(Embargo for 11.45 pm today)
Hyderabad: Endangered Species Day is observed each year on the third Friday of May as a way to both raise awareness of the continued plight of endangered species and celebrate those that have recovered because of conservation efforts. This global day of action and celebration was created and founded by David Robinson and the Endangered Species Coalition in 2006, and has continued ever since.
On Endangered Species Day 2024, wildlife refuges, gardens, schools, libraries, museums, community groups, non-profits, and individuals will hold special programs or events. People around the world participate in these activities and others.
History of Endangered Species Day
Since time began, there have been endangered species. Perhaps one of the earliest and most learned about extinctions in history is that of the dinosaurs. However, an endangered species is one which is still in the world today, but may not be much longer if the right steps aren’t taken.
The International Union decides the status of ‘endangered’ for the Conservation of Nature. According to the IUCN, at least 40% of animals, insects, and plants are at risk of extinction across the world. The first National Endangered Species Day was held in 2006, but there’s been official recognition of the issue for far longer than that. Laws have been on the books for more than forty years designed to protect species.
At root, National Endangered Species Day is designed to help people learn more about the environmental issues that the planet faces today. It isn’t about getting in people’s faces or even activism. Instead, it is to come together to find creative, win-win ways to solve the environmental problems that we have and protect the natural world.
Most Endangered Species in India in 2024
Bengal Tiger: Bengal tigers account for about half of the world’s total tiger population, 70% of which can be found living in India. The animal has been endangered following decades of persistent poaching for its skin and body parts, trophy hunting, and severely reduced habitat from urban development.
Asiatic Lion: The Asiatic lion is about 10-20% smaller than its African cousins with a larger tail tuft and a distinct belly fold. As the name suggests, the Asiatic Lion was historically native across south-west Asia to eastern India. But now, the species’ entire population can only be found in India and restricted to the Gir National Park and environs in Gujarat.
Snow Leopard: Snow leopards used to have much larger habitats and prowled across the mountain ranges of Asia. Now, they can only be found in Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and the western and eastern parts of the Himalayas, with population numbers down to about 500 in India.
One-horned Rhinoceros: Also known as the Indian rhinoceros, this animal is mostly found in India and the foothills of Himalayas. One-horned rhinoceros has been heavily targeted for their horns for decades, which allegedly have medicinal properties, and killed as agricultural pests. But with the help of strict and targeted conservation measures, current population numbers have risen back up to around 3,700 in northeastern India and the Terai grasslands of Nepal, making it “one of the most successful conservation efforts in history”.
Black-buck: Due to severe poaching – hunted especially in the princely states of India for their pelts – and habitat loss, the blackbuck, or Indian antelope, is now one of the most endangered species in India. In 1947, there were around 80,000 blackbucks. But that number had fallen to 8,000 in less than 20 years.
Lion-tailed Macaque: Endemic to the small and severely fragmented rainforests of Western Ghats of South India, the lion-tailed macaque is a recognisable monkey identifiable by its silver-white mane that surrounds its head. Estimates place the total wild population of the macaque around 4,000 individuals, and is projected to decline more than 20% in the next 25 years should threats like hunting, roadkills and habitat loss persist.
Resplendent Tree Frog: This mysterious frog species was only discovered in 2010 at the highest peak of the Western Ghats, and has a striking orange hue and several big glands covering its body surface. The resplendent tree frog is so rare that they can only be found in the Anamudi summit in Kerala within the Eravikulam National Park.
Kashmiri Red Stag: The Kashmiri red stag has been listed as a critically endangered species by the IUCN for decades and is among the top 15 species of high conservation priority by the Indian Government. As a result, the species is now largely restricted within a 141 sq km area in Dachigam National Park. In the early 1990s, the number of red stags was estimated to be around 5,000 but dramatically decreased to about 150 in 1970, and around 110-130 in 2015.
Nilgiri Tahr: This endangered mountain goat species only has about 2,500-3,000 individuals remaining in the wild. Much like the other animals are on the list, wildlife poaching and habitat loss has led the nilgiritahr to be contained within the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, covering less than 10% of their former range.
Indian Bison (Gaur): The largest and tallest in the family of wild cattle, the Indian bison is an animal native to South Asia and South-East Asia but one that is severely threatened by wildlife poaching (for its meat, horns and medicinal products), shrinking habitats and food scarcity from the destruction of grasslands.
