Information » Environment » Plants and animals » Endangered species
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An endangered species is one whose numbers are so small they are at risk of becoming extinct
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Animals become endangered through changes to their natural habitat, often through human causes such as pollution, hunting or urban development
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Most endangered species are found in continents such as Africa or south America, but there are also species in danger of extinction in Britain
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It is crucial that endangered species are protected as they are a fundamental part of the earth's ecosystem (for more information, please see the section on BIODIVERSITY )
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Some species that were previously at threat from extinction have been saved through breeding programmes in the wild and in captivity
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High profile campaigns to save particular animals can be successful. The African elephant was saved from extinction due to stricter regulations for hunting and policing of illegal poachers
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However there are many more species who are still at risk, and more work must be done to stop these animals from disappearing
Protecting endangered species
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There are many ways you can help to protect endangered species
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The most simple way is by not supporting the trades that kill endangered species, for example, by not buying ivory or tortoiseshell
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You can get involved in action groups such as Born Free and WWF which actively campaign for the protection of endangered species
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Adopting an animal is a good way of helping to protect endangered species. For a small fee, you can 'adopt' an endangered animal from a charity and the money you give will go towards protecting that particular species
