National Endangered Species Day

National Endangered Species Day is a day to raise awareness about the many animals that are on the endangered special list. It is a time of education and action. There are many ways we can help to keep animals from becoming extinct. On this day the Endangered Species Coalition, the National Wildlife Foundation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Organization and many other conservation groups offer educational programs, seminars, and events, to help us to appreciate the plight of so many animals that are on the Endangered Species List.

The animal kingdom is a very diverse list of creatures that roam the land, sea, and air of our planet. It includes land animals, birds, fish, and sea creatures as well as insects. However, the list of God’s creatures is finite, and the number is decreasing. We all know that the dinosaur and the wooly mammoth have come and gone millions of years ago. In more recent times, we have lost the American Buffalo, Barbary Lion, Great Auk, Carrier pigeon, Blue Whale, and a large range of creatures of all kinds. Much of the lost species are due to the encroachment of humans on animal habitats, as well as environmental destruction and alteration of the animal’s environment. 

The endangered species list is filled with animals of all kinds. It includes different types of elephants, rhinos, orangutans, gorillas ,and leopards. You will find both the giant and red pandas on this list. The list contains dolphins, turtles, penguins,and whales.  Plenty of birds, fish,  and insects have made the endangered species list as well.

Did You Know? In the United States, there are 1,677 animal species on the Endangered Species list. That’s a small fraction of over 18,000 species that are endangered worldwide.