Endangered Animal Species
Endangered Animal Species : Africa is known for its abundant wildlife and environmental richness, and it is home to a wide variety of animal species that inspire amazement, wonder, and admiration. However, many of these famous animals are currently in danger of going extinct as a result of a number of issues, including habitat loss, poaching, climate change, and conflicts between humans and wildlife.
Africa’s endangered species, which range from the magnificent lion to the swift-footed cheetah, the fierce black rhino to the strong African elephant, serve as a sobering reminder of the brittleness of our natural environment. Their predicament serves as a reminder of how urgently conservation measures are needed to protect these priceless gems.
1. African Wild Dogs (Lycaon pictus).
African wild dogs are also referred to as painted wolves because of their scientific nomenclature. They are great hunters and carnivores. They have enormous, round ears, a lean, muscular body, and coats that are multicolored in shades of red, black, brown, yellow, and white. They lack dew claws and only have four toes on each foot, unlike domestic dogs!
Habitat: Open grasslands and savannahs are the preferred habitats of African wild dogs. They thrive in places with a low population density and plenty of available prey.
Location: They primarily inhabit dispersed populations in South Africa, Tanzania, Botswana, and portions of Zambia and Zimbabwe. Numerous conservation projects are in progress to boost and reintroduce populations in wildlife reserves and protected regions.
2. Mountain Gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei).
The eastern lowland gorilla (Gorilla beringei graueri) has a subspecies known as the mountain gorilla. They are robust and stocky, with long, muscular arms, large chests, prominent heads with prominent brow ridges, and thick, long fur. The well-known silverbacks are magnificent and quite strong.
Habitat: Mountain gorillas live between 2,500 and 4,000 meters above sea level in the cold, misty montane cloud and bamboo forests. Although they may climb trees, they usually reside on the ground. Leaves, branches, stems, fruit, insects, and the occasional small animal make up the majority of their food.
Location: Two remote areas in Africa are home to mountain gorillas. The first are the Virunga Mountains in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda is home to the other. Despite being protected, these areas are regrettably susceptible to poaching, human encroachment, and civil strife.
3. Pangolin (Pholidota).
Description: Because of their distinctive protective keratin scales, pangolins are ruthlessly harvested. In actuality, they are the most trafficked animals in the world. They are solitary and nocturnal animals, mainly feeding on ants and termites.
Population: The exact numbers of pangolins worldwide are unknown, but all eight species of pangolin are recognised to be under threat. Temminck’s ground pangolin, huge ground pangolin, black-bellied, and white-bellied pangolin are the four African species that fall between vulnerable and critically endangered.
Location: Pangolins from Africa can be found all throughout the continent. South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe are among the countries in Eastern and Southern Africa where Temminck’s ground pangolins can be found.
4. Hirola Antelope (Beatragus hunteri).
A medium-sized antelope with long, slender horns and characteristic white face markings, the hirola is also referred to as the “hunter’s hartebeest” or “hunter’s antelope.”
Population: Although estimates vary, the world’s most endangered antelope is extremely endangered, with about 300 to 600 individuals remaining. Drought, habitat loss, and poaching are threats to their survival.
5.Black Rhino (Diceros bicornis).
Description: A powerful representation of Africa’s nature, the black rhino is distinguished by its thick, hairless skin and two large horns. To save these creatures, numerous conservation initiatives have been started.
A variety of habitats, such as thorn scrub, savannahs, thickets, dry forests, bushlands, riverine woodlands, and marshes, are home to black rhinos.
Location: Black rhinos can be found in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, and Kenya. The Serengeti National Park in Tanzania and Etosha National Park in Namibia are important locations to view them. The Kruger National Park in South Africa is a great place to watch black rhinos, as are
6.Cape Vulture (Gyps coprotheres).
The cape vulture lands at the feeding spot with his wings spread wide. With a wingspan of two to three meters, the cape vulture is the biggest raptor in Africa. In 2015, it was listed as a threatened species on the IUCN Red List.
Parts of South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, and northern Namibia are home to the endangered Cape griffon vulture, an Old World vulture. Their wingspan surpasses 2.5 meters, making them huge raptors. They lay only one egg per year, and are characterised by pale-coloured underparts, dark tail and flight feathers, and an almost bare head and neck.
They are excellent scavengers who are essential to preserving a healthy environment because of their powerful beaks and acute vision. International Vulture Awareness Day is observed annually on the first Saturday in September to raise awareness of their important function.
Population: Due to a declining population trend, the Cape vulture is categorized as vulnerable. Less than 5,000 breeding pairs are thought to be left in the wild as of 2021. Power line collisions, poisoning, and habitat degradation pose threats to cape vultures.
Habitat: They roost and nest on cliffs and are primarily found in semi-desert and open grassland areas.
7.Beira Antelope (Dorcatragus megalotis)
Description: The Beira antelope is a slender, arid-adapted and elusive dwarf antelope. Its coat is light brownish-grey, its underside is white, its ears are large, and its horns are small, pointed, and vertically straight.
Population: Due to habitat degradation and hunting, it is considered fragile, however exact numbers are unavailable. In the wild, only a few thousand are believed to remain.
Location: The Beira antelope is endemic to the Horn of Africa, and its distribution is mostly limited to isolated areas of eastern Ethiopia and Somalia.
