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The Paintings of Liza's Reef
A
common estimate is that over half of the species of animals live in the
rain forests of the world. To say that many of these are threatened or
endangered would be an understatement, especially in light of the many
threats that rainforests as a whole face in the world today. These
threats are outlined in the
Crisis Overview section of Hope For The Rain
Forests.
Rather than attempt to list every known species of
animal that is endangered only some of the better known ones will be
presented here. Reference here for inclusion is the
World Conservation IUCN Red List of Endangered Species. This list is
the authority and contains over 15,500 species worldwide in every
habitat that face extinction, and grows daily. A visit to
this organization's website will astound you at the depth of the
problem.
Regulations instituted
in the 1960's and 70's now protect endangered species of animals.
Primary protection comes from the 1973
CITES Convention On International Trade In Endangered Wild Flora And
Fauna treaty, signed by over 120
countries. This website is an excellent resource for more information on
endangered rainforest animals.CITES
Convention On International Trade In Endangered Wild Flora And Fauna
Golden Lion Tamarind Monkey: Shown above, the Golden Lion
Tamarind Monkey is one of the most endangered of all rainforest animals.
It is nearly extinct primarily because of its magnificent fur, which can
bring up to $20,000 on the black market. What few specimens are left are
found in the coastal lowland rainforests of Brazil.
Toucans
and Parrots: Toucans are found in South and Central American
rainforests, and many of the 40 different species are threatened. Loss
of habitat, and capture for the commercial pet market are two major
threats. Parrots are found worldwide, and while many species are common,
a number are facing extinction.
Jaguar:
Found in Mexican, South and Central American rainforests, the
jaguar is Near Threatened status. Hunting, one of the threats these
magnificent animals face, although prohibited in many countries, still
occurs in others. For more information about jaguars, visit
Save The Jaguar
Gorilla:
Gorillas are found in West Central
Africa rainforests primarily in Zaire, Rwanda, and in the Congo River
Basin, and where ever they are found, they are threatened. Loss of
habitat, hunting for bushmeat and the Ebola Virus are some of the
threats the gorillas of Africa fade. .For more information visit the
Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund website.
Poison
Dart Frog:
Found in Central and South America, the
colorful Poison Dart Frogs, of which there are many species, range from
Critically Endangered to Least Concern Depending on Species.
As their name implies, poison dart frogs can release
toxins from the skin that are distasteful and potentially lethal to
would-be predators. Three very toxic species of poison dart frogs from
Colombia and South America are utilized by Indians to poison the tips of
blowgun darts.
A good website for more information is
The Nashville Zoo: Poison Dart Frog.
Manatee:
Manatees,
one of the gentlest and most beloved creatures on the planet, is
found in the warm waters of coastlines and rivers in rainforest regions
of Florida, the Caribbean, Africa, the Amazon Basin and parts of Asia.
Manatees are classified as Vulnerable by the ICUN, and their main
threats is loss of habitat through man's development. Liza's Reef has an
resource webpage on
manatees in the Hope For The Oceans section. An excellent website
for more information about manatees is that of the
Save The Manatee Club, one of the organizations Liza's Reef is
helping.
Bengal
Tiger: The Bengal Tiger lives in the
Sundarban regions of India, Bangladesh, China, Siberia and Indonesia,
and is extremely endangered. Today, only about 4,000 are left in the
wild whereas at the turn of the century in 1900 there were over 50,000.
Poaching and loss of habitat are the two major reasons for the decline
in numbers. An excellent resource is the website of the
Save The Tiger Fund.
Chimpanzee:
Throughout Africa, destruction of
habitats, hunting and commercial trapping for the animal trade have all
put chimpanzees on the endangered animals list. One of the best
resources for information about chimpanzees is the Jane Goodall
Institute
Chimpanzee Central website.
Harpy
Eagle: One of the largest and most
powerful of the fifty species of eagles in the world, the Harpy
Eagle lives in the tropical lowland rainforests of Central and South
America, from southern Mexico southward to eastern Bolivia, southern
Brazil and the northernmost parts of Argentina. Endangered, the major
threat to Harpy Eagles is loss of habitat from clear cutting,
destruction of nesting sites and hunting.
The Peregrine Fund has an excellent website about Harpy Eagles for
more information.
Orangutan:
Orangutans live in the Southeastern
tropical rainforests of Sumatra and Borneo, and are on the ICUN
endangered list due to destruction and loss of habitat as well as
poaching and hunting for the wild animal trade. One of the best resource
website about Orangutans is that of the
Orangutan Foundation International.
World Conservation IUCN Red List of Endangered Species.
CITES Convention On International Trade In Endangered Wild Flora And
FaunaWorld
Amazing Rainforest Animals
Blue Planet: Rainforest Animals
Animal Spot: Rainforest Animals
Rainforestweb.org: Animals
American
Museum of Natural History Statement
The IUCN Red List of Endangered Species
Professor David Ulansey's
Website -Mass Extinction Underway