 

North Atlantic Right Whale (Eubalena glacialis)

Although the right whale is now protected, its small remnant population continues to suffer losses due to entanglements in commercial fishing gear: Whales drown after becoming wrapped in nets, lines and other equipment. Global climate change, which can affect the availability of the tiny crustaceans on which right whales feed, may prove to be another serious threat to their recovery.

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Western Lowland Gorilla

The Western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) is found deep within lowland tropical rainforests. Gorillas are mainly active in the morning, and they are peaceful and very social and prefer to live together in family groups or troops with 2 to 20 individuals. The troops consist of one dominant male or silverback and several females and their offspring. Some males become solitary after becoming adults until a troop is formed when other females join the male. In the wild, gorillas are herbivores and feed only on fruits, plants, leaves, and tree bark. Captive gorillas may eat meat, bananas, dry cereal, and raisins. Breeding occurs year round, and the female gives birth to one infant after a gestation period of eight to nine months. The baby rides on the mothers back until it reaches 3.5 to 4 years of age.

Western Lowland Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla)

 Gorillas are threatened by illegal hunting by humans mainly for their meat, and some young gorillas are captured and sold. Destruction of habitat due to logging and over-collection by zoos and research institutes also pose a threat. Some gorillas are shot when they attack humans after being provoked. Conservationists have also discovered in a recent study (2007) that a number of these gorillas are infected with the Ebola virus which is depleting populations in protected areas to a point where it may be impossible for them to recover.

The now worldwide effort to protect the species has had some success, as there has been a decline in international trade of gorillas. Also, the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) has established the Great Ape Survival Project (GRASP), which aims to identify the conservation initiatives required to save the species and to obtain political support and funding for its preservation.

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Chinese Giant Salamander

The Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianas) is the world’s largest amphibian, growing to lengths of up to 6 feet. It used to be common throughout central, southwestern and southern China, where it lives in streams in the forested hills and lays up to 500 eggs at a time in underwater burrows guarded by the male.

Chinese giant salamander (Andrias davidianas)

However, the Chinese giant salamander is disappearing due to its over-exploitation as a food source. The building of dams in China over the years has also changed the natural river flow in some areas where the Chinese giant salamander is found. It is now protected from international trade and more than 355,000 hectares of habitat have been set aside for the preservation of one of the planet’s most amazing amphibians.

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Kakapo Parrot

The Kakapo parrot (Strigops habroptilus) of New Zealand is a unique creature in several ways. Not only is it the world’s heaviest parrot, weighing up to 9 pounds (4 kilograms) but it is the world’s only only flightless parrot, as well as the only nocturnal one. It is the world's rarest and only flightless parrot, with only 93 in existence today. Found in New Zealand, the parrot has an average life expectancy of 90 years, but breeding is slow, often taking two to four years, depending on key food supplies.

Kakapo Parrot (Strigops habroptilus)

The bird was once common on both of New Zealand’s main islands. However, by the early 1970′s it was thought to have been driven into extinction by such prolific human-introduced invasive predators as rats and cats, which killed the helpless young birds in their nests on the ground. Tiny populations were later found on a couple of smaller, more remote islands. Despite an intensive program of breeding and protection by the New Zealanders, currently there are fewer than 100 kakapos left in the wild—so few that almost all of them have names given to them by conservationists.

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Northern Sportive Lemur

This species of Northern Sportive Lemur (Lepilemur septentrionalis) is nocturnal, and therefore has large front-facing brown eyes. They are also arboreal (tree based) and move by jumping around from tree to tree. The “Sportive” aspect of their name is derived from their “boxing” stance when they feel threatened. They have pale brownish-grey backs, including a dark line that travels across the spine.

A recent report released at the UN’s Convention on Biological Diversity meeting in the Indian city of Hyderabad said lemurs in Madagascar, off the east coast of Africa, are severely endangered due to habitat destruction and illegal hunting.

 

Northern Sportive Lemur (Lepilemur septentrionalis)

The Northern Sportive Lemur is a niche species with several very specific conditions that must be met in order to survive or call their perfect habitat. While they may have survived as a highly specialized species before, it is now their own downfall as their precious small habitat is destroyed through deforestation. A native species of Boa is also known to take some Northern Sportive Lemurs from their daytime resting places. The species is also extremely vulnerable to local bush-meat hunters.

At this point not much can be done to save this species. It is unlikely that changes to Madagascar’s policies and enforcements will happen quickly enough.

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Black Rhinoceros

Conservation efforts have seen gradual population increases after a long and devastating period of hunting and poaching.

Even so, black rhinos (Diceros bicornis) remain critically endangered, with strong demand for rhino horn posing a constant threat to small populations.

Rhinos are one of the oldest groups of mammals, virtually living fossils. They play an important role in their habitats and in countries like Namibia, rhinos are an important source of income from ecotourism. The protection of black rhinos creates large blocks of land for conservation purposes. This benefits many other species, including elephants.

Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis)

 WWF launched an international effort to save wildlife in 1961, rescuing black rhinos—among many other species—from the brink of extinction. Conservation efforts have helped the total number of black rhinos grow from 2,410 in 1995 to 4,880 in 2010. WWF work to stop poaching, increase rhino populations, improve law enforcement and tackle illegal rhino trade.

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The Ivory Billed Woodpecker

The ivory-billed woodpecker scientifically named (Campephilus principalis) is among the world’s largest woodpeckers. Only the imperial woodpecker of Mexico, now thought by many to be extinct, was larger than the ivory-bill.

The Ivory Billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis)

Southeastern part of the US as well as Cuba. This huge woodpecker was considered extinct until 2004, when a handful of tantalizing reports of sightings in Arkansas and Florida began to trickle in. However, definitive proof for the ivory-bill’s continued existence has remained elusive, and if a population does exist, it is likely to be tiny and extremely vulnerable. The ivory-billed woodpecker owes its near- or complete extinction to habitat loss (logging) as well as over-exploitation by humans, who hunted it for its feathers.

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Amur Leopard

Due to extensive habitat loss and conflict with humans, the situation concerning the Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) is critical. However, the fact that its more eminent cousin – the Amur tiger – recovered from a precarious state of fewer than 40 individuals some 60-70 years ago gives conservationists hope. It is believed that the Amur leopard can be saved from extinction if the present conservation initiatives are implemented, enhanced and sustained.

Amur Leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis)

In 1998, the Russian government adopted astrategy for the conservation of the Amur leopard. WWF is supporting anti-poaching activities in the Barsovy wildlife refuge, as well within the whole leopard habitat in the Russian Far East.

WWF implements programmes to stop the traffic in Amur leopard parts and to increase the population of prey ungulate (hoofed) species in the leopard's habitat. WWF staff continue to monitor the Amur leopard population and its habitat.

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Monarch Butterfly

Every year millions of delicate monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) migrate from North America to their winter habitat in Mexico. A well conserved and protected high-altitude pine and fir forest in Mexico is essential for the survival of the overwintering of monarchs, which has been recognized as an endangered biological phenomenon. The protection of its reproductive habitats in the United States and Canada is also crucial to saving this species migration, one of the most remarkable natural phenomena on the planet.

Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)

WWF, in collaboration with the Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature, has designed an innovative conservation strategy to protect and restore the Monarch butterflies wintering habitat in Mexico, so butterflies are protected from extremes weather and other threats. WWF is also supporting local communities to establish trees nurseries that are reintroduced to the monarch butterfly reserve, creating at the same time new sources of income for the owners of the monarch forests.

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Giant Panda

Pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) play a crucial role in the bamboo forests where they roam by spreading seeds and facilitating growth of vegetation. In the Yangtze Basin where pandas live, the forests are home to a stunning array of wildlife such as dwarf blue sheep, multi-colored pheasants and other endangered species, including the golden monkey, takin and crested ibis. The panda’s habitat is at the geographic and economic heart of China, home to millions of people. By making this area more sustainable, we are also helping to increase the quality of life of local populations. Pandas bring huge economic benefits to local communities through ecotourism.

Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)

China’s Yangtze Basin region, which holds the panda’s primary habitat, is the geographic and economic heart of this booming country. Roads and railroads are increasingly fragmenting the forest, which isolates panda populations and prevents mating. Forest destruction also reduces pandas’ access to the bamboo they need to survive. The Chinese government has established more than 50 panda reserves, but only around 61% of the country’s panda population is protected by these reserves.

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Javan Rhinoceros

Listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List (2009), the Javan rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus) is considered to be one of the most endangered large mammals in the world with only two populations existing in the wild, for a total number of less than 60 animals. Highly prized as a commodity in traditional Asian medicine, Javan rhinos have also been brought to the verge of extinction by the conversion of forest habitat to farmland. WWF has been involved in protection and conservation of the Javan rhino since 1998, supporting forest rangers to undertake increased patrolling and protection activities, conducting surveys of the rhino population, raising awareness of the importance of the rhinos to local communities, and supporting park management. 

Javan Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus)

Last month, highly trained sniffer dogs were used to search for traces of the extremely rare and endangered Vietnamese Javan Rhinoceros, of which no more than a dozen are thought to exist. These samples will be analysed to better understand the gender mix and whether this small population has a chance of survival.

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Mountain Gorilla

Scientists consider mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) to be a critically endangered gorilla subspecies, with about 720 surviving in the wild. More than 200 live in the Virunga National Park, located in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, bordering Rwanda and Uganda. War has been waged in areas around the park, with gorillas subject to related threats such as poaching and loss of habitat.

Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei)

Conservation efforts have led to an increase in the Virunga population by 14 per cent in the last 12 years, while the mountain gorillas other home, the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda, has experienced population increases of 12 per cent over the past decade. Despite this success, the mountain gorillas status remains fragile, and WWF is working to save the great ape’s forest habitat in the mountains of the heart of Africa.

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Bluefin Tuna

The Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) is a large migratory fish found in the western and eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea. 

Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus)

Bluefin tuna is the source of highest grade sushi. Bluefin tuna fisheries are near collapse and the species at serious risk of extinction if unsustainable fishing practices in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean are not stopped. A temporary ban on the global trade of bluefin tuna would allow the overexploited species to recover. WWF is encouraging restaurants, chefs, retailers, and consumers to stop serving, buying, selling, and eating endangered bluefin tuna until this amazing species shows signs of recovery.

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Leatherback Turtle

The largest marine turtle and one of the largest living reptiles, the leatherback turtle, (Dermochelys coriaceathe) has survived for more than a hundred million years, but is now facing extinction. Recent estimates of numbers show that this species is declining, particularly in the Pacific where as few as 2,300 adult females now remain, making the Pacific leatherback the world's most endangered marine turtle population. Atlantic turtle populations are more stable but scientists predict a decline due to the large numbers of adults being caught as bycatch and killed accidentally by fishing fleets. 

Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriaceathe)

Additionally, rising sea levels and higher temperatures on Atlantic beaches pose a new threat to turtles and their offspring. Nest temperature strongly determines the sex of offspring, and a nest warming trend is reducing the number of male turtles. WWF aims to conserve leatherback turtle migratory pathways - by working with fisheries to decrease bycatch, by protecting critical nesting beaches, and by raising awareness so that local communities will protect turtles and their nests.

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Magellanic Penguin

Once threatened primarily by oil spills, Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus), now face a larger threat as fish are displaced by warming ocean currents, forcing the birds to swim farther to find food. 

Magellanic Penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus)

Last year hundreds of Magellanic penguins washed up on beaches around Rio de Janeiro, many emaciated or dead. Scientists have speculated that changes in ocean currents or temperatures, which may be related to climate change, could have been responsible for their movement more than a thousand miles north of their traditional nesting area in the southern tip of Argentina. Twelve out of the 17 penguin species are currently experiencing rapid population decline.

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Pacific Walrus

The Arctic’s Bering and Chukchi Seas are home to the Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens), one of the latest victims of climate change. In September of this year, up to 200 dead walruses were spotted on the shore of the Chukchi Sea on Alaska's northwest coast. 

Pacific Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens)

 

These animals use floating ice for resting, birthing and nursing calves, and protection from predators. With Arctic ice melting, the Pacific walrus is experiencing habitat loss to the extent that in September 2009, the US Fish and Wildlife Service announced that adding the walrus to the Endangered Species Act may be warranted.

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Polar Bear

The Arctic’s polar bears (Ursus maritimus) have become the iconic symbol of early victims of climate-induced habitat loss. Designated a threatened species for protection by the Endangered Species Act in the US, many polar bear populations will be vulnerable to extinction within the next century if warming trends in the Arctic continue at the current pace. 

Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus)

WWF is supporting field research to better understand how climate change will affect polar bears and to develop adaptation strategies. WWF also works to protect critical polar bear habitat by working with governments and industry to reduce threats from shipping and oil and gas development in the region and with local communities to reduce human-bear conflict in areas where bears are already stranded on land for longer periods of time due to lack of ice.

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Tiger

New studies indicate that there may be as few as 3,200 tigers (Panthera tigris) left in the wild. Tigers occupy less than seven per cent of their original range, which has decreased by 40 percent over the past ten years. Continuing deforestation and rampant poaching could push some tiger populations to the same fate as its now-extinct Javan and Balinese relatives in other parts of Asia.

Tiger (Panthera tigris)

Tigers are poached for their body parts, which are used in traditional Asian medicine, while skins are also highly prized. Additionally, sea level rise, due to climate change, threatens the mangrove habitat of a key tiger population in Bangladesh’s and India’s Sundarbans. The upcoming Chinese Year of the Tiger, starting in February 2010, will mark an important year for conservation efforts to save wild tigers, with WWF continuing to play a vital role in implementing bold new strategies to save this magnificent Asian big cat.

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