| As lobby groups and environmental organisations | | | | a number of reasons - including that they serve as |
| continue to push governments across the world into | | | | umbrella species; this means that their survival also |
| taking drastic measures to curb the acceleration of | | | | helps numerous other species that live in the same |
| global warming, it is perhaps fair to say that other | | | | habitats.The early efforts of organisations like the |
| environmental issues may be in danger of being | | | | WWF were essential in passing crucial legislation for |
| pushed aside. People need to remember that climate | | | | the protection of endangered species; this includes |
| change is not the only scourge to the health of our | | | | the Endangered Species Act of 1973 in America, |
| planet; the protection of endangered species, for | | | | which was designed to protect plant and animal |
| instance, remains a paramount concern to many | | | | species from becoming extinct. Since this time, global |
| people intent on the preservation of natural wildlife | | | | awareness of the importance of protecting |
| across the world.What makes a species 'endangered'? | | | | endangered species has skyrocketed. In the late |
| Generally speaking, a species can be said to be in | | | | 1990s, high street shops began to see the |
| danger of extinction if it is few in number or | | | | importance of animal protection - retailers like The |
| threatened by changing environmental or predation | | | | Body Shop, for example, designed an entire range of |
| parameters. The twentieth century saw the | | | | products on the protection of endangered species, |
| importance of protecting certain species from | | | | and saw their popularity increase dramatically.In the |
| extinction - particularly with the pioneering efforts of | | | | last few years, more effort has been made to |
| organisations like the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), | | | | involve children in the fight for the protection of |
| which has been protecting endangered species since | | | | endangered species. Recently, the WWF has entered |
| its inception in 1961.The UN estimates that nearly 100 | | | | into a partnership with Doubletree Hotels Teaching |
| species are lost every day - a staggering statistic. | | | | Kids to Care initiative in order to spread awareness |
| The major species protected by groups like the | | | | of the dangers and facts surrounding endangered |
| WWF include: tigers, great whales, marine turtles, | | | | species, as well as to stress importance of protecting |
| elephants, gorillas, of which fewer than 650 are left, | | | | them. Such efforts represent an important step in |
| and giant pandas, of which only 800 are estimated to | | | | the protection of animals facing extinction; after all, |
| exist in the wild today.However, these are only a | | | | we aim to save the environment and preserve our |
| selection of the thousands of endangered species | | | | wildlife so that these children can enjoy a better |
| that exist across the world. Their survival is crucial for | | | | future. |