ENDANGERED SPECIES - (624-633)

Mammals ENDANGERED SPECIES - (624-633)

Introduction :-In India there are 410 species, 186 genera, 45 families and 13 orders of which nearly 89 species are listed as threatened in the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Animals (IUCN 2006). The mammals are the class of vertebrate animals characterized by the presence of mammary glands, which in females produce milk for the nourishment of young; the presence of hair or fur; specialized teeth; the presence of a neocortex region in the brain; and endothermic or "warm-blooded" bodies. The brain regulates endothermic and circulatory system, including a four-chambered heart. Mammals consists of some 5,500 species (including Humans), distributed in about 1,200 genera, 152 families and up to 46 orders, though this varies with the classification scheme.

Causes of Endangerment :-Causes of endangerment include loss of habitat, overexploitation, habitatfragmentation, pollution and introduction of alien species. Chief amongreasons of habitat loss and fragmentation are conversion of naturalhabitats to agriculture, with ancillary drivers being deforestation andurbanization.The causes are as follows:- Pollution: Pollution corrupts the natural environment cycle, most importantly water. Water is at the bottom of the food chain meaning everything needs water: plants, animals and humans are all water-based. There are natural, intentional, and accidental causes of pollution to water and air.

3

Deforestration: An enormous part of mass extinction is the loss of the animals' natural habitat. The overpopulation of man-kind has taken a great toll on nature and the animal kingdom.Legal Exploitation- Even legal hunting, fishing, and gathering of wild species can lead to population reductions that force species to become endangered. "Unrestricted whaling during the 20th century is an example of overexploitation.

4

Natural causes: Natural causes are those of which we don't control, such as; volcanoes, tsunamis, and earthquakes leading to loss of bio diversity.Illegal Hunting: Species all over the world are hunted illegally (also known as poaching). When hunters ignore governmental rules that regulate the number of animals that should be hunted, they reduce populations to the point that species become endangered.

Thus, this is just a list of some causes for endangerment species.

List of Endangered Species

The trouble is, humans take up a lot of space on the planet. Not onlydo we build houses in wild animal habitats, The trouble is, humanstake up a lot of space on the planet. Not only do we build houses inwild animal habitats, we clear forests to get lumber and to makefields where we farm food. We plow up native plants to grow milesand miles of single crops like corn and wheat. We drain rivers tobring water to our crops, and many of our farming methods strip thesoil of its nutrients and microbes. We pave meadows to make streetsand parking lots.

The list of species that are endangered species are asfollows:-

The Himalayan wolf Brown Bear Bengal Tiger Kashmir Stag Indian Leopard Red Fox Himalayan Musk Deer

The Himalayan Wolf:-Indian Wolf is a subspecies of Grey Wolf which ranges from Israel to Indian subcontinent. It is intermediate in size between the Tibetan Wolf and Arabian Wolf and also lacks Former Luxirient winter coat.In India, wolf are mainly found in Himalayan region, the very wild and remote wilderness of the Himalayan mountain is little known wolf. The Himalayan wolf was until recently one of the least known animals to humans. There are currently 300 of these light colored wolves left in the plains, according to the guess estimate since the last known count taken in 1995.Although Government added the Himalayan wolf to the Endangered species list in 1998.

There are two major factors that continue to reduce wolf population. They are human factor and the global warming. Due to global warming, glaciers are being reduced and temperature is rising which makes matter worst for wolf.So, Himalayan wolf is one of the most beautiful species on the planet and is considered as one of the rare mammals too.Hence, proper study and research is very important to save them from extinction and the encouraging news is that wildlife institute of India has already instituted a project and it is already in a roll.

Brown Bear:-The Himalayan Brown Bear also known as the Himalayan Red Bear. Himalayan Brown Bear is a subspecies of the Brown Bear.They are thought to be the source of Yeti.The population of the brown bear is around 20 in Kugti and less than 15 in Tundah.In India brown bear exist in 23 protected areas in northern states of Jammu and Kashmir , Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.Country wide there are likely less than 1000 as per IUCN.

Measures to protect them:-

By creating awareness as much as possible.By joining National Campaign for Bear ConservationStop Sport hunting for the purpose of Environment.

Bengal Tiger:-Bengal Tiger is the national animal of both India and Bangladesh.In the past it was also called Royal Bengal Tiger.The Bengal Tiger is the most numerous tiger subspecies.By 2011, the total population was estimated at fewer than 2500 individual with a decreasing trend.Since 2011, it has been classified as endangered by the IUCN.As of 2010, Bengal Tiger population in India have been estimated at 1706-1909.As of 2014 they had reputedly increased to an estimated 2226 individuals.

Measures to save them:-By spreading the word the best you can.By joining online Conservation Communities www.saveourtigers.com.By donating to well known tiger conservation programs that fight to conserve the endangered tigers.Never buy products made using the bone, any parts of any endangered species because When The Buying Stops, The Killing Will.

Kashmir Stag:-The Kashmir stag (Cervus canadensis hanglu), also called hangul, is a subspecies of wapiti native to India, Kashmir stag is listed as critically endangered by IUCN as population is counted 160 mature individuals in the 2008 census.This animal lives in groups of two to 18 individuals in dense riverine forests, high valleys, and mountains of the Kashmir valley and northern Chamba in Himachal Pradesh. In Kashmir, it's found in the Dachigam National Park (at elevations of 3,035 meters), Rajparian Wildlife Sanctuary, Overa Aru, Sind Valley, and in the forests of Kishtwar & Bhaderwah.

These animal once numbered from about 5,000 animals in the beginning of the 20th century. Unfortunately, they were threatened, due to habitat destruction, over-grazing by domestic livestock, and poaching. This dwindled to as low as 150 animals by 1970. However, the state of Jammu & Kashmir, along with the IUCN and the WWF prepared a project for the protection of these animals. It became known as Project Hangul. This brought great results and the population increased to over 340 by 1980.Hangul was once distributed widely in the mountains of Kashmir. During the 1940s, their number was believed to be about 3,000-5,000. As per the latest census in 2008, only around 160 exist. There are plans to breed them in captivity to increase their chances of survival.

Indian leopard:-The Indian leopard is a leopard subspecies widely distributed on the Indian subcontinent. The Indian leopard is one of the five big cats found in IndiaThe species Panthera pardus is classified as Near Threatened by IUCN(International Union for Conservation of Nature) since 2008.Hunting of Indian leopards for the illegal wildlife trade is the biggest threat to their survival. They are also threatened by loss of habitat.A significant immediate threat to wild leopard populations is the illegal trade in poached skins and body parts between India, Nepal and China

.In India, more than 2845 poached leopards have been seized between 1994 and October 2010.Places like Kaziranga National Wildlife Park serve as important havens for this beautiful cat and are protected by armed men who follow strict anti-poaching rules and protect these vital resources for the leopard and all of the other Indian species that call it home.More land should be set aside for the leopard and when they wander into cities people should put them back in the forest, not kill them or put them in a cage. We need to make sure that the leopard has a place to live!

Red Fox:-The Red Fox is the largest of the true foxes and the most abundant wild member of the Carnivora, being present across the entire Northern Hemisphere from the Artic Circle to North Africa, North America and Eurasia. It is listed as least concern by the IUCN.Its range has increased alongside human expansion, having been introduced to Australia, where it is considered harmful to native mammals and bird populations.Due to its presence in Australia, it is included among the list of the Worlds 100 worst invasive species.

Measures to protect them:-An individual deciding whether or not to control foxes, and by what means, has a complex set of factors to consider, including other interest groups, practicality and economics. For some farmers, there is evidence that a decision to control foxes may be economically unacceptable. Macdonald et al. (2003) modelled the interactions between foxes, rabbits, and rabbit-induced crop damage. For some farmers at least, a decision to kill a fox may, in some cases, cost that farmer a significant amount of crop loss to the rabbits that the fox and its descendants would have killed.

Himalaya Musk Deer:-Kingdom : AnimaliaPhylum : ChordataClass : MammaliaOrder : CetartiodactylaFamily : MoschidaeGenus : Moschus

The Himalayan musk deer is perhaps most famous for the waxy substance called musk that the male secrets from a gland in the abdomen.

The Himalayan musk deer is found in Himalayan mountains of Bhutan, Northern India, Nepal & China.The primary threats to the musk deer is hunting for musk, a highly-desired product that has been used in perfumes & traditional medicines for over 5000 years.The Himalayan musk deer is protected by law in Bhutan, Nepal & India along with some other nations in the world.

Conclusion:-Learn as much as you can about endangered species in your area.Visit a nearby National Wildlife Refuge or Nature Center.Volunteer to help.Dont buy species illegally taken from the wild.Dont buy products made from threatened or endangered species.

Thank You!