Endangered Animals

May 23, 2021

5 Critically Endangered Species and How You Can Help Protect Them

With 8.7 million animal species, our planet is beautifully diverse. But for some of those creatures, their time is running out. When a species is classed as “Critically Endangered,” it means it’s facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. Frustratingly, human beings are often the cause—hunting and habitat destruction are the two main causes of animal extinction. However, with the right actions, we can help to undo the damage we’ve caused.

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August 20, 2020

Researchers Rediscover Elephant Shrew in Africa After 50 Years

Researchers have “rediscovered” an elusive species of elephant shrew (or sengi) in Djibouti. Last documented in 1968, researchers presumed that the Somali sengi was a “lost species.” However, local communities in the African nation of Djibouti have reported sightings in the rocky environment. A recently published study in the journal PeerJ documents a 2019 expedition to study sengis in Djibouti.

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July 1, 2020

This Punk Rock Turtle With Green “Hair” Is Facing Extinction in Australia

Tucked away in the waters of Australia's Mary River in Queensland there is a unique species of freshwater turtle—the Mary River turtle. This special specimen diverged from other species 40 million years ago. For such an ancient turtle, funnily enough, they were only properly described by scientists 25 years ago. These endangered animals are distinct in many ways, but perhaps attract the most attention for their punk hairdo.

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October 11, 2019

Number of Pixels Used in These Photos Is the Number of Animals Left of Each Species Featured

Did you know that there are only around 60 Amur leopards left in the wild? This is just one of the many shocking statistics that Imgur user JJSmooth44 visualizes in his blurry animal photo series. Each endangered species is visually represented in as many pixels as there are animals still alive. “The more pixelated the image,” the artist explains, “the closer it is to extinction.

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