We humans take without asking and destroy without caring. Our actions and inventions may have pushed us forward but have left irreparable scars on the planet. Our selfish behaviour has pushed many animal species on the brink of extinction. The WWF is trying to raise awareness in this regard. Without being informed we cannot protect the beautiful animals walking the planet alongside us.

Below are top 5 most endangered species, according to WWF.

5. Tiger

New researches indicate that in the wild may be left as few as 3,000 tigers. They are now less than 5 % of their initial number, which has been reduced with 50 percent over the past 10 years. Ongoing deforestation and widespread poaching could force some tiger areas to the same destiny as the now-extinct Javan or Balinese species in the other lands of Asia.

The tigers are poached for various parts of the body, which are used in conventional Oriental medication, while their skin is also highly valued. Furthermore, sea level rising, due to global heating, endangers the mangrove environment of a tiger population living in Bangladesh’s or India’s Sundarbans.

4. Polar Bear

Arctic’s polar bear has become the famous icon of early sufferers of climate-induced environment reduction. Named an endangered species by the Endangered Species Act in USA, many polar bears will be susceptible to complete extinction over the next century if climate changes and global warming in the Arctic areas continue at the current rate.

WWF is assisting field researches to better understand how global changes will influence polar bear populations and to create survival plans. WWF also works to secure crucial polar bear environment by dealing with government authorities and industries to reduce risks of pollution.

3. Pacific Walrus

In the Arctic’s Bering or Chukchi regions there is found the Pacific walrus, one of the endangered species because of global warming. In Sept last year, up to 100 dead walruses were found on the shore of the Chukchi Sea, deep on Alaska’s northern regions. These creatures use floating ice for relaxing, giving birth, raising offspring and security against predators. While the Arctic ice is melting, the Pacific walrus is suffering from environment reduction to the level that in Sept 2009, the US Wildlife Service declared that including the walrus on the Endangered Species Act will be guaranteed.

2. Magellanic Penguin

Once confronted mainly with oil leaks, Magellanic penguins now face a larger risk as fish are removed by warm sea currents, pushing the wild birds to go further in order to find their food. Last year, thousands of Magellanic penguins ended up on seashores around Rio de Janeiro, many of them hungry or deceased. Researchers believe that changes in water currents or global warming, which may be relevant to food sources, could have been accountable for their activity more than a thousand kilometers northern of their conventional nesting area in the southeast region of Argentina. 12 out of all 17 penguin species are now suffering from

Researchers believe that changes in water currents or global warming, which may be relevant to food sources, could have been accountable for their activity more than a thousand kilometers northern of their conventional nesting area in the southeast region of Argentina. 12 out of all 17 penguin species are now suffering from fast decline in their population.

1. Leatherback Turtle

The biggest underwater turtle and one of the biggest living reptiles, the leatherback turtle has lived through for more than one hundred million years, and is now facing global extinction. Recent reports of figures show that this animal is disappearing, particularly in the Pacific areas where as few as 2,000 females are now left, making the leatherback turtle the planet’s most endangered underwater species. Ocean turtle populations are

Ocean turtle populations are constant but scientists estimate a decrease due to the huge variety of adults being captured as bycatch and being killed unintentionally by fishing fleets.

Image source: www.wwf.com