Endangered Earth

Blog Entries for Endangered Earth Class

[emilyendangeredearth]

Black Spider Monkey

The black spider monkey lives in eastern South America, north of the Amazon River, in tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests. They are also called Guiana or red-faced spider monkey. The forests need the black spider money to allow the forest to grow. They are a key part in the tropical rainforest ecosystem. They move seeds in the forest which allows the environment to thrive. Because of the loss of forests in the area, this species is now endangered.

Their habitat is decreasing because of the destruction of the rainforests and hunting. They do not like new rainforests, but instead prefer mature rainforests. They do not go into disturbed forests, so the black spider monkey is especially effected by the destruction of the rainforests. Their population has decreased by 30% in the last 45 years.

Organizations like WWF is working to protect the forests that they live in. They create and manage the protected areas, and they also promote responsible forest management so that this species will not go extinct. They also promote FSC certification, Forest Stewardship Council, outside of protected areas.

There are many things that can be done to contribute to the cause to save this species. Anyone can donate to WWF, Rainforest Foundation, and Paso Pacifico. They help save this animal or the rainforests that they live in. Spreading the word about the cause can also positively affect this species. Through the use of social media, people can spread the word to donate. It can also reach the people in the surrounding areas about the proper way to treat the rainforest. The more people that know about the problem, the less illegal logging will happen. Since deforestation is the main reason why the black spider monkey is declining, this will help save them.

[emilyendangeredearth]

Snow Leopard

The snow leopard is very strong leopard that lives in the mountains of China, Bhutan, Nepal, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia, and Mongolia. Their thick fur and their long tail that wraps around the leopard protect them from the cold.

The snow leopard is at the top of the food chain in their habitats, so they keep the other species populations in check. Snow leopard control the population and the health of wild ungulate species. The habitat that they protect also provides important resources to the local communities. Without snow leopards, many other species including humans would be greatly impacted.

 There are only about 4000 snow leopard left in the wild. The snow leopard’s population is quickly dropping for a couple of reasons: humans and climate change. Humans are the only predator of the snow leopard. Snow leopards prey on animals such as sheep goats, horses, and yak calves. The farmers need to keep these animals alive, so they kill the snow leopards. People also hunt Argali sheep, which is the snow leopards prey on, so the leopards are having a harder time finding natural prey. This causes them to feed off of the farmer’s livestock more. Their habitat is also diminishing because humans are making more settlements in their areas.

 Another threat to the snow leopard is the climate change. They live in the snowy areas in the mountains. The climate change could cause the snow to decrease by 30%. This change could greatly impact the livelihood of the leopard.

Working with local communities will help the snow leopard survive. Because humans are the main reason the leopard is dying, there are many things we can do to stop this. Monitoring the area to stop retaliation killing from local farmers is one way to stop the decline of the snow leopard. WWF and TRAFFIC is working to stop the illegal trade of snow leopard fur, bones, and other body parts. If we spread awareness to the local communities, we can stop the hunting of the sheep that is taking away the leopard’s natural prey. Building leopard- proof livestock pens will stop the retaliation killing because they will not be feeding on the livestock anymore. Spreading awareness and donating are great ways people can contribute to saving the snow leopard. WWF allows people to both donate and share their page to spread awareness about the problem:

http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/snow_leopard/

Social media makes it very easy for everyone to spread the word. Sharing the page will make people from all parts of the world see the problem and contribute to the cause.

[emilyendangeredearth]

Leatherback Turtles

The leatherback turtle population has greatly declined in the past century. They have nesting beaches in the Coral Triangle, but they migrate all across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. 26,000 to 43,000 females nest each year, which is much lower than in 1980 when 115,000 females nested.

The leatherback turtle is called that because of their shells that feel more like leather than hard shells like other turtles. They are the biggest turtle species, and the fourth largest reptile. They weigh 600-1500 pounds and are 55-63 inches in length.

They have a wide distribution and are considered only vulnerable, but certain subpopulations are critically endangered.  Their population is decreasing because of fishing techniques, loss of habitat, and illegal trading. When people fish using nets, the turtles are often accidentally caught in them as well. The turtles need to reach the air to breathe, and when they are stuck in the nets they are not able to so end up dying. This is called bycatch. The turtles need nesting beaches to survive. Humans have made roads on the beaches and have disturbed their nesting beaches in other ways. This has caused their population to decline as well. People have also cause the decline in population by collecting their eggs for illegal trade.

The leatherback turtles feed on jellyfish. If they become extinct, there will be an overpopulation of jellyfish. They are also part of the reason for all the tourism in the coral triangle. Without them, the tourism there would drop, and the economy in that area would decline. They are also a representation of reptiles that have been on Earth for 100 million years.

Different hooks have been made to stop the bycatch of the leatherback turtles. Awareness of the problem is also a great way to stop the decline of these turtles. Proper education on bycatch will stop the unnecessary death of some of these turtles. It will also stop the egg collection for trade. Organizations have also started to track their migration so that they know where the turtles are so they won’t get hurt. Everyone can help this cause by donating to those organizations like the world wildlife fund.

[emilyendangeredearth]

Chimpanzees

Chimpanzees are currently endangered with only 172,700 to 299,000 currently living. Chimps are our closest relative, sharing 98% of our genes. They spend their days in the trees of the Congo jungle in central Africa. They were once considered the same species as the bonobos, but in 1928 they were recognized as two different species.

Chimps are male dominant and are brown or black in color. Their diet consists mostly of fruit, but they can also be found eating vegetation, honey, or bark. Chimps can also live over thirty years.

Chimps are very similar to humans in that they are very social. They take care of their children for many years, and live in communities. Within the community, they have an alpha male and an alpha female. The alpha male is not always the biggest or strongest of the chimps, but rather the most persuasive. Although they usually walk on four legs, they can walk up to a mile on two legs, like humans, to allow them to carry things in their hands.

They are also incredibly strong and intelligent. Chimpanzees can be up to two times as strong as humans. People often want to have chimps as pets, but this fact makes it very difficult. Chimps are too strong and wild for humans to have as pets. Chimps are also incredibly intelligent.   They can make tools to hunt and have also been able to learn some language. People have taught them some American Sign Language. Among themselves, they communicate through gestures and facial expressions. They can also recognize and learn numbers.

So how did a species so intelligent and so closely related to humans become an engendered species? Humans. Poaching, habitat destruction, and illegal pet trade. But we can also do things to help this species. We can make sure that the forests that they live in are protected, and they don’t lose more of their homes. There are also foundations that help protect chimps and other apes, like the Great Ape Survival Project. There is still a chance for chimps! 

[emilyendangeredearth]

Introduction

Hi, I’m Emily. I live in Norwood, Ohio and am going into my fourth year at UC as an accounting major. I work at McAlister’s Deli in Blue Ash and spend the rest of my free time with my perfect dog Harley. I am looking forward to the rest of the semester with you all!