Today is May 17, 2019 and that means today is National Endangered Species Day! For this post we will take a look at our endangered species list in the rocky mountain areas.
Polar Bears
Ooops! Polar bears are actually classified as marine animals since they spend most of their lives on sea ice.
Because of ongoing and potential loss of their sea ice habitat resulting from climate change, polar bears were listed as a threatened species in the US under the Endangered Species Act in May 2008.
Other threats to the bears include increased commercial activities, pollution, disease, inadequate habitat protection (of denning and seasonal resting areas), and the potential for over-harvest in smaller or declining polar bear populations.
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard, which has been listed on the IUCN Red List as Endangered since 1986, recently had its threat status downgraded to Vulnerable.
Their population continues to decline and it still faces a high risk of extinction through habitat loss and degradation, declines in prey, competition with livestock, persecution, and poaching for illegal wildlife trade,” the IUCN reported.
Brown Bear
Some grizzly bears are accidentally killed by hunters who mistake them for black bears, which can be legal game. But the biggest threat to the grizzly is human-caused mortality. Grizzlies become habituated to humans because of what biologists call "attractants," which include garbage pet foods, livestock carcasses, and improper camping practices. This can eventually lead to conflicts between people and bears - not only in populated areas of the grizzly's range but also in back-country recreation sites.
Hope you all have a wonderful day. Together let's take care of our planet and animals. #NationalEndangeredSpecies
