So close.

There are only 6 Northern White Rhinos left on our planet. One is a male. They are all being guarded by rangers, and the horns have been removed so there is no point for poachers to kill them. I do not understand why our species is so cruel to every other species! There is evidence now that the Black Rhino is “officially” extinct in the wild. Humans seem to think we are special, somehow “above” the other life on our planet. If things continue the way they are going, in the next 50 years we will have no reefs, no apex predators in the ocean so very few fish, no rhinos, no sharks, and water rising everywhere. At that point will we wise up? I hope we wise up much sooner than that. Conservation means saving our own species…once we ruin all of the ecosystems that support life on this planet, we won’t last long, either. Today’s photographs are of animals headed toward extinction. Let’s not let it happen. Everyone….listen to Jane Goodall:

“If all of us would go through our lives thinking about the little choices we make each day as to what we buy, what we eat, what we wear – and how those choices might impact the environment, might impact child slave labor in other countries, might impact cruelty towards animals, we start making small changes… Billions of small changes around the world can lead to the kind of change we need if we care about future generations.” – Jane Goodall (http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/jane-goodall/photos/jane-goodall-birthday/)

Please. Start small, but start!

A beautiful Manta Ray in Socorro, Mexico. Endangered.
A tiny Red Lechwe in Botswana…endangered.
The Red Lechwe is so pretty!
A majestic Giant Sable Antelope male….critically endangered. Chobe, Botswana.

 

The White Rhino (not the northern). Endangered. Sabi Sands, Kruger, South Africa.
This baby White Rhino danced for us!
The Asian elephants use tools! And they are critically endangered. There are only about 2,000 left.
Asian elephants love to bathe!
Lion populations are down 80% in most parts of Africa. Serengeti.

A gorgeous, endangered Hawksbill Turtle. All sea turtles are critically endangered…Hawksbills were hit hard by the BP spill.
Whales are on the endangered list. Monterey Bay
Volunteering at an elephant sanctuary in Asia.
Manta Ray by Ralph Wolf, in Ecuador.
Watching an endangered manta.

 

Sea Turtles are so awesome, dude! And so endangered. This is a green sea turtle. Ecuador.
A lucky Green Sea Turtle, rescued from a fishing net. A sad end for many sea animals.
A dead baby hammerhead, entangled in fishing net, WITHIN the Machallila National Park. Photo by Larry. Endangered species.
You can clearly see the net that this humpback adult is fighting…our group could not save this endangered animal.
This manta was extremely friendly and checked me out for quite a while. Ahhh!!! Look at the eye!!!!!!!!
I love turtles.
Ah, the famous Zapata of Guadalupe Island, Mexico. See the two tags on his dorsal fin? Great Whites are endangered.

 

The fabulous Scalloped Hammerhead! Endangered.
Randy and I with a magnificent Whale Shark off of the Yucatan. Endangered…their fins bring a fortune in Asia.

 

A Whale “blow” and a fluke!

We need to wake up to the danger we are in by putting these animals at risk, by stressing the planet and causing it to warm, to plastic trash everywhere….to cutting down rainforests, etc etc. Or we are lost.

Share:
Tam Warner

Award Winning Travel Journalist and Blogger, writing about Eclectic Travels in the Empty Nest! From scuba to luxury cruises to kayaking to expeditions, Tam is ready to go! Contact me at travelswithtam@gmail.com

Recent Posts

Gifts That Give Back: A Guide to Eco-Friendly and Thoughtful Holiday Gifts

Gifts That Give Back: A Guide to Eco-Friendly and Thoughtful Holiday Celebrations! As the holiday…

4 months ago

The Christmas Trees in the National Parks Honor the Holiday Spirit and Ancient Traditions

The history of Christmas trees goes back to the symbolic use of evergreens in ancient…

4 months ago

Journey Through the 12 Days of Christmas Gazebos: A Spectacular Holiday Delight at the Dallas Arboretum

Step into a winter wonderland unlike any other as the Arboretum unveils its spectacular 12…

5 months ago

Grandparents and Kids can Enjoy Christmas Movies Together and Bond!

Grandparents and Kids can Enjoy Christmas Movies Together! Looking for a way to create a…

5 months ago

Dallas Arboretum’s Children’s Adventure Garden Celebrates Annular Solar Eclipse on Saturday, October 14

Dallas Arboretum’s Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden Celebrates Annular Solar Eclipse on Saturday, October 14 October…

6 months ago