April 10, 2014 – 12 Days until Earth Day…
12 Endangered Animals you can Give as a Gift
Well, symbolically any way. There are 9,568 endangered and critically endangered species in the world today with one in four mammals at risk of extinction. Endangered species are those under threat or near extinction and are characterized by a very small population with a fast disappearance rate. These numbers are the result of threats such as climate change, loss of habitat, illegal wildlife trade, oil and gas development, and pollution.
Conservation organizations such as World Wildlife Fund and National Resources Defense Council fight to protect and restore vulnerable species and their habitats. WWF focuses their efforts on those species whose protection influences and supports the survival of other species or offers the opportunity to protect whole landscapes or marine areas. Protecting these species contributes to a thriving, healthy planet for people’s well-being− from forests that slow climate change to oceans that provide more than one-sixth of the world’s food.
On World Wildlife Fund’s website, you have the opportunity to contribute by making a donation, sending out e-cards, or symbolically adopting an animal. 12 of the 97 species available for adoption are listed below. With each symbolic adoption you receive a complementary plush version of your adopted animal, WWF gift bag, formal adoption certificate, species spotlight card, and a full-color photo of your species.
Tiger
Giant panda
Polar bear
Amur leopard
Sea turtle
Asian elephant
African rhinoceros
Gorilla
Blue Whale
Manatee
Hippopotamus
Zebra
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