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Ocean acidification = habitat loss = extinction

'Jacuzzi vents' model CO2 future

 At these volcanic vent sites, carbon dioxide bubbles up like a Jacuzzi
 

A UK scientist studying volcanic vents in the ocean says they hold a grave warning for future marine ecosystems.

10 Most Endangered Animals 2012

Picking a Ten Most Endangered Animals list was a tough job. For every critically endangered creature you select, you must leave out hundreds of other animals that are in just as much jeopardy.

That’s why we chose not to include the giant panda on our roster of the world’s ten most endangered animals. The panda, as appealing and important as it is, has gotten plenty of attention from conservationists and the public alike. Time to make room for another critically endangered animal or two that hasn’t had as much time in the spotlight of looming extinction.

Our 10 Most Endangered Animals

 


1    Ivory-Billed Woodpecker

 

Big Cats - Mountain Lions, Panthers, Jaguars, Tigers and Cheetahs

Of the nearly forty feline, or cat, species, only one—the domestic cat—is believed to be secure. As undeveloped land becomes harder to find, large cats, such as lions, panthers, tigers, jaguars, and cheetahs, are left with less and less natural habitat in which to live.

Big Cat Species facing Extinction

Big Cat Species Facing Extinction 2010 was supposed to be the Year of the Tiger. Unfortunately, tigers, lynx, jaguars, leopards, lions, pumas, cheetahs, and every species of Big Cat in the world is in decline. How long these magnificent species can evade extinction is up to us. Big Cats are part of the Family Felidae (or feline), and are a rich addition to our natural world. However, the Big Cats are in severe decline throughout the planet. The Anthropocene Extinction, also known as the Holocene Extinction event, is the world’s 6th great sudden loss of life. We are currently in the third wave of this, and man-made ecological effects such as an overexploitation of species, pollution, the introduction of alien species, and habitat encroachment are directly responsible for the decline and extinction of thousands of species of life.

African tropical glaciers disappearing and going extinct

Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have been home to tropical glaciers for tens of thousands of years.     These glaciers currently are receeding at a rate of between 30 meters per year to 50 meters per year.     The largest "glacier" is now about 1 square kilometer, in 2012.     The rate at which these glaciers are disappearing is increasing, and they will soon be extinct in our lifetime, probably by 2020.     Gloabal warming, caused by pollution and the burning of fossil fuels is the cause of this extinction. Unlike animals, however, glaciers can return when the climate cools down again, if we can reduce our population, pollution, and stop burning fossil fuels and modify our energy system. So perhaps extinction is too strong a word to use.

Crime chiefs agree to get tough on illegal tiger trade

Tiger (Getty Images/Panoramic Images) About 4,000 tigers are estimated to remain in the wild

Crime chiefs from countries with populations of wild tigers have agreed to work together in order to combat the illegal trade in the big cats.

Heads of police and customs from 13 nations agreed to tighten controls and improve cross-border co-operation at a two-day meeting in Bangkok. Only six subspecies remain, with fewer than 1,000 tigers in each group. Smuggling of tiger parts is one of the main threats facing the planet's remaining big cats, say experts.

Polar Bear

Bear (Polar)

Polar Bear

Polar bear: Ursus maritimus

Distribution: northern polar regions occurring in 5 nations - Greenland, Norway, Canada, United States, the former Soviet Union and also on Arctic sea pack ice usually within 300km of land. Some individuals wander up to 200km inland.

Population: 20,000 - 25,000 with 60% living in Canada. Status: vulnerable species (IUCN).

Habitat: favourite habitat is a combination of pack ice, open water and coastal land.

Description: coat colour varies from pure white to shades of yellow. Small ears; black eyes and nose.

Height: 1.6m to shoulder

Length: 2.2 - 2.5m.

Size of feet: 30cm long, 25cm wide.

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