Protect the Endangered: From Periwinkles to Tigers

Many, many different types of animal and plant species are endangered mostly because of human activities. Many organisms, such as the Pinta Island Tortoise and the Northern White Rhinoceros, have gone extinct infuriatingly because of our harmful activities to the environment, such as overhunting.

So that is why it is our duty to protect the ones that are left: the endangered.

From periwinkles to tigers, many of the organisms that keep our ecosystems controlled and help us during tough times are dying.

For one, periwinkles are extremely important - did you know that these extraordinary flowers helped to cure diseases such as cancer, including leukemia? I'm not saying to plant them in your garden if you don't live in the periwinkles' native regions, because they are extremely invasive. But what I am saying is that periwinkles do a lot, and we have to preserve them whenever we can, in their homes. Many periwinkles grow in Madagascar, but overall its home is in and about Asia and Europe. These flowers are dying mainly because of losing their habitats due to agriculture.

And another thing: Amur leopards. These fantastic cats help keep the balance of the ecosystems alive, being amazing climbers and talented on stalking prey. Yet, since they have beautiful spotted fur, mainly to make clothing such as coats or use their bones. They are critically, horribly endangered: around 100, more or less, are left in the wild. Imagine, as there are about 8 BILLION people on this Earth, there are only around ONE HUNDRED of these Amur leopards left.

Another one is the magnificent tiger. This species is incredibly popular and basically everyone knows what this big cat is. And surprisingly its population is currently less than one millionth of our population. And, not only that, it's sort of like a key species in specific areas because it balances the amount of prey there is in an ecosystem. If the tiger wasn't there in a specific ecosystem it's supposed to be in, animal populations would rise, and there would be overpopulation and food risk to everyone there.

Lastly, many, many fish are endangered, too. For example, take the Atlantic halibut. It is a very endangered species out there. Many of the fish species are endangered because of overfishing. People are fishing too much, more than a balance in the ecosystem requires. If the number of fish decreased to very rare or to 0, there would be way less nutrients in the marine ecosystems. And there is talk about jellyfish replacing them and taking over the planet. And they are not that, you know, 'kind' to the environment. They kill many other animals and damage ecosystems. We don't have to try to take out many of them, but at least protect, preserve, and try to let the populations of predators and other fish that actually really support the environment grow.

And these are only some of the over 1,000 species that are endangered today. So if you love animals and plants, or even if you're not that interested in them, you can always do YOUR part to reduce the risk of going extinct for many species that are struggling to survive out there in the world.

1. Eat less meat. This is extremely important: one main factor about why so many of these animals, at least, are dying is because we're overeating and fishing meat. Becoming vegetarian or at least lessening the amount of meat in your diet really helps. It discourages people from hunting as many animals. If you let your friends, relatives, and others become aware of this, it would be even better.

2. Stop buying items using anything from animals, such as fur. Items such as fur coats and even -- what you may not expect -- FOOTBALLS use animals to be created. Did you know that around a hundred million animals are killed each year for fur to create things for the fashion industry? And did you know that cows are killed for their hides to create many footballs? And that many gummy and wobbly candies and treats, such as starburst, Jell - O, gummy bears, gummy worms, and candies that are red contain gelatin, coming from bones, hides, etc. of poor slaughtered animals? And that many animals are killed in animal testing where people test animals and sometimes kill them for scientific purposes? So, if you really want to prevent this unnecessary killing just for the hides and bones of animals and other purposes, then try to avoid these items and use cruelty - free products.

3. Plant and preserve endangered plants that are native to your land. You really have to be careful about invasive species, so that's why it's safe to only plant organisms that are native to your region. Planting more of them, especially endangered species, helps increase the amount of them. Preserving them and protecting them from any harm, such as effects from the industry, helps even more, letting them grow and reproduce more and more plants.

4. DON'T LITTER. Even though one plastic bag, one water bottle, one empty tube of sunscreen, etc., might not seem like a big deal, it could affect the environment in many ways. For one, an animal, possibly even an endangered animal, might eat what you littered, thinking it was safe to eat, and end up dying. There are other ways, too. An animal could get suffocated in a piece of litter. An animal could be harmed by the chemical effects of something that you litter. Anything, literally anything could happen. So the next time you have something to throw away, consider recycling or reusing it first, or just waiting till you get to a can in which you can throw it instead of letting it go.

5. Try to volunteer in cleanups and/or environmental protests. Try to rebuild habitats, too. Volunteering in environmental activities and protests could make a big impact locally and/or even nationally. Cleaning up at beaches, parks, cities, etc., can hugely reduce the risks of an animal being hurt or killed. Taking part of environmental protests can increase your and others' confidence and bring more awareness to others about this. Rebuilding habitats could restore natural environments and help animal populations return to their homeland and grow, too.

So you see, there are many endangered animals and plants out there in the world. It's our job to support and preserve them. And if we all pitch in and do our part, we can inspire and create a bigger difference in helping our fellow populations out there in the world survive, grow, and reproduce.