World Animal Day is celebrated annually on October 4, and is a time for people to come together to focus on preserving the planet’s fauna, and protecting animal rights. If we are to preserve our planet’s biodiversity we must protect rare and endangered species of flora and fauna.
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© Photo : Sergey Istomov
Pallas's cat, otherwise known as the manul, is a rare Eurasian steppe and semi-steppe predator listed in the International and Russian Red Data Books of endangered species. Scientists report that their population is declining partly due to poaching and partly due to habitat shrinkage. The animal’s northernmost habitat is in Russia, mainly in the mountain and desert steppes of the south-east of the Republic of Altai, the Tyva Republic, the Republic of Buryatia and south-east of the Transbaikal Territory.
Sea otters live in the northern Pacific’s coastal waters off Russia, Japan, United States, and Canada. In the 18-19th centuries, the animals were killed for their fur, which was considered extremely valuable. These practices put the species on the verge of extinction. As of 2009, hunting sea otters has been almost completely prohibited in all regions of the world.
The African wild dog, or painted dog, was at one time widespread across the African steppes and savannahs to the south of the Sahara, from southern Algeria and Sudan to the continent’s far south. The painted dog is included in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature as a declined species under threat of extinction.
The Florida panther, along with other members of the species, is included in the International Red Data Book. The panther lived in the US southern states as well as in Central and South America as far south as Chile. In the 1960s, their numbers dwindled to 20-30 due to hunting and limited habitat. The panther’s population has increased to an estimated 100-160 due to conservation efforts.
At one time, the California condor was found all the way across North America. In 1987, after the last condor in the wild was caught, only 27 birds remained. Since 1992, thanks to effective breeding efforts in captivity, some birds have again been released into the wild. As of November 2010, there were 381 condors known to be living, including 192 in the wild.
The gray whale is listed in the Red Data Book of Russia that lists endangered species. The whales live in the northern Pacific. They make regular seasonal migrations. Every year they swim an average of 16,000 kilometers: a record-breaking distance.
