Education Wildlife

The list of endangered species already has 30,000 species of animals on it, and the long list was added to in March, 2013 when the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora came up with some new rare animals that are in danger of extinction. Several species of dolphin are now on the list, largely due to reasons associated with human activity.FishingOverfishing in the oceans of the world is by far the biggest threat to whales, dolphins and other creatures. The dolphin population has decreased dramatically in recent years, due to dolphins becoming caught in fishing nets and being unable to escape, although some efforts have been made to manufacture dolphin friendly nets. Some species are more in danger of becoming extinct than others; the bottlenose dolphin numbers are declining by around six percent every year, while there is now estimated to be fewer than 100 New Zealand Maui dolphins.Rivers And SeasMany endangered fish, as well as dolphins live much closer to humans than many of us think, and this constant human interaction can be a big problem and is a major cause of the declining numbers. The blind Indus dolphin is an endemic species, meaning that it is found only in one specific place on earth, in this case the Indus River in Pakistan. However, the river is used for waste disposal, meaning that it is frequently saturated with potentially harmful chemicals. Because of this, the dolphins simply cannot survive and has become an endangered species. Another example of a dolphin species that is slowly becoming extinct is the Hector Dolphin. These dolphins are found only off the Pacific coast of Australia, although underwater mining, boat strikes and fishing are all depleting their numbers.Making Efforts To Save The AnimalsAlthough most of us feel that there is little we can do to help with wildlife conservation and save the animals, there are some steps we can take. Eating fewer products that use commercially caught and processed fish is one step you can take, whether it means not ordering a seafood meal, or being careful what you buy in the supermarket. One way to help to save the bottlenose dolphin and other endangered species of dolphin is to cut down on your consumption of tuna, as many dolphin populations are being decimated by tuna fishing in particular. Dolphins are often hit and injured or killed by high speed motor boats in shallow water, and if you live in such an area you can refrain from this activity, or try to educate others. Of course, making a donation or volunteering at a society such as the Nature Conservancy or World Wildlife Fund can also be a big help when it comes to saving rare animals and endangered species. There are literally thousands of endangered fish and other animals around the world that are in danger of becoming extinct animals, and any steps we can all take with wildlife conservation are beneficial to us all.