The world has been receiving bad news from left to right, add to that the devastating coronavirus pandemic that put the world on halt. But here’s some good news for everyone: More animals are back from the brink of extinction!
1. Southern White Rhino (Ceratotherium simum simum)
Southern white rhinos are subspecies of the white rhino. Nearly 99 percent of them live in the savannas of Kenya, Namibia, and Zimbabwe, and the vast majority are found in South Africa.
They were thought to be extinct in the late 19th century until 1895, when fewer than a hundred were found in Kwasulu-Natal, South Africa.
After a century of conservation efforts, there are now around 20,000 Southern White Rhinos. They live in protected areas in South Africa, Namibia, Kenya and Zimbabwe.
2. Arabian Oryx (Oryx leucroyx)
More than four decades ago, the Arabian Oryx was extinct in the wild due to hunting and poaching.
Thanks to the conservation efforts spearheaded by Saudi Arabia and UAE, the antelope is not just back from the extinction, nor are they considered “endangered species.”
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) reclassified them to “vulnerable.” This is the first time that a species that used to be “extinct in the wild” improved by three categories and removed from its Red List of Threatened Species.
3. Gray Wolves
Gray Wolves have been on the “endangered species” list since the early 1970’s. Thanks to the efforts of wildlife conservation organizations, there are now around 6,000 animals that are “stable and healthy throughout its current range.”
4. Northern Brown Kiwi (Apteryx mantelli)
The Northern Brown Kiwi’s population are estimated to be growing by over 2% a year. They disappeared from the lowland sites due to habitat loss, invasive species, and mammalian predators, such as dogs, ferrets, and stoats.
Known to be the only kiwi in the wild in the North Island, this flightless bird has dark brown spiky feathers streaked with reddish brown and black, long pale bill, short dark legs, toes and claws.
5. Louisiana Black Bear
In 1980, more than 80 percent of the Louisiana black bear’s habitat had been destroyed. By 1992, the bear was listed as threatened.
Conservations efforts were put into place, and the animals were protected under the Endangered Species Act. Now, there are 500 and 750 Louisiana black bears across the United States.
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