MY TAKE
Be The Change You Wish To See In The World - Mahatma Gandhi
RED PANDA
Endangered
The Red Panda is an adorable, small racoon looking animal, except red in color, instead of black and white. The Red Panda’s population has dropped almost 50% over the last two decades, and there may be as few as 10,000 left in the wild! Habitat loss is the #1 threat to these poor animals. Red pandas are often killed when they get caught in traps meant for other animals. They are also poached for their distinctive fur in China and Myanmar. Red panda fur caps or hats have been found for sale in Bhutan. But Luckily an organization called the WWF or the World Wildlife Fund is working with yak herders and other community groups to weaken individual impact on the red panda’s weak and decreasing habitat. Any person found guilty of killing, buying or selling red pandas faces a fine of up to $1,000 and/or up to 10 years in jail.
VAQUITA
Critically endangered.
The vaquita is on the critically endangered list but you’ve probably never heard of it. Why? Because vaquitas are the world’s rarest marine mammal. The vaquitas population is now down to about 10 individuals. The vaquitas are located around Mexico’s Gulf of California. The biggest reason for the vaquita’s decline is becoming tangled in fishing gear and drowning. As well as illegal fishing, they are in high demand for their “swim bladder” which is the thing that helps them float. Why do people want that? The answer is in China there is also a belief that the vaquitas can be great medicine but it's illegal to do so, and it still isn’t proven they are actually medicine. Illegal smuggling of vaquitas can result in people getting as much as $4,000.