It is unfortunate to have to recognize that worldwide there are many species that today are in danger of extinction, one of the regions where this situation is most observed is in the Asian continent. We invite you to know everything about the situation that the endangered animals in asia.
Causes of the extinction of species in Asia?
Asia is the region that has the largest number of endangered species, the reason for this situation is possibly due to the large number of flora and fauna in Asia, which turns out to be extremely attractive for the illegal trade of species, the great deforestation that exists, in addition to the fact that in Asian countries live species are used for scientific experiments, which makes it difficult to preserve these animals.
The interaction of the human being with his environment, not only affects his person, but also everything that surrounds him and the rest of the living beings, for that reason many of the animals that live close to the daily hustle and bustle of humans are running very important danger. According to the environmental organization World Wild Foundation (WWF) the main reasons why animals in Asia are in danger of extinction are the following:
- Climate change.
- Invasive Species.
- Habitat loss.
- Environment pollution.
- Hunting of Animal Species.
- Illegal Animal Traffic.
What are the Endangered Animals in Asia?
The characteristics that the endangered animals in asia They are very varied, there are from mammals, to birds and aquatic animals. Some species in danger of extinction are the following:
Asian Elephant (Elephas Maximus)
El Asian elephant It belongs to the family of the Elephantidae, it is the largest mammal that lives in all of Southeast Asia, since it has a height of more than 3 meters, however, it is smaller than the elephants of Africa and can also be differentiated by some of the characteristics, such as the fact that they have smaller ears, their fangs are longer and their heads are convex.
They can be found all over the planet for a long time, since they have been moved as important parts of empires and circuses. These elephants have been used by man as a means of transporting heavy loads and field work that requires enormous effort, since they have the strength to resist.
It should be noted that these elephants are currently in danger of becoming extinct due to the devastation of their homes and also because their tusks have ivory, in such a way that they attract a lot of attention from hunters, and everything happens because these large animals are very useful for men, both living and dead.
Bornean Orangutan (Pongo Pygmaeus)
The Bornean Orangutan belongs to the Hominidae family, as its name indicates, they originate from Borneo in Indonesia, the place where these species live is in wooded areas with tall bushes that can reach up to 100 meters, this is a good spaces for these animals to shelter there and feed primarily on fruits.
This is a large mammal with a height of approximately 1,30 meters, although males are generally larger than females and usually have reddish-orange fur. The reproduction of these animals is very slow, since this period occurs every 7 years, in addition to their decreased birth rate, which means that they are fewer and fewer specimens.
Nippon Ibis (Nipponia Nippon)
The Japanese ibis, also known as the Japanese crested ibis or toki, belongs to the Threskiornithidae family and previously could be found in regions of Japan, Korea, Russia and China, however, today they can only be found in Japan, they live in wooded areas at the base of mountains and usually feed on rice.
This is a very showy type of bird, it has beautiful white plumage, its beak is long and curved, its face is red and it has no feathers at all, usually this bird is always accompanied by other birds , like herons, since it is a strategy to protect themselves from other predatory animals.
It is currently in danger of extinction throughout the Asian continent due to the use of toxic materials in rice fields, which means that the number of specimens of these animals is less every day.
Przewalski's horse (Equus Ferus Przewalskii)
The Przewalski Horse, also called the Mongolian wild horse or takhi, belongs to the Equidae family, it is unique in the subspecies of wild horse that inhabit the planet, since these horses were domesticated but eventually became wild.
They are from Mongolia and usually live in herds, they almost became extinct at the end of the last century but their species managed to survive, however, currently they only live in China and Mongolia, in some zoos such as the Hustai National Park and in China in the Kalamary National Park, with very few specimens in the entire area.
Bengal Tiger (Panthera Tigris Tigris)
El Bengal tiger It can be found in several regions of Southeast Asia, where they usually live in spaces with different characteristics, such as savannahs, subtropical and tropical. They are very large tigers, the males in their adulthood are more than 3 meters long, their hair is orange with black stripes on the head and sides, very different from other types of tigers.
Currently this animal is in danger of extinction in Asia, due to hunting and illegal trafficking due to its expensive skins in the markets, also according to traditions, its body is used for medicine.
Saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis)
The saola or Vu Quang ox is a very introverted mammalian animal that lives in the forests of the Anamita mountain range located between Laos and Vietnam, this type of fauna was discovered only in 1992.
Among its characteristics we find that it has a curved snout, straight horns, the color of its fur is from brown to reddish, it lives in small herds of approximately 3 to 4 specimens, the small existing population is currently located in the Vu National Park Quang, for this reason they are considered to be a critical case of endangered animals in asia.
Silver Gibbon (Hylobates Moloch)
The silvery gibbon is a type of primate from the island of Java, located in Indonesia, they live in high altitude tropical areas that reach approximately 2.500 meters above sea level, it has bluish gray hair, a type with a black beret on his head, he has very long arms unlike his head which is very small, like his face.
Currently these animals are in serious danger of extinction, due to the human population that lives in Java, who cause a great loss of their homes and also thanks to the hunting of adults, which are used for trade.
Asian Lion (Panthera leo persica)
The Asiatic lion belongs to the Felidae family, its small populations are found in the Gir Forest, which is located in India, these animals are somewhat smaller than the Leones Africans, they can reach between 1,80 and 2,70 meters long, and their fur is lighter than that of their African relatives, their mane is also shorter and reddish, they are usually found in small groups .
It is in the list of endangered animals in asia, motivated to hunt these animals by man.
Red Panda (Ailurus Fulgens)
The red panda is another of the asian animals that are in danger of extinction, it belongs to the Ailuridae family, it is a carnivorous animal that eats eggs, birds, insects and small mammals, although they also feed on bamboo. They are from Southeast Asia and can be found in high humidity mountainous areas of the Himalayas, Bhutan, southern China, India, Laos, Nepal and Myanmar.
They have reddish fur, they have very particular spots on their faces similar to those of a raccoon, their sole is very long and hairy, their front limbs are short and measure approximately 60 meters in length, they have reddish-brown fur, it is generally a very solitary animal and has a very particular way of walking
It is a species that belongs to the list of endangered animals in asia due to deforestation and hunting, which has put them at greater risk of disappearing in a very short time, because their population is currently very small.
Malayan Tapir (Tapirus Indicus)
The Malayan Tapir is native to Southeast Asia, wooded areas and hills can be found, usually in areas where there are streams, this type of Tapir is very particular and differs from those of its kind because it has a fur of a very dark color, almost similar to black and with light gray spots in the middle of its body, back and belly.
It has white spots on the tips of its ears, thanks to its hue this animal can sometimes camouflage itself. The reason why it is in danger of extinction is due to the nature of man and his daily activities that threaten the lives of these animals, mainly due to the destruction of their natural habitats.
Cheetah (Acinonyx Jubatus)
The Cheetah or Cheetah, are located in Asia and also in Africa, however, this species is currently in serious danger of becoming extinct in the Asian region because its population has been greatly reduced, they live in the wild where are located, but each year there are fewer specimens due to hunting, deforestation and environmental pollution.
Snow Leopard (Uncia uncia or Panthera Uncia)
The snow leopard, which is also known as the snow ghost, belongs to the Felidae family, is located in mountainous areas in some Asian regions in the Himalayas, places that have altitudes of approximately 6.000 meters. This feline is in danger of extinction, since there are currently very few specimens of this species and each year there are fewer.
They are carnivorous mammals, the color of their fur is gray, thick and very soft, they have a very long tail that they use to wrap themselves up, their gestation lasts approximately one hundred days and they usually only have two offspring, they hunt during the day and are capable to devour any wild animal. The main reason for their extinction is that humans hunt them for their highly valued fur, in addition to climate change and the destruction of their homes.
Otter (Lutra Sumatrana)
The Sumatran otter belongs to the Mustelidae family, there are small populations of this animal in various regions located in Southeast Asia. Its main cause in the face of the danger of extinction is represented by man and his habit of hunting.
They can weigh approximately between 5 to 6 kilos, they measure between 36 and 51 centimeters in height, they are also called hairy-nosed otter, their fur is completely brown, except for the lips, chin and the upper part of the neck. , the coat is rather rough and short, it has a flattened tail.
Catfish (Pangasianodon Gigas)
The Mekong catfish is from Southeast Asia, it is a type of fish and the largest on the planet, they are gray combined with white, they have no teeth and are currently on the critical list of endangered animals. extinction in Asia.
This fish is extremely fast growing, reaching a mass of 150 to 200 kilograms when it is six years old and can reach a length of about 3 meters. Its main reason for extinction is due to overfishing by humans, pollution and the construction of large dams.
Pangolin (Pholidota)
The pangolin is a mammalian animal that is located in Asia and Africa, it has a very long tongue and its main food is ants, it can eat up to seventy million ants in a year. They are generally very introverted animals, with nocturnal habits, they have a large number of scales which cover their entire body and which they use as a form of protection.
When this animal is afraid of something, it quickly rolls up completely into a ball and becomes paralyzed, leaving it completely defenseless against hunters, who are its main enemy and its greatest danger of extinction. This animal is not well known, however, it is highly valued by hunters for its supposed healing properties.
For these reasons, this animal has a very high price in the market and is highly sought after by hunters, in addition to the fact that at the time of capturing it they do not present any objection, so they only take it from the floor where they are and they do not carry out any fighting to escape.
As we have said before, this animal is not well known, but even so there are many people who are aware of its existence and are currently fighting for them, working with the intention of preventing the species from being exterminated by full.
Currently, the eight species of Pangolins located in Asia and Africa are protected against illegal animal trafficking, however, it is a task for all human beings to raise awareness of the damage they can cause to animals. endangered animals in asia.
Importance of Endangered Animals in Asia
All the species that exist represent a great importance for the planet, fulfilling conservative functions for themselves, other species and the entire planet in general, that is why the human being must become aware of the fact that his actions affect all species alike and that it is not fair that both the fauna and the flora in any part of the world are suffering because of man.