On May 20, 2016 we mark Endangered Species Day to create awareness about how our actions impact dwindling species. It would be a tragic, irreversible loss if magnificent animals like the black rhino, the Sumatran elephant or the Bengal tiger were forever lost to us.
This infographic shows how imminent the threat is, courtesy our partners Eco Sapien who are actively raising awareness about our fragile biodiversity. WWF also publishes a directory that classifies the level of threat as Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, Near Threatened and Least Concern.
Infographic courtesy our partners Ecosapien.org
Take Action: Travel Sustainably
Visit a national wildlife refuge, park or other open space : Protect the habitat to protect wildlife. Scientists say the best way to protect endangered species is to protect the places where they live. Volunteer at your local nature center or wildlife refuge. Go wildlife or bird watching in nearby parks. Wildlife related recreation creates millions of jobs and supports local businesses. Look but don’t touch, follow the Ecophile code.
Polar Bear family (classified as vulnerable) Photo-bm.iphone CC 2.0 via Flickr
Choose a sustainable travel operator: Check to see if your tour operator has an animal welfare policy and never pay to get a selfie with a wild animal.
Pledge to shun elephant rides and circuses: Elephants are not for our entertainment, instead learn How to Hang out with them Without Hurting them.
Photo: Rickshaw Travel
Souvenir Alert: Souvenirs from your trip are wonderful, but buy responsibly. For example, the Caribbean jewel – the Mesoamerican Reef is the most important barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere and the second largest in the world. It shelters the mammoth whale shark, endangered salt water crocodile, the world’s largest populations of manatees, 65 kinds of stony coral and more than 500 types of fish. On land, the reef’s watershed shelters jaguars, howler monkeys and birds like the quetzal.
In this paradise, do not buy coral, orchids and cacti, shells, leather from caiman, crocodiles, lizards and snakes, insects like mounted butterflies, sea turtle products, ivory, live monkeys and Mexican parrots, ocelot, jaguar fur.
Avoid buying sea turtle products Photo: Brocken Inaglory via Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 3.0
Think about What You Buy When You Travel: The purchases we make can have a profound impact on wildlife. Never buy any products derived from tigers or endangered species.
Pledge to shun ivory from the teeth or tusks of elephants, whales, walruses and seals and sea turtle products like shells, souvenirs, skins and jewellery. Avoid shahtoosh, an illegal superfine fabric made from the protected Tibetan antelope and medicinal products made from rhino, tiger, or Asiatic black bear.
Learn how to protect our Oceans: Read our handy guide for how you can make a difference. Also, think about what you eat: Check out the Marine Conservation Society’s Good Fish Guide, a free app to help you make the right choice when buying or ordering seafood. Also look for the Marine Stewardship Council’s certification logo which shows whether the fishery is either already sustainable or is in the process of implementing sustainable methods.
Take Action: Live Sustainably
Think Green for your home: Did you know that even toilet paper that you choose could damage the environment? When buying toilet paper, paper towels and other tissue products, buy sustainably-sourced paper products. Look for either 100% recycled content or FSC-certified tissue (in the US).
Plastic bags: The US uses 100 billion plastic bags annually, consuming about 12 million barrels of oil. Less than 1% of plastic bags are recycled. Get reusable bags for plastic bags are dumped in the ocean. See this infographic by Dive.in for how it affects you and marine life directly.
Herbicides and pesticides: Many of these take a long time to degrade and build up in the soil or throughout the food chain. Predators like hawks, owls and coyotes can be harmed if they eat poisoned animals. Amphibians are particularly vulnerable to these chemical pollutants. Use alternatives to pesticides.
Buy recycled paper: Get recycled paper from sustainable products like bamboo and Forest Stewardship Council wood products. Avoid furniture made from wood from rainforests. Recycle your cell phones – a mineral used in cell phones and other electronics is mined in gorilla habitat. Minimize palm oil use as forests where tigers live are being cut down to plant palm plantations.
Recycled art. Photo: Amanda via Flickr
Take Action: Volunteer
WWF offers opportunities for volunteering in many countries in Asia – see here.
In the UK, World Animal Protection offers opportunities to volunteer and creates a directory of sustainable travel operators. Download their free Animal Friendly Holiday Guide.
Many ways to help out with defenders.org to stand up for protection of wildlife.
Learn how to protect the snow leopard with the Snow Leopard Trust.
Make your dives count toward conservation with the help of Project Aware.
Volunteer with Wildlife Conservation Network.
Help out with World Land Trust.
In the US, National Wildlife Federation Action Fund offers a variety of options to get involved.
The National Wildlife Refuge Association urges you to get involved with your local wildlife refuge to help protect America’s wildlife.
With more than 500 refuges and hatcheries across the country, you can find volunteer opportunities at a refuge near you, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife System.
Wilderness lovers can help to protect and preserve the wildlands and wildlife by joining The Wilderness Society.
Endangered Species Coalition use grassroots mobilization, education, and targeted campaigns to enable everyone to do their bit.
Together we can take action and help accelerate the rate of decline. Show your support by sharing this article on Facebook, Twitter or leave a comment below.