Fact About Endangered Animals
When Charles Darwin coined the term "survival of the fittest" describing how things worked in the natural world, he did not mean survival of the strongest, or in best shape. What Darwin meant was survival of the animal that fit best within its environment. Animals that don't fit well in their environment lose numbers and eventually go extinct. Animals that face imminent danger of extinction are called endangered animals.
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Types
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There are endangered animals all over the world, and there are lists formulated by countries that designate which species are officially endangered. These lists are then used to construct environmental policies that can help protect and restore the species and its habitat. In America we have federal endangered species lists and state endangered species lists. We also have threatened species lists for animals close to becoming endangered.
Identification
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The U.S. Endangered Species Act was passed in 1966. It authorized Congress to come up with a list of species on the brink of extinction called the Endangered Species List. Extensive studies are then done by biologists on these species to determine the causes of their decline. From these studies, federal laws and policies are created to enhance their potential for survival. This can include reducing activities within the animals' known range, habitat preservation and fines of up to $25,000 for deliberately killing an endangered species.
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Size
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Ranging from abalone to zebras, as of July 30, 2009, 410 animals were on the federally endangered species list, and 163 on the threatened species list. While there are charismatic animals on the list, like bears and dolphins, there are plenty of other categories besides the 70 mammals. The list also includes 13 reptiles, 14 amphibians, 74 fishes, 62 clams, 24 snails, 47 insects, 12 arachnids, 19 crustaceans and 75 birds.
Considerations
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Around the world there are 526 officially endangered animals and 44 threatened ones. Some of these species are the saltwater crocodiles of Australia, cuckoo birds of Mauritius and all chimpanzees. Some international endangered species that have recovered are Canada Aleutian goose and the red kangaroo. The U.S. has a more thorough and well-funded listing system than many other countries, however, and it is estimated that there are many unlisted foreign species on the brink of extinction. An example of this is the Amazon rainforest where some researchers believe the whole rainforest is on the brink of extinction, so all animals native to it are too.
Prevention/Solution
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Once a species is declared to be endangered, it doesn't have to be the end of the line. There is a long list of species that have recovered, with the gray wolf being the most recent to be removed from the list. Other species that recovered after being declared endangered are gray whales, Umpqua River coastal cutthroat trout, the West Virginia northern flying squirrel, the American preregrine falcon, the bald eagle, the Yellowstone grizzly bear and the American alligator.
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