Focus Animals
This is the Golden Coin Turtle. This year we will be focusing on saving the critically endangered species. The Golden Coin Turtle was common across China, but can now be found in Hong Kong. The reason these guys are endangered is because of their use in medicines, their higher money value, and because of unsustainable hunting and poaching. Some efforts that can be put in place to help them include staying alert of them and their sales, preventing them from illegally being sold and purchased.
Another Focus animal this year is the Golden Lion Tamarin. The Golden Lion Tamarin is a species of monkey which is currently vulnerable to becoming extinct. They are typically found in the rainforests of southeastern coastal Brazil. This adorable species is extinct due to habitat loss and fragmentation in the wild. To help in conserving and protecting them, you could reearch and monitor the GLTs, and plant forest corridors to reconnect the forest fragments to the Tamarins who live there.
The Indian White Eye birds are a new focus species this year, but are undoubtedly important. Although they are of lower concern, they are still an important animal and piece of our environment. These birds are highly arboreal and are typically found low to the ground. They are somewhat rare only in the drier desert regions of India. Their habitat is slowly declining, putting them on this list. We have to help conserve their land.
Another new animal this year is the African Lion. This is a vulnerable species that is native to African and India. It Although they are not currently endangered in Africa, 3/4 of their population are in decline. The most common concerns include human-wildlife conflict and natural prey decline, as well as habitat loss, climate change and wildlife trade. To help these fierce animals, you can donate to different causes, spread the word, nd help mitigate the human-wildlife conflict.
Not pictured is the Rodriguez Fruit bat. This bat is another focus animal this year. This species eats fruits and lives in tropical moist forests and the Island of Rodriguez. This beautiful animal is critically endangered due to habitat loss and climate change. To save this animal we can plant more trees and eliminate our littering habits. Conservation efforts for this animal would be breeding programs, and the general care and focus of the status of our environments.
Some animals we focused on in the past include Panamanian Golden Frogs, Guam Kingfishers, Red Pandas, and the Monarch Butterflies. The Panamanian Golden Frogs and Guam Kingfishers are both extinct in the wild but there are some Guam Kingfishers left in captivity which leaves the animal critically endangered. Red pandas are critically endangered as well, but these animals are protected in the wild. Although these are past-focus animals, we still have to help them with the fight against endangerment.