Photo:Stock Photosfrom Steve Wilson/Shutterstock
With 8.7 million animal species, our planet is beautifully diverse.
But for some of those creatures, their time is running out.
Frustratingly, human beings are often the causehunting and habitat destruction are the two main causes of animal extinction.
Photo:Stock Photosfrom Steve Wilson/Shutterstock
However, with the right actions, we can help to undo the damage weve caused.
Read on to discover five critically endangered species in need of our help, protection, and conservation.
Here are five critically endangered species and how you help protect the future of their kind.
Javan Rhino
At the beginning of the 20th century, around 500,000 rhinos roamed Africa and Asia.
By 1970, their numbers dropped to 70,000, and today, only around 27,000 rhinos remain.
There are just67remaining on earth, all of which live inUjung Kulon National Parkon the Indonesian island of Java.
International Rhino Foundation
TheInternational Rhino Foundationhas implemented the Rhino Protection Unit (RPU) program.
It aims to protect the home of rhinos in Java through proactive prevention of poaching and habitat destruction.
The organization is also developing a second site for Javan rhinos to live and populate.
There are believed to be around84individuals left in the wild.
The beautiful species is under threat by poachers who are killing them for their spotted fur.
This is thanks to the hard work of conservationists worldwide.
Discover what theyre doing below and how you’ve got the option to help.
The Phoenix Fund
The Phoenix Fundintends to provide anti-poaching protection for the Amur leopard.
The organization provides a skilled law enforcement team with equipment that undergo regular anti-poaching patrols in Amur leopard habitats.
The team also help to protect the health of the forests where the leopards live.Find out more and donate.
Wildlife Vets International
Wildlife Vets Internationalhas been working for over a decade to protect the health of Amur leopards.
It also supplies medicines and other equipment to help with the handling of captured animals for investigate disease.
Find out more anddonate to the causehere.
Russian Geographical Society
The non-government fundedRussian Geographical Societybegan helping to restore the Amur leopard population in 2011.
The team is currently studying the current populations of the Amur leopard and its main prey, the ungulates.
It is also developing protected areas within the rare animals habitat.Find out moreabout their workhere.
Find out more here.
The organization offers a range of adoption kits in a range of prices.
Today, there areless than 400left, all of which are living in Sumatra.
WWF is also working to save Thirty Hills, a critical rain forest in Sumatra.
Help WWF with its cause by donatinghere.
Each product is made sustainability from trees that are harvested legally and responsibly.
Find out more and pledge your commitmenthere.
The species lives among the trees of tropical rainforests and rarely travel on the ground.
Only three populations contain more than 1,000 orangutans.
There is currently a a total of14,613surviving Sumatran orangutans, making the species classed as critically endangered.
Its focus is to protect, rehabilitate, and research Sumatran orangutans.
Its also working to locate and confiscate orangutans kept illegally as pets.
Therefore, losing them through hunting or deforestation has a devastating effect on the overall population.
By adopting a female orangutan, youll be helping WWF protect these great apes and their habitat.
Vaquita
Thevaquitaa species of porpoiseis the world’s rarest marine mammal.
There are only around10individuals remaining, making them critically endangered and very close to becoming extinct.
The international trade in totoaba is banned under CITES, a treaty to protect endangered plants and animals.
Without putting a stop to the illegal trade of totoaba swim bladders, the vaquita will go extinct.
However, while illegal fishing is still happening, WWF is doing what they can.
Send a message to the Mexican government:Sign a petitionto persuade the Mexican government to act.
