Young Wrexham

Endangered Species

• An endangered species is one whose numbers are so small they are at risk of becoming extinct
• Animals become endangered through changes to their natural habitat, often through human causes such as pollution, hunting or urban development
• Most endangered species are found in continents such as Africa or South America, but there are also species in danger of extinction in Britain
• It is crucial that endangered species are protected as they are a fundamental part of the Earth's ecosystem (for more information, please see the section on Biodiversity)
• Some species that were previously at threat from extinction have been saved through breeding programmes in the wild and in captivity
• High profile campaigns to save particular animals can be successful. The African elephant was saved from extinction due to stricter regulations for hunting and policing of illegal poachers
• However there are many more species who are still at risk, and more work must be done to stop these animals from disappearing

Protecting Endangered Species

• There are many ways you can help to protect endangered species
• The most simple way is by not supporting the trades that kill endangered species, for example by not buying ivory or tortoiseshell
• You can get involved in action groups such as Born Free and WWF which actively campaign for the protection of endangered species
• Adopting an animal is a good way of helping to protect endangered species. For a small fee, you can 'adopt' an endangered animal from a charity and the money you give will go towards protecting that particular species