Top Ten Endangered Animals

A Top Ten list, whether of action flicks of all times or fashion faux pass committed or the PC games released in a year, is always eagerly awaited with bated breath, greeted with skepticism, and finally accepted with a pinch of salt. The Top 10 endangered animals list is however, always met with stunned disbelief followed by an overwhelming sense of grief. The green police strongly believe that each inclusion in the list is a sad reminder of the rapidity with which we are losing the animal species of the world.

Recently the World Wide Fund (WWF) came out with their Top 10 endangered animals list. The list includes the animal species that are most threatened by extinction. Heading the list is the majestic tiger, rapidly dwindling in numbers in their once-strongholds of Sunderbans in India and Bangladesh. Research shows that these big cats have decreased by 40 percent in the last decade. The polar bear, the earliest and probably one of the hardest hit by climatic changes brought on by rampant global warming, continues to feature in the list and so do the Pacific walrus and the Magellanic penguin.

The leatherback turtle is a surprise in the Top 10 endangered animals list. This species of marine animals have been on this earth for more than a hundred million years but these tough customers too, are now facing the threat of extinction. A penchant for sushi food among the gourmet food lovers has spelled doom for the Atlantic bluefin tuna. It can only be hoped that its inclusion in WWF’s Top 10 endangered animals list will raise awareness among its voracious consumers.

At present, there are only 720 mountain gorillas in the wild and less than 60 Javan rhinos in the world. Rampant killing by humans and destruction of their habitats have not spared these gigantic but helpless beasts. They feature in WWF’s Top 10 endangered animals list along with the delicate Monarch butterflies and the reclusive giant pandas, the latter being an abiding symbol of wildlife conservation.

WWF’s Top 10 endangered animals list is one Top Ten list that merits urgent attention and rapid action.