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Pink dolphins are endangered due to human activities like habitat loss from pollution and construction, overfishing, entanglement in fishing gear, boat traffic, and deliberate hunting for use as fishing bait or in cultural practices.

Hong Kong population of these dolphins is critically low, with recent reports suggesting as few as 3 or 4 individuals remain in the area where the airport was built, and around 2,000 in the whole of Hong Kong.

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There is an estimate of around 10,000 to 25,000 blue whales left. They are endangered because of past commercial whaling, which significantly decreased their numbers. along with further threats from human activities, for instance ship strikes and fishing gear tangling. In addition, ocean pollution, ocean noise and climate change not only impacts blue whales, it also affects their primary food source (krill).

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Tigers are endangered primarily due to poaching and the illegal wildlife trade, driven by demand for tiger parts in traditional medicine and as status symbols, as well as habitat loss and degradation from human expansion and infrastructure development.There are an estimated 5,574 wild tigers worldwide as of 2023.

In this activity, we learnt about SDG 15 which is life on land , we are supposed to choose an endangered animal to talk about. I chose the tiger, it is endangered both with human protected tigers and not protected tigers, so i think this is a really important topic to talk about.This is significant to me because tigers are one of my favourite animals and i can’t imagine if there is no more tigers on the planet, so i decided to talk about this species.

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Chinese pangolins have been on Earth for 80 million years; they were part of the ancient mammal family, and they were separated from their relatives.

Only about 10,000 chinese pangolins are left in the world, with reductions over 70% of the number of chinese pangolins in the world.

This may not seem like a very big issue, but over the past decade, over 1 million chinese pangolins have been illegally taken from the wild and consumed.

The main problem is the illegal hunting activities by humans, because parts of the pangolin are used in medicine, and some believe it has health benefits.

This is very significant because they have a vital role in controlling insect populations. They also consume millions of ants and termites annually, helping to maintain forest health.

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There are only 6400 to 6800 of them still alive. 100 years ago, there were about an estimated 100,000 black rhinos alive. But, recently, the number of black rhinos has increased in number from 6195 to 6788 because of human protection and preservation. It is endangered because it is being poached by humans because of its valuable horn. Its horn is used in Asian medicine. Almost 96% of them got wiped out between 1970 to 1990. It usually lives for 35 to 50 years.

The black rhino is about 3 to 3.8 meters long, it is 800 to 1350 kg heavy, and it is about 1.4 to 1.7 meters high at the shoulder.

Black rhinos lives in semi-desert savannahs, woodlands, forests, and wetlands. They need to have plants to eat and large amounts of water for them to drink to survive

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The Northern White Rhinoceros is deeply connected to me. They are extinct in the wild, and only two are left in Kenya.

They are dying due to illegal rhino horn trading and poaching, and wars that killed them, and destroyed their home, particularly in the 1970s to 1980s. The picture shown if one of the last two Northern white rhinos in kenya.

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The sea otters are highly significant because they are keystone species that maintain the health of near shore ecosystems. They have been around for millions of years, and right now theres around 150,000 left, when before the hunting there was 2x the amount than now.

The sea otters are endangered because of over hunting for their dense fur in the 80s and the 90s. There are also current dangers like oil spills, pollutions, tangled fishing gears, and also diseases from the contaminated. Sea otters are also effected by climate change and habitat loss. Global warming has also contributed by impacting their food sources like shellfish, and increasing the frequency of deadly harmful algal blooms.

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The number of adult female nesting hawksbill turtles is recorded to be less than 8,000 left in the world, while the global population is around 20,000 to 23,000.

Hawksbill Turtles are endangered due to mostly human activities, such as illegal trades for it's ornate shells, which are then used to carve into jewelry and other items used by humans. Although these trades are now internationally banned, some people still manage to kill the Hawksbill Turtle.

Another reason is because of human fishing activities, leaving half-used gill nets and such in the water, which leads to the Hawksbill turtle and other animals' entanglement, strangling them to death.

In addition, coastal developments, like building seawalls, make it harder for the Hawksbill turtle to find suitable nesting areas on shore, which leads to lower reproduction rates, making them go extinct even faster!

Climate change is also affecting the Hawksbill turtle's living environment(the Ocean) immensely. Rising sea levels can affect the nesting areas, damaging the nesting habitats for the turtles. Rising sea temperatures also lead to coral bleaching, which is the Hawksbill turtle's main food source, leading to their starvation.

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The blue whales are endangered because of 3 reasons 1 commercial whaling, which means it's being hunted and sell their meat, blubber, oil and baleen for profit. 2 noise pollution, it affects the blue whales because since there is a lot of noise other whales cannot find each other for mating, coordinate feeding and bonds with calves. 3 climate change, climate change reduces the distribution of their primary food source, krill because of rising temperatures and acidification.

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The Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) is one of the world's rarest big cats, with recent estimates around 130 individuals in the wild (mostly in Russia's Far East and northeastern China, up from lows under 100). As an apex predator, it balances its temperate forest ecosystem by controlling prey like deer and boar, preventing overgrazing, protecting vegetation, stabilizing soil, and preserving rivers. This supports biodiversity, including Amur tigers, birds, and smaller mammals. Healthy forests provide clean water, timber, and ecotourism for local communities, while the leopard symbolizes wilderness strength. Its recovery through protected parks and anti-poaching shows conservation can work, inspiring global efforts against habitat loss, poaching, and climate threats.

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The number of sea lions varies significantly by species and location, with populations ranging from thousands of South America and California sea lions to roughly about 81,327 of these which is why this is endangered .

I chose this animal because this animal is the animal that everybody does not really care about and they barley comes out from the sea so I think I should write this as my animal .

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I have chosen the axolotl because I really like how they look, and they were one of the my favourite animals, hence why I think it is sad that the population is slowly dying.

Over 95 percent of axolotls live in pet shops and home aquariums since these amphibians (with the appearance of a smile) have become popular pets. In the wild, however, axolotl numbers are very low. They have been critically endangered because of:

Habitat Loss: Expansion around Mexico City has reduced the axolotls' habitat to just a few rivers and canals

Pollution: Pollution has created bad water, making the habitat near impossible to live in for axolotls.

Invasive Species: Fish like carp compete with axolotls for food and prey.

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I choose the Brown Bear as my animal because this animal plays a big role in maintaining the ecosystem. They help disperse seeds and make soil better with their feeding activities.

This animal is very significant to me because their population is decreasing very fast, now they have around 150,000 world wide. The brown bears mostly eat plants, making up about 90% of their diet. They also eat insects, fish like salmon, and mammals.

Brown bears are generally solo and alone in their life time. Though they have large brains, they are very smart. The brown bears are endangered because of habitat loss and fragmentation, for example humans chopping down all their trees. Another reason why they are endangered is because of generic vulnerability. Like some species in italy, suffer from generic flaws.

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The smallest Asian elephant subspecies, Bornean elephants are smaller than their mainland cousins. They have long tails that sometimes touch the ground, relatively large ears, and straighter tusks. While Borneo elephants are smaller in size than their African counterparts, at 8.2-9.8 feet tall, the Bornean elephant is the largest mammal on the island.

Bornean elephants are endangered primarily due to human caused habitat loss from deforestation for agriculture, mining, and logging, which has fragmented their forests.

There are fewer than 1,500 Bornean elephants remaining in the wild, with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)'s 2024 Red List assessment placing the number at an estimated 1,000 individuals.

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I chose the Sunda tiger (also known as the Sumatra tiger), because it is the last type of the Sunda tiger subspecies following the extinction of the Javan and the Balinese

tigers. It is challenging for this tiger to have a successful hunt, due to its weight (It's very light compared to other tigers, male 120 kg, female 90 kg)

- Habitat loss and fragmentation: Deforestation for agricultural expansion is a primary cause of habitat loss.

- Poaching: Despite legal protection, tigers are hunted for commercial gain, with poaching accounting for as much as 80% of tiger deaths.

This animal is significant to me because it's different from other tigers (it's smaller, and the stripes on its body are closer together). It is also critically endangered, meaning there is only around 400 individuals out in the wild.

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I chose bluefin tuna because it is a really important species in the ocean food chain. They also benefits the ocean by maintaining ecological balance and bring nutrients to the water surface.

Bluefin are the largest tunas and can live up to 40 years. They’re one of the largest tuna species, growing up to 10 feet long and weighing as much as a small car (up to 1,500 pounds). People are overfishing bluefin tuna because it is very valuable, used in sushi.

But now, habitat problems are happening, pollution and climate change are harming the places where bluefin tuna live and spawn, slow to reproduce, bluefin tuna takes 8-12 years to have babies.

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I choose Sea Turtles because I saw a turtle getting killed by plastic last time when I was in Japan, so I think it is important to stop the damage to Sea Turtle from Human.

Green Turtles, named for its green, fatty underside and cartilage, are significantly larger than the Hawksbill and can be recognized by a single pair of prefrontal scales. The diet of green turtles ranges throughout their lifetime, from small crustaceans and aquatic insects at a young age, to mainly sea grasses and algae as an adult. The turtles inhabit coastlines around islands and protected shores in both tropical and temperate climates.

Worldwide, hundreds of thousands of sea turtles a year are accidentally caught in shrimp trawl nets, on longline hooks and in fishing gillnets—a threat known as bycatch. Sea turtles need to reach the surface to breathe, and therefore many drown once caught. Loggerheads are highly migratory and are very likely to come in contact with a fishery, particularly in shrimp gill nets and long lines.

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I chose African elephants as my animal to research as they are very important to the ecosystem as when they eat fruit, they poop out the seeds allowing them to grow as the poop acts like manure or fertiliser. They also dig water holes which also provides water for other species in the enviroment.

Because of human activity, there are only about 415,000 elephants across Africa. This may seem like a big number, however, in 1930, there were 10 million African elephants. So you can see that there is a big decline in their numbers.

They are endangered because of human activity like habitat loss, poaching for their tusks, and because humans are moving into their territory, they have less space to find water and food.

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Red pandas are endangered primarily because of habitat loss and poaching, there are fewer than 10,000 red pandas in the world, the red pandas are endangered because of human activities such as deforestation. The red pandas only live in small mountain areas in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal

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This dolphin is significant to me because all dolphins' personalities are always playful, and they like to be around humans. They are also very smart. But what is special about this dolphin is its unusual dorsal hump and also its more triangular dorsal fin

Because of human activities, such as overfishing, fisheries bycatch, and direct hunting. Because of this, there are only about 3,000 of this species left in the world.

They are also affected by noise pollution, and these dolphins are hunted for shark bait and human consumption. This decreases the population very fast, and they don't usually make babies, so that's why this dolphin is endangered.

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There are approximately 54 Māui dolphins left in the world. Māui dolphins face threats, including getting caught in fishing gear, which leads to drowning, and boat strikes that injure young dolphins. Habitat degradation from coastal development and pollution from oil and gas exploration negatively impacts their environment and breeding success. Noise pollution also affects their breeding, while diseases like toxoplasmosis threaten their health. Their slow breeding rates and limited habitat along New Zealand's North Island, combined with a small population size, make them highly endangered.

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I chose sharks because they are one of the most important animals in the marine ecosystem as they maintain the balance of the food web and also prevent overpopulation of species.

Climate change affects them by changing their migration and distribution when they look for more suitable water temperatures, which impacts their ability to find prey because of water acidification and warming.

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The cheetah is the fastest land animal on the planet; it can run up to 130km/h! However, the cheetah is classed as vulnerable, with its population decreasing every year. Right now there are about 7000 left in the world, a massive drop compared to the 15000 in 2000, in fact, all of the cheetahs left are in Africa, with 20 in Iran, and nowhere else are they in the world. The population is declining because of habitat loss caused by human activity, hunting and climate change.

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This type of seal is endangered because of fisheries interactions, intentional harm by humans, and disease, particularly toxoplasmosis in Hawaiin Island. Now, there are only fewer than 1,000 and estimated by 600-700 species in the world now. Mediterranean Monk Seal can live 20-30 years and up to 45 but the youngest female seal that give birth has a baby at the age of 4, also it is one of the rarest animals in the world and it is the most endangered seal.

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The Florida Panther was listed as an endangered species in 1967 and still remain as endangered even though their population has increased a bit. Due to habitat loss in Southern Florida, vehicle collisions, inbreeding and genetic isolation their population is still at a critical low rate with just 120-230 adults.

This animal is significant to me because their species has been endangered for quite a long time and i'm worried if it doesn't get off the list and becomes extinct. Plus Florida Panthers are considered the " umbrella species " which is an important species to the ecosystem.

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According to the IUCN Red List, Sumatran elephants are critically endangered. There are only around 3000 of them left in the wild.

They changed from "Endangered" to "Critically Endangered" in 2012 because half of their population was wiped out due to deforestation.

Also, these elephants often come in contact with human settlements, many times accidentally trampling homes and hurting people. The affected people sometimes retaliate by shooting poison.

Sumatran elephants eat many different plants and scatter the seeds wherever they go, contributing to a healthy forest ecosystem. They also share their lush forest habitat with several other endangered species, such as the Sumatran rhino, tiger, and orangutan. They weigh around 5 tons, and are around 2 meters tall, and around 6 meters long.

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There are three major reasons resulting in the orangutan to be endangered, one of them being habitat loss. The habitats in asia are disapearing fast because they are making way for palm oil plantations, and other agricultural plantations. Another reason is because of hunting, orangutans are an easy target for hunters as the are big and slow, they are often killed for food or for retaliation when orangutans eat their crops. The pet trade is also a big problem, places such as indonesia has demands for orangutans as pets. There is also a demand for orangutan skulls in kalimantan.

I chose orangutan because they are a vital role in seed dispersal in their habitats. Orangutans has a low reproductive rate, with most females giving birth to one infant in 3-5 years. With the harm humans are doing to them, the orangutans to have a higher and higher risk for extinction.

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The current vaquita population is estimated to be only about 8 to 13 of them, a drastic decrease from nearly 600 in 1997.

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Cheetahs are the fastest land animal on the earth, but they are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN red list. Cheetahs are endangered by habitat loss, as humans are destroying grasslands and savannas. They are also endangered by climate change as it increases the damage from habitat loss, human hunters and traffickers. From 1900's to the 2020's, cheetahs population has decreased by ~93%. People are currently advocating for the cheetah to be uplisted to Endangered instead of Vulnerable on the IUCN list as there are only ~7000 cheetahs left.

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There is a reasons I chose this animal as my animal, I chose this animal for me to draw because this animal is slowly being extinct and only has 34-37 left because of habitat loss and fragmentation from deforestation

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Blue whales are endangered because of humans, Commercial whaling, and Examples include vessel strikes and entanglement in fishing gear.

habitat loss: because of threats that damage their habitats and impact their food sources.

population: there are only 10000 to 25000 left in the world.

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Kiwi has tiny wings but cannot fly. It has loose feathers that are more like fur and unlike other birds the. feathers moult throughout the year. It is the only bird in the world with nostrils at the end of its beak.

Kiwis can only be found in New Zealand, and estimated to be 68,000 kiwi birds left.

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Penguins on Galapagos Island are threatened by fishermen because they are often caught as bycatch. After that, they are left to die on shore if they cannot get out of the fishing nets.

Climate change also kills off most of them. Past El Niño events (unusually warm water on cold shores) had a mortality rate of up to 77%. Their natural habitats being polluted also decreases the numbers. Another threat is micro and macroplastics, which have been found on 13 beaches totaling 4610 pieces.

Introduced species such as dogs, cats, and mosquitoes can also bring diseases that penguins cannot survive such as the Plasmodium blood parasite. Cats also prey on young chicks (one cat in a breeding area was observed to deal a 49% mortality rate to adult penguins).

They have already suffered a population decline of 60% between 1970 and 2004, and experts say they will continue to die off.

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The ethereal pink dolphin, or boto, faces a silent crisis in the Amazon's murky waters. Its vibrant colouration, a symbol of myth and magic, is fading under relentless human pressure. Rampant habitat destruction from deforestation and river damming fractures its world, while increasing boat traffic leads to fatal collisions and noise pollution. Many are accidentally caught and drown in fishing nets, and some are deliberately killed for use as bait. As mercury from illegal gold mining accumulates in their bodies, these intelligent, social creatures are poisoned from within. Their decline signals not just the loss of a unique species, but the unravelling of the entire rainforest ecosystem they have long called home.

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Charlotte Dantzer - North Island brown kiwi

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Charlotte Dantzer - North Island brown kiwi

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Kiwi birds are decreasing to up to 2% every year without predator control, the key threats are predators (kills 95% of the kiwi bird population), slow reproduction and habitat loss. The kiwi bird has a decline rate of 2% every year, which means around 20 birds weekly pass away. There are roughly 26,000 north island brown kiwis left in the wild.

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The leatherback sea turtle is truly massive, the biggest turtle out there, but it's really struggling to survive right now.You know, the biggest dangers we face actually come from things we humans do.It's a sad situation when these big, calm animals get tangled up and can't escape from old fishing nets or gear just drifting in the sea. They just drown.When coastal areas are built up and bright lights from buildings shine, it really messes with nesting beaches. It makes it tough for female turtles to lay their eggs without feeling scared or exposed.Plastic pollution is a big problem. Turtles, for example, often mistake plastic bags floating in the ocean for jellyfish, which are their favorite food, and this can be deadly for them.Eating this plastic could kill them.If we don't step up to protect and care for them, we could lose these old and amazing creatures for good.

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Red pandas are charming, endangered mammals found in the temperate forests of the Himalayas and southwestern China. With fewer than 10,000 remaining, their populations are threatened by habitat loss and poaching.

Primarily feeding on bamboo, they face significant challenges due to deforestation. Protecting red pandas is essential for maintaining the balance of their ecosystem.

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The Cao Vit Gibbon is a Gibbon that lives in southern Vietnam and Guangxi, China. There are about 74 of the Cao Vit Gibbons left. The reasons that this animal is endangered are that the villages around the place still use firewood, and they chop trees in the Cao Vit Gibbon's habitat. Another reason is that these animals reproduce extremely slowly. They can only give birth once every 2 to 3 years, and with such a small population, even if one dies, it would be a devastating blow for the species.

The roles of this animal in the ecosystem are that they eat lots of fruit and carry seeds everywhere, so animals can have more food to eat. Another role would be that they are always in the canopies, their activities there help loosen the branches and leaves, allowing more sunlight to reach the floor, and let smaller plants grow.

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I chose the endangered Scallop Hammerhead shark because I want to show that sharks don't cause harm to humans and that humans cause more harm to sharks .

Overfishing affects the Scallop Hammerhead shark as it is a shark used for the shark fin trade , overfishing affects them cause when sharks lose their fins , they can't move and that would stop their breathing , this is due to sharks needing to move around to breathe , other causes such as blood loss and being defenseless and would also starve , these factors would kill the shark too.

Although being protected in many areas such as the US , it is still not illegal to hunt the shark.

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1. Very endangered species: Once widespread, they were thought to be extinct by the late 1970s, with only 18 known individuals in 1986.

2. Recovery: A small population discovered in Wyoming in 1981 sparked intensive breeding programs, bringing them back from the brink.

3. Current Numbers: There are only 300-400 left in the wild.

Major Threats: Destruction of prairie dog colonies for buildings.

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Coral is endangered primarily due to climate change (warming and acidification), pollution (sewage and runoff), and unsustainable practices such as overfishing, all of which disrupt their delicate balance, cause stress, lead to bleaching, disease, and hinder growth, ultimately threatening reef survival globally. Human activities, such as plastic pollution, intensify these threats, leading to habitat destruction, algae overgrowth, and weakened structures, which push many species toward extinction.

Believe it or not, corals are animals; they are closely related to jellyfish and sea anemones, even though they look like plants or rocks. Unlike plants, corals don't make their own food; they use tentacles to catch tiny food particles from the water. What we see as coral is often a massive colony of thousands of individual, soft-bodied polyps, each with a mouth and stomach.

Coral reefs around the world are facing extinction every day; if we don't stop global warming, coral reefs will go extinct!

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The kiwi is a small bird from New Zealand. It cannot fly and is a national symbol of the country. It is related to larger birds like the ostrich.

Main Features:

Looks:

Kiwis have rough, hair-like feathers. They have no tail and very small wings you can’t see. They are about as big as a chicken.

Special Beak:

They are the only birds with nostrils at the end of their long beak. They use it to smell for food like worms in the ground.

Very Large Eggs:

A female kiwi lays one of the biggest eggs compared to her body size. The egg can be one-quarter of her own weight.

Night Animals:

They are most active at night and sleep in burrows (holes in the ground) during the day.

Like a Mammal:

Sometimes called an “honorary mammal,” they have heavy bones, whiskers like a cat, and a lower body heat than other birds.

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Great Hammerhead Shark - Katrina Poon 7(2)

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Great Hammerhead Shark - Katrina Poon 7(2)

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I chose the Great Hammerhead Shark because every time during our family festival dinners, they would always eat shark fin soup while I refused to. This has raised my awareness by raising my interest in why and how the Great Hammerhead Shark is endangered. According to the IUCN Red List, the Great Hammerhead Shark is critically endangered.

The Great Hammerhead shark is a type of shark characterized by a distinctive, hammer-shaped head, which is highly sensitive to its environment.

They live in the tropical marine environment that is seriously polluted by our actions. This is the first reason for their endangerment. We often create a lot of rubbish by not recyling and throwing rubbish all around the streets, which cause it to be flown into the ocean once there is strong wind.

Another reason for their endangerment is because of over-fishing their valuable fins for trades and sales so they can make money off selling shark fins. But the hammerhead shark usually travels in large groups, which leads to when one is killed for their fins, the other will also get killed as they travel as a group. The hammerhead shark also has a slow reproduction rate, which means it takes a long time to regrow their population once many are killed.

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due to significant population declines, primarily from human activities like overfishing, cruise/boat strikes, and tourism, the whale shark is severly endangered, with concerns about climate change creating threats like ship collisions. Their population have dropped by over 50% globally in the last 75 years, pushing for stronger conservation measures.

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Sunflower Sea Stars are large seastars found in the northern Pacific Ocean. You may have never heard of them before because they are registered as critically endangered animals. They help eat up sea urchins to prevent sea urchins from eating kelp, which is vital for other sea animals. Without the starfish, the whole ecosystem may break down.

According to NOAA Fisheries, Sunflower Sea Stars are endangered because of a disease called Sea Star Wasting Syndrome. Which wipes out the animal instantly while destroying their habitat. This is caused by rising sea temperatures and is the primary reason there are only 10% of Sunflower Sea Stars left. Rising sea temperatures are essentially caused by climate change. Which is caused by human activities, such as burning fossil fuels. A secondary reason is microplastic pollution and ingestion, which can affect their health and recovery.

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The Flapper Skate was once abundant around the UK, but it has become very rare in the UK and European waters. Years upon years of commercial fishing have damaged many delicate habitats the Skates rely on. Additionally, the flapper skate has a very low resilience to commercial fishing pressure - its large body size means that it can be caught in fishing nets even from birth.

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A vaquita is the world's most endangered marine mammal, a small porpoise found only in the northern Gulf of California, Mexico. Vaquitas are the smallest species of cetaceans and are often called "little sea cows" in Spanish.

They are critically endangered primarily due to accidental drowning from entanglement in illegal gillnets, primarily from totoaba and shrimp fishery. These nets, designed to catch fish, inadvertently entangle and drown the small porpoises, pushing their population to near extinction, with fewer than 30 remaining in the ocean.

Vaquitas are vital to the marine ecosystem because they act as a key predator in the food chain, regulating the populations of various fish, squid, and crustacean species. As the world's smallest and most endangered marine mammal, their presence contributes to the overall stability and health of this biodiverse ecosystem. Their extinction could lead to the ecosystem's collapse in the Gulf of California.

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Binturongs are classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, indicating a high risk of extinction in the medium term due to ongoing threats.

Binturongs are also called bearcats but are not closely related to bears or cats. They are in the family Viverridae with other small cat-like mammals, including civets and fossas. They are the only members of the genus Arctic. In the wild, binturongs live about 16 to 18 years. In human care, they can live to be 25 years old.

Binturongs use their distinctive scent to signal their presence to other binturongs and discourage predators. They are noisy creatures. They can snort, chuckle or even purr when they are pleased or content. They signal displeasure, fear or aggression with cat-like screams, hisses, low grunts and howls. Females in estrus call to attract mates.

Binturong populations have declined by over 30% in the past three decades from habitat loss (deforestation for logging and palm oil), hunting for meat and medicine, and the pet trade, but they persist in fragmented forests across Southeast Asia.

Binturongs face threats from habitat loss and poaching, so conservation focuses on protecting Southeast Asian rainforests and curbing illegal trade. Individuals can help by supporting groups like ABConservation, advocating for sustainable palm oil, and raising awareness about their seed-dispersal role.

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The Hawaiian monk seal are critically endangered.

The Hawaiian monk seal is the most endangered pinniped in U.S. waters and among the rarest seal species globally. As of 2026, the total population is estimated at approximately 1,600 individuals.

In the main Hawaiian Islands, the primary threats Hawaiian monk seals face are fisheries interactions, intentional harm by humans, and disease, which is now a leading cause of Hawaiian monk seal growing concern in the populated main Hawaiian Islands.

If the Hawaiian monk seal were to go extinct, the Hawaiian ecosystem would be devastated. Monk seals are apex predators and have an important role in the food chain keeping fish and squid populations under control.

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North Atlantic right whale are critically endangered primarily because of human activities, mainly getting tangled up by fishing gears, like lobster and crab pot ropes.Another reason is bumping in to big ships and boats that travels around the area, leading to severe injury, starvation, and death. The leading causes of death and serious injury are entanglement in fishing gear and collisions with vessels; more than 85% of individuals have been entangled at least once.
On October 21, 2025, there is only 384 North Atlantic right whale left, with only approximately 70 females that are capable of reproducing.

North Atlantic right whale is a coastal baleen whale found mainly along the eastern coasts of the United States and Canada.This species is now mostly found along the Atlantic coast of North America, especially the U.S. and Canadian eastern seaboard.The population has been declining since around 2010 because of high human-caused deaths and low calving rates.

In this moment, North Atlantic right whales are protected under laws such as the U.S. Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act and Canada’s Species at Risk Act.
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The SDG I'm focusing on is SDG 14: Life Below Water.

Coral reefs are critically endangered underwater living organisms. It is estimated that 90% of global coral reefs will be gone by 2050. They are vital to the ecosystem because they act as a habitat for a quarter of marine life, including fish, crabs, small sharks, and a ton of other sea animals.

Coral reef population is decreasing in an alarming rate mostly due to human activity. Because of climate change, the ocean is warming, leading to the coral being unable to recognize the zooxanthella as its symbiote. Without zooxanthella, coral bleaching happens, killing off the coral reefs.

Words Cited

Coral Guardian. “Adoptez Un Corail.” Coral Guardian, 18 Dec. 2024, www.coralguardian.org/en/coral-reefs-at-risk/. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.

US. “NOAA National Ocean Service Education: Corals Tutorial.” Noaa.gov, 2026, oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/tutorial_corals/coral07_importance.html#:~:text=Corals%20are%20considered%20key%20to,of%20broken%2Ddown%20coral%20skeletons. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.

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I selected this type of land animal because it is critically endangered, with alarmingly few individuals left in the world, and it is vulnerable to human impact. This issue is severely linked to human activities and is further intensified by climate change.

Rhinos face significant threats from poaching for their horns and habitat loss driven by agriculture and development, which leads to fragmented populations. Climate change aggravates these threats through habitat destruction from floods, droughts, and wildfires, along with increased heat stress. Moreover, the slow reproductive rate of the Javan rhino significantly hinders its recovery. Currently, this species is critically endangered, with only about 50 to 80 individuals remaining in the wild.

Urgent action is needed to protect this magnificent species and ensure its future.

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Yangtze finless porpoise's are a type of marine creature that is similar to dolphins and live in the Yangtze river. It is a cheerful animal with a well known smile glued to its face. Other key characteristics are the streamline body, enormous head and no back fins.

A major reason why only around 500 of these are left in the Yangtze river is because of overfishing. These creatures require a significant amount of food to survive. When overfishing happens, the main food sources of the Porpoise is absent causing deaths due to hunger.

Another reason for the deterioration of the Yangtze finless porpoise is because of pollution. Study shows that 55% of all marine waste has come form the Yangtze river, showing how deadly swimming in that river is, let alone live there.

With scientist prediction, Yangtze finless porpoise have 20 to 30 years of time left, with the predicted time of extinction being 2054.

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The blue whale is the largest animal ever known to live on Earth. These see creatures can grow up to 30 meters long and weight over 180 tons. Blue whales are found in oceans all around the world, especially in colder waters.

The blue whale is endangered mainly because of past whaling, which greatly reduced their numbers a long time ago. They also face new dangers, like getting hit by big ships, which can hurt or kill them.

Climate change affects the availability of krill, their main food, making it harder for them to find enough to eat. Pollution in the oceans can also harm their healthy and the noise from ships can make it tough for them to communicate.

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There are only about 10 Vaquita left in the world. They are endangered mainly because they get caught and drown in illegal fishing nets. These nets are set to catch another fish called the totoaba. The totoaba's swim bladder is sold for a lot of money in Asia. This makes people keep using the nets even though it is illegal and hurts the vaquita. Other problems make it harder to save them. They live in only one small area, so the nets affect all of them. It is also difficult to stop the illegal fishing completely.

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This is the Saola(Pseudoryx nghetinhensis), also being called the "Asian Unicorn", has less then 100 individuals left on earth.

This species are being going extinct because of the poaching for there skin, additionally they are also dying because of the habitat loss that is happening from deforestation.

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The Cuban crocodile is sometimes known as the crocodile who should not have existed. They are medium-sized predators, with the adults usually hunting small mammals, fish, and turtles, while the juveniles eat smaller fish and basically smaller everything. They are currently endangered due to hunting by humans and habitat loss from climate change, deforestation, pollution, etc.

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The vaquita, a small porpoise found exclusively in the northern part of the Gulf of California, Mexico, is critically endangered, with fewer than 30 individuals estimated to be left in the wild. This diminutive marine mammal faces severe threats from illegal fishing practices, particularly gillnets used for capturing totoaba fish, whose swim bladders are highly valued in traditional medicine. Conservation efforts are ongoing, but the species remains on the brink of extinction, making urgent protective measures essential for its survival.

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The sawfish was declared endangered in the late 20th century. All 5 types of sawfish are either endangered or critically endangered(Arount 5,000 globally), theyre mainly endangered because of overfishing (for their fins) or habitat loss. Their long snouts are also easily caught into fishing gear and traps and their slow reproduction rates also isnt helping.

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Gorillas are separated into two species; Eastern Gorillas and Western Gorillas. Mountain Gorillas are one of the subspecies of Gorillas which belongs in the Eastern group. With fewer than 1100 of them, humans are pushing the endangered Mountain Gorillas out of the wild and into extinction.

A little more than half of the Mountain Gorillas live in the Virunga Mountains, the rest are in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. Since this species was found in 1902, they have endured years of war, disease, habitat destruction, and hunting. The most endangering human activity to them is habitat loss. Because of humans who moved into areas near Mountain Gorillas, they have cleared land for agriculture, charcoal, and firewood. This problem is growing unimaginably worse that even protected areas are in danger from clearing. For example, illegal settlers have cleared 3700 acres of gorilla forest in 2004, at Virunga National Park. This constrains and shrinks their forest homes, causing insufficient resources of food and water, and limits their reproduction and genetic diversity.

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1. Population Status: The population has plummeted from an estimated 600 in 1997 to fewer than 10-15 individuals as of 2023-2024. However, there is some hope as recent surveys (2023-2024) have observed healthy individuals, including calves, indicating the remaining population may be stable.

2. Primary Threat (Bycatch): The, species is in immediate danger of extinction due to entanglement in gillnets used for illegal fishing of the totoaba, a large fish whose swim bladder is in high demand in China. These nets are often referred to as "ghost nets" when left in the water, continuing to kill marine life.

3. Location and Range: The vaquita is endemic to the northern Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez) in Mexico, with a very limited, tiny range.

4. Future Outlook: The survival of the species depends on the complete elimination of gillnets throughout its habitat.

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these eagles only have 5200 remaining, they are also the largest bird in the world also they are protected in russia china south korea and japan

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I choose the animal giant panda because it is a very endangered animal and is a very known animal in china.

While the Panda is one of the world’s most iconic species, known and loved across the world, this peaceful, bamboo-eating member of the bear family faces a number of threats to its survival. Its forest habitat is fragmented and populations are small and isolated from each other, and poaching remains an ever-present threat.

By mid-2005, the Chinese government had established over 50 panda reserves, protecting more than 10,400 km² and over 45% of remaining giant panda habitat. However, habitat destruction continues to pose a threat to the many pandas living outside these areas.

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Pygmy seahorses are incredibly tiny, masters of camouflage, fish, usually less than 2 cm long, known for perfectly mimicking the gorgonian corals they live on, making them nearly invisible to predators and humans.

They are currently critically endangered, because only a small fraction of suitable host corals (roughly 13.7% or less) are actually inhabited by pygmy seahorses. They are on the IUCN's red list, indicating that there is not enough information to even estimate their extinction risk.

Since pygmy seahorses only live in specific sea fans or soft corals, destruction and bleaching are the largest concerns for these seahorses.

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1. Population status:

100-200,000 Whale sharks are estimated to be left in the world.

2. Threats:

Fishing: Despite their size, they are caught for their meat and fins, often unintentionally (bycatch) in tuna nets.

Colliding with ships: Slow-moving and often near the surface, they are vulnerable to collisions with large ships.

Climate change: Ocean warming disrupts food webs, affecting their food sources.

Pollution: Plastic pollution causes Whale Sharks to mistake it for food, leading to illness.

3. Location:

Whale sharks live in all tropical and warm-temperate oceans worldwide, living in both coastal waters and the open sea, often seen in areas with abundant plankton, such as Australia and Mexico.

4. When was it declared endangered?

The whale shark was declared endangered globally by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2016

5. Personality and characteristics:

Whale sharks are known as "gentle giants" due to their docile, peaceful, and non-aggressive personalities, posing no threat to humans despite their massive size.

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Polar bears are the largest bears in the world; they are the Arctic's main predator. The polar bears have been around for about 150,000 years, adapting through the years and finally growing fur as a necessity to keep them warm.

There are only 22,000 to 31,000 polar bears left in the wild, resulting in the ecosystem's imbalance.

This imbalance is mainly caused by climate change and global warming, which melt the ice, forcing the polar bears to migrate to a new home. Some difficulties on this journeyis that most of the polar bears can only last in the water for a few minutes, especially for the polar bears with children, which makes it far harder for long-distance travelling.

According to the bornfree.org, we can see that their status is vulnerable at the moment.

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African lions are endangered due to habitat loss, human and wild-life conflicts, and poaching. The numbers of african lions have significantly decreased by 94% from their historic range. Their population have decreased half in the past 25 years. IUCN estimate that there will be less than 25000 lions left in africa. They live in places like savannas, grasslands, open woodlands, shrublands, preferring places with cover, but now a lot of these habitats have been distroyed due to climate change and agriculture.

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North Atlantic right whales live in coastal waters along America's east coast. They feed on tiny copepods and krill. Because they feed in deep water and defecate at the surface, they bring up essential nutrients for phytoplankton, which forms the backbone of the marine ecosystem. They consume over 1000 kg of zooplankton a day, helping maintain a balance in the ecosystem.

North Atlantic right whales are classified as Critically Endangered by the ICUN. They are endangered due to entanglement in fishing gear and vessel strikes. Climate change is affecting their migration and food sources, and whaling (killing whales for their meat and blubber) has killed most of the slow-reproducing population. There are currently less than 400 North Atlantic right whales left.

People are working to protect North Atlantic right whales by enforcing mandatory slow zones for vessels and designating safe zones for these whales to live and reproduce.

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The African Wild dogs are one of the endangered mammals in the world. The largest populations of this species remain in southern Africa and the southern part of East Africa.

They are social and gather at least 10 individuals or even up to 40 together as a pack. They are predators; they can run more than44 miles per hour.

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Stingrays are sea creatures found in oceans. They have flat bodies and long tails that often have a stinger when they feel threatened. Stingrays use their tail to protect themselves. Stingrays are usually gray or brown, which helps them blend in with the ocean floor. They like to hide in the sand and wait for small fish and shrimp to swim by, which they eat by using their flat mouth. Stingrays can swim gracefully through the water, using their wings to move. Stringrays have small eyes on top of their body, which allows them to see. While hiding under the sand.

Stingrays play an important role in the ocean ecosystem by helping to keep the population of smaller sea animals balanced.

Most of them live for many years, while some species live up to 25 years old.

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An image provided by "bay nature" organisation 

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The sturgeon marine species is critically endangered , as it participates in "the mot threatened group of the fish" globally, with nearly all of 26 species facing extinction mostly due to overfishing (especially for caviar), illegal trade, habitat loss from dams and pollution, and blocked migration routes. They are ancient species, but human activities have pushed them to the brink, with several species critically endangered or extinct. with all 26 species threatened, two-thirds critically so, due to poaching, habitat loss, and pollution, leading to drastic population drops (94% globally since 1970), with some species like the Chinese strugeon potentially down to just a few hundred mature fish, and the Atlantic sturgeon facing extinction in rivers like the Delaware, with fewer than 250 adults.

To explain most specifically, Overfishing & Illegal Trade are one of the most significant reasons of their endangerment, Their valuable roe (caviar) drives intense poaching and illegal trade, making them prime targets. Secondly, Habitat Loss: Dams block spawning rivers, and pollution degrades their environment, destroying vital feeding and breeding grounds. Thirdly, pollution and climate change would also significantly contribute as degradation of their freshwater habitats further threatens survival. Last but not least, they have a slow reproduction process as Sturgeons live long lives but reproduce slowly, making them highly vulnerable to population declines and slow to recover. Furthermore, All 26 sturgeon species are threatened with extinction, with almost two-thirds listed as critically endangered by the IUCN, while some of the specific examples may include Atlantic Sturgeon (some populations endangered), Shortnose Sturgeon (endangered), Green Sturgeon (threatened).

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There are fewer than 117,000 giraffes left in the wild globally, a significant drop from historical numbers. Only around 68,298 mature individuals, declining ️- with small populations in West and Central Africa seriously threatened; last assessed in 2016 They are threatened by: Habitat loss, hunting and poaching, captivity.

Habitat loss and fragmentation due to human population growth and climate change are the main threats to giraffes in the wild. As human populations grow, more giraffe habitat is converted to agriculture, infrastructure and extractive industries such as mining, quarrying and fossil fuel production, leaving less natural habitat for giraffes available.In some parts of their range, giraffes are hunted legally for sport and for their parts. Giraffes are also exploited in zoos and circuses. Wild giraffes are specialised herbivores, living complex lives and roaming over large expanses, so being confined to small enclosures can lead to extreme frustration and boredom.

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Marine iguanas are found only in the Galápagos Islands, so extinction there means global extinction.They are endangered, threatened by climate change, particularly intense El Niño events that disrupt their algae food source, alongside invasive predators like cats, dogs, and rats, and marine pollution from oil spills and plastics, impacting their habitat and survival.Also, rising sea levels and warmer air temperatures affect nesting sites and the iguanas' ability to regulate body heat.

Key Facts:

They are the only lizards that forage in the ocean, eating algae, using blunt snouts and sharp teeth to scrape rocks and strong claws to grip.

A flattened tail propels them, and they can hold their breath for up to 40-60 minutes.

They have nasal glands to sneeze out excess salt, often leaving a white crust on their heads.

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The red wolf is one of the world's most endangered wild dogs. It is in danger for several main reasons.

First, they were almost completely wiped out by hunting and habitat loss long ago. This left only a very small number of wolves, which has caused problems with inbreeding.

The biggest threat now is that they mate with coyotes, creating hybrid animals. This means there are fewer and fewer pure red wolves left.

Also, many wolves are shot by people, often by mistake when they are confused with coyotes. Others are hit by cars. With so few left—only about 20 were known in the wild in 2021—every single death is a major problem for their survival.

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The tree kangaroo is losing its habitat. Rapid deforestation combined with hunting has left fragmented populations of decreasing numbers. There are currently no direct conservation measures in place for this endangered species. There are 14 species of tree kangaroos, but several are critically endangered or endangered, with populations in the low thousands or even less, like Matschie's with around 2,500, Scott's with around 300, and Wondiewoi with as few as 50.

Tree kangaroos live in lowland and mountainous rainforests in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and the far north of Queensland, Australia. They have adapted to life in the trees, with shorter legs and stronger forelimbs for climbing, giving them somewhat of the appearance of a cross between a kangaroo and a lemur.

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Jellyfish have been around for millions of years, even before dinosaurs lived on Earth. Jellyfish have no brain, heart, bones, or eyes. They are made up of a smooth, bag-like body and tentacles armed with tiny, stinging cells. These incredible invertebrates use their stinging tentacles to stun or paralyse prey before gobbling it up. The jellyfish’s mouth is found in the centre of its body. From this small opening, it both eats and discards waste. Jellyfish digest their food, which consists of fish, shrimp, crabs, and tiny plants, very quickly. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t be able to float, being weighed down by the large, undigested food in their body.

I chose the animal Jellyfish because it is pretty and not many people know a lot about them.

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The Banggai Cardinalfish is a small fish with a length of 3.4 inches and a weight of 0.025 pounds. Its lifespan can last up to 2 - 5 years in the wild. The current amount of the Banggai Cardinalfish cannot be determined with it scattered all around the Banggai Island and a few other places and it being super tiny. But scientists show that the trend of the Banggai Cardinalfish is significantly decreasing.

The Banggai cardinalfish's population decline is due to a few reasons. Firstly, the Banggai cardinalfish is often targeted as decorations or ornaments because of how colorful it is. Secondly, the Banggai cardinalfish's habitat is destroyed by the use of fish bombs, which are used to catch live fish.

I chose this animal because I really like the looks of it and I believe we should all try our best to protect the environment to have more of these animals.

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Red-Fronted Macaw (Ara rubrogenys)- Vannie Lau

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Red-Fronted Macaw (Ara rubrogenys)- Vannie Lau

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I chose the red fronted macaw, because it is a important animal on land that is crucial for the ecosystem. They consume fruits and cacti, passing seeds through their digestive system, and desposing the seeds somewhere to grow new plants, helping biodiversity.

The Red-fronted Macaw (Ara rubrogenys), found only in Bolivia, is called as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List mainly because of their own habitat loss and trouble with farmers. Statistics show that there are 1,000–1,200 birds left in the wild, up from around 800 in 2012, but the numbers could drop fast.

In dry valleys between the Andes, about 40% of the land turned into farms by the 1990s, which cuts down fruits and seeds the birds eat, so because their souce of food is taken, they take corn and peanuts from fields. Farmers see them as pests and kill them with poison or guns.

Groups like Asociación Armonía count birds, protect nests (23 active ones in 2021–2022), and teach farmers ways to guard crops like putting up covers to stop fights with the birds. They also give rewards to local people to help end stealing for pets and land clearing. Some studies say the numbers are holding steady enough to change its status from Critically Endangered to just Endangered, but the dangers are still there.

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Addax is a desert adapt antelope and is critically endagered. there is around 100-500 Addax left in the world, this is because of humans which are hunting animals for food and for their horns. Addax only live in area like deserts and dry areas such as niger, mauritania, mali, chad and sudan. This helped me understand SDG number 15 Life on Land, because addax only lives on dry lands where it is very hot. This SDG 15 helps me enhance my understanding of endangered animals.

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Cheetahs are remarkable animals known for their incredible speed and agility. They are the fastest land animals, capable of reaching speeds up to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) in just a few seconds. This amazing speed helps them catch prey, primarily small to medium-sized animals like gazelles and impalas.

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A jellyfish is made with soft, bell-shaped bodies, and is made out of 95% of water. A jellyfish's body is very simple, it does not have a brain, a heart, or bones, they are gelatinous marine invertebrates which are not considered as a fish. They move around in the ocean using pulsing movements, and catches food like plankton and small fish by using the stinging cells called nematocysts on their tentacles.

Jellyfish have been existing longer than dinosaurs, for at least 500 million years, possibly 700 million years. This is supported by fossil evidence, fossils of jellyfish have been found 505 millions ago in Utah.

Jellyfishes are directly related to the SDG 14, life below water. This is because Jellyfish are affected by overfishing, sea pollution, and ocean warming. As humans remove top predators, jellyfishes eat a lot, which causes jellyfishes to reproduce, and further leads to jellyfish being overpopulated.

Sea pollution and climate change are directly related to ocean warming, the climate change and sea pollution causes for the temperature in the ocean to rise, which lengthens their active seasons, allowing them to reproduce more and overpopulates the ocean, damaging the food chain.

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Sumatran orangutans are endangered thanks to the destructions of their rainforest habitats due to the establishment of palm oil plantations, logging, mining, and agricultural activities. It has cleared the forests of the island of Sumatra by almost half since the 1980s, leaving only fewer than 14,000.

Additionally, the Sumatran orangutan is threatened by the forest fires, the development of roads and the draining of peatlands.Only 10% of the original habitation ground can support the Sumatran orangutan.

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The binturong, also known as the bearcat, is currently listed as Vulnerable to extinction, with its overall population believed to have declined by more than 30% since around the 1980s. Numbers are still going down, and no exact global population estimate is available because scientists consider the total wild population unknown.

This species is now considered uncommon or rare across much of its Asian range, and camera-trap studies recorded only 54 detections in 58,608 camera-trap nights, showing how few are seen even with intensive survey.

Their main threats are habitat loss and degradation, as large areas of Southeast Asian forests have been cleared or fragmented for logging, agriculture, and especially oil palm plantations, causing about a 30% decline in their numbers over the last 30 years. They are also hunted and trapped for meat, fur, traditional medicine, and the pet trade in several countries. In some northern parts of their range, hunting plus habitat loss are the main reasons for their decline.

Studies of their range suggest that they disappear from landscapes where forest cover drops below about 40% within a 20-kilometre radius. Ongoing deforestation and climate change could remove much of their suitable habitat by the end of this century, further endangering the species.

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The Chinese Giant Salamander (Andrias davidianus) lives by rivers, streams, and lakes in China. They spend most of their time in shallow water, preying on fish, insects, and other small water-dwelling creatures. It can grow up to 1.5 meters long and weigh up to 23 kilograms, a truly remarkable size for an amphibian these days. Sadly, as amazing as these big fellas are, they've suffered from great population decrease over the years. This is due to human development in their natural habitats, fragmenting, blocking and polluting their homes. Pollution is a huge issue for sensitive amphibians, who require very controlled water qualities. Now, their population has dropped below 50,000, and their official conservation status is CR (Critically Endangered).

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Stingrays are sea creatures found in oceans around the world. They have flat bodies and long tails that often have a stinger. When they feel threatened, they often use it to protect themselves. Stingrays are usually gray or brown, which helps them blend in with the ocean floor. They like to hide in the sand and wait for small fish and shrimp to swim by, and they eat them using their flat mouth. Stingrays can swim through the water smoothly, using their wings to move.

They have small eyes on the top of their bodies, allowing them to see while mostly hidden.

Stingray can live up to many years, some species reaching up to 25 years old.

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Manta rays are endangered because they are fished for their gill plates, which are used in traditional medicines. Their meat is also eaten, which causes them to be hunted.

Nearly 300,000 manta rays are killed per year because of the reasons listed above. This needs to stop, because manta rays are essential for the ocean ecosystem.

They help regulate amounts of plankton, making sure the ecosystem is balanced. They also ensure that the coral reefs are healthy with their feces.

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I am working on SDG 14 (life below water) This is about protecting the oceans, seas, and all sea animals life under water. One animal that i really care about is the Hawaiian monk seal. This seal only live in Hawaii and nowhere else in the world. It is an endemic species. The Hawaiian monk seal is very endangered, population of approximately 1,600 individuals. Around 1,200 live in the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. About 400 live in the main Hawaiian Islands. But now, population is slowly growing now, about 2% each year thanks to protection and help from people. But it's still only about one third of what it used to be long ago. The seals face several big problems like having not enough food, happens because of overfishing, competition with other animals, and changes in the ocean from warming water. Loss of habitat, beaches where seals rest and have babies are disappearing. Storms, rising sea levels, and erosion wash away sand. Disease, The biggest health danger is toxoplasmosis. This disease comes from a parasite (Toxoplasma gondii) found in cat poop. Rain washes the parasite into the ocean from land. It kills many seals, especially in the main Hawaiian Islands. Other diseases like viruses can also hurt them.

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The main threats to whale sharks are vessel strikes, bycatch, finning, and climate change.

The number of whale shark population has decreased over 50% globally in the past 75 years, and although conservation efforts have been made, the population continues to decrease.

Whale sharks are important because they regulate plankton numbers, recycle nutrients, and boost phytoplankton.

I picked this animal because I learned about them from an aquarium in japan and they are known as the ocean's gentle giant, and because I think the dots used for camouflage on their backs make them appear very beautiful.

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The giant panda is a herbivorous bear native to China. It is famous for its black-and-white pattern and bamboo diet. There are only around 1864 pandas left as they are endangered.

This connects to SDG 15 Life on Land, because it lives on land, and human deforestation and pollution are endangering it.