Today, I decided to do a little research online to see what species are officially recognised as being endangered. Here's the (depressingly long) list, together with rough population (in the wild):
Giant Pandas - about 1000
Mountain Gorillas - under 700
Cross River Gorillas - 200
Grauer's Gorillas - about 16000
Black Rhinos - fewer than 2600
(has four subspecies, the rarest of which at last count had a total of 10 left in the wild)
Javan Rhinos - less than 70
Greater One Horned Rhinos - less than 2400
Sumatran Rhinos - estimated at less than 300
Southern White Rhinos - just over 8400
Northern White Rhinos - less than 30
North Atlantic Right Whale - about 350
Blue Whale - about 5000
Vaquita (Gulf Of California Harbor Porpoise) - about 500
Tigers - in total a maximum of 7277
Golden Lion Tamarins - about 1000
Humans - over 6,000,000,000 er, wait, that one shouldn't be there...
The list goes on, but I won't bore you. No doubt some will think it "nonsense" or "bleeding-heart crap" or something.
I'm not saying extinctions don't happen in nature, but all of these species, if they have not been wholly endangered through the actions of humans, have been greatly harmed by the actions of humans. This Christmas, remember those less fortunate than yourself, even if they're of a different species; they may well not be around for much longer.
source for population figures: World Wildlife Fund
Except the humans one, although I realise it's the hardest to get right, estimates put it being over 6 billion.
Article comments
1 - Andrew Duncalfe
I guess I'll be the first to point out that 6,000,000,000,000 is not 6 billion, but rather 6 quadrillion. 6 billion is 6,000,000,000.
2 - duane
And I'll be the first to point out that 6,000,000,000,000 is not 6 billion but rather 6 trillion. Six trillion is about the number of cockroaches on the planet, so at least we can celebrate their good fortune. On the downside, six quadrillion is about the number of times that Justin Timberlake's songs have been broadcast by radio.
3 - Andrew Duncalfe
My bad. I never was too good with all them zeros. 6 trillion it is.
4 - jadester
6,000,000,000,000 is six "English" billion, which is what i thought they meant. I will change it if this is not the case (give me a URL so i can check it, the only ones i found on google don't actually make the distinction)
i'm not sure why there is a difference, and probably i am wrong because an "English" billion is used less and less these days. OK i'll take out the three extra zeroes
5 - jadester
in case you need this in any more perspective,
the total numbers of the endangered species i've listed, plus another fifty added for each (to be generous)
comes to 46577
46577/6,000,000,000 = about 7.26x10E-6,
or 0.00000726, which is 0.000726%
so the total size of these species is roughly 0.000726% of the size of the human species.
6 - duane
What the hell does this have to do with the extinction of rhinos?
OK, here goes (American system, excluding Texas):
6 (six)
6,000 (six thousand)
6,000,000 (six million)
6,000,000,000 (six billion)
6,000,000,000,000 (six trillion)
6,000,000,000,000,000 (six quadrillion)
6,000,000,000,000,000,000 (six gazillion)
In Texas, which constitutes an exception to the above naming system, there are only three numbers: 1, 2, and a shitload.
Jadester, I would be interested in finding out the analogous names in the English system. I think you are right that there is a difference.
7 - jadester
it was a valid comment that i'd made a mistake in the number for "6 billion" as it's almost certainly an American billion. I did the little percentgae bit just for more perspective (if anyone needs it) - these endangered species already are only the tiniest fraction of the mammals (let alone animals) currently living on Earth.
as for the numbers thing, i'll e-mail you what i grew up learning (they may now teach the american system anyway) as i do not want to start off a debate about number names on a post about endangered species. lol
8 - deano
Actually you can support the WWF programs by signing up for their "Adopt and Animal" program.
I "adopted" a bengal tiger for my tiger-obsessed five-year old as one of his upcoming Christmas gifts...
9 - Eric Olsen
you mean there's wrestling involved?