Top 5 Endangered Marine Animals
The list of endangered animals seems to be growing longer in spite of many attempts by various conservation groups. However, the reality is the list of endangered animals is something that will take years to shorten. The problem is gigantic on so many levels. Not only will we have to provide a stable environment for these animals, we also have to make sure they are protected from poachers and hunters. The call of the mighty green buck is something many cannot ignore, and so the killings go on surreptitiously.
Right now, there are over 600 marine animals in the threatened animal list, or the Red List. The main causes are over fishing and pollution. Of these endangered marine animals, the top 5 are the following:
The Hawksbill Turtle
These are migratory turtles who live around reefs that have sponges. They cannot live in deep waters, and are quite small compared to other turtle species. People hunt them down for their eggs, although adult Hawksbill Turtles are also considered as food, aside from being killed to get their shells.
Unfortunately, the females only have eggs every 2 to 3 years, and even if they lay 100 eggs, not all live to be adults.
The Stellar Sea Lion
This is the largest eared seal, and its population has decreased by over 60% since the 1960s. Killer whales are their main predators, although humans have done their share. They are captured for their hides, oil, meat, among other by-products.
The Hammerhead Shark
This shark is killed on purpose for their fins. It’s a lucrative, illegal business that’s extremely cruel. When the sharks are caught, their fins are removed even as they struggle to live. Once the fins are cut off, the shark is tossed back to die. The fins are made into delicacies like Shark Fin’s soup and dimsum.
Gulf of California Harbor Porpoise
This cetacean can only be found in shallow waters in Mexico, more specifically in the Baja Peninsula. The current estimate is about 500 left in the world. It got this bad because of gill-netting which has been declared as illegal since the 1970s. Yet, the numbers are still dwindling.
Blue Whale
Known to be largest animal in the world, it is now close to extinction. This happened because of commercial fishing. Even with the 1966 international ban, the killing is rampant. Thus from a population of about 200,000, there are now less than 5,000 Blue Whales in the world.
