Yess!! These 12 animals are no longer on the endangered species list
The sad reality is that many animals are going extinct, but there is one silver lining. National Geographic recently published a list of 12 incredible animals that are no longer on the endangered species list. Thanks to data scientists, biologists, non-profits, and many others, these animals are no longer on the brink of extinction!
1. Lesser long-nosed bat
You will find the tiny lesser long-nosed bat (they’re only three inches long!) in North and Central America. Thirty years ago only 1,000 of them existed, but thanks to conservation efforts, they’re now a thriving species!
Fun fact: These bats pollinate the blue agave plant, which used to make vegan-friendly tequila!
2. Louisiana black bear
The Louisiana black bear was listed as an endangered species in 1992 but taken off the list in 2016! Today, there are about 500-750 of them in the wild!
Fun fact: Louisiana black bears can get up to six feet from nose to tail and they weigh between 120-350 pounds.
3. Morelet’s crocodile
Named after a French naturalist who first discovered the species in 1850 in Mexico, Morelet’s crocodiles are found in Central America. In the early 20th century they nearly went extinct due exploitation, but thanks for conservation activities, they were removed from the endangered list in 2012.
Fun fact: These crocodiles can travel up to 32 kilometers per hour and live to be 80 years old!
4. Przewalski’s horse
As the last surviving wild horse subspecies, we are so glad the Przewalski’s horse has been removed from the endangered species list.
They used to roam freely in Europe and Asia but have recently only lived in captivity. Conservationists are working to change this by getting them back into the wild in Mongolia and 1,900 exist today!
Fun fact: These horses have a lifespan of 20 years.
5. Vancouver Island marmot
As its name suggests, the Vancouver Island marmot resides on Vancouver Island. This adorable creature was taken off the endangered species list because its wild population grew from 30 in 2003, to 200 in 2016.
Sadly, it is still Canada’s most endangered species, but there are organizations working on recovery efforts, including the Marmot Recovery Foundation.
6. Giant panda
The giant panda is one of the world’s most threatened species, but they were removed from the endangered list in 2016. Currently, 1,864 giant pandas reside in the wild, mainly in western China.
Fun fact: Giant pandas eat anywhere from 26-84 pounds of bamboo a day!
7. Whooping crane
The whooping crane is found in North America, primarily along the east coast of the United States, and all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico.
An estimated 1,000 whooping cranes existed in the 1800s. That number seriously dropped and by 1942, only an estimated 16 birds existed! Luckily, great strides have been made to rescue them and today, there are some 300 in the wild!
8. Sea otters
Sea otters were put on the endangered species list in 1977 because of oil spills, shark attacks, and habitat destruction. Thankfully, today the global population of sea otters is 100,000!
Fun fact: Sea otters have the thickest fur of any mammal to keep them warm in the water.
9. Turquoise parrot
The turquoise parrot is one of the most beautiful birds in the world. Today you can find them in Australia, but they were considered to be extinct in 1915 because of habitat loss and poachers.
10. Island fox
Island foxes underwent a serious decline in population in the 1990s. Today, 6,000 of them reside in six of eight Channel Islands off the southern coast of California.
Fun fact: Island foxes are only about the size of a house cat!
11. Blue iguana
It’s crazy to think that less than 20 years ago, there were fewer than 25 blue iguanas in the world. Today, there are an estimated 1,000 of them on the beautiful Cayman Islands.
Blue iguana populations suffered due to habitat loss in 1990 and they were basically extinct in 2005. Fortunately, this is no longer the case. Thanks to conservation efforts, by 2012, there were an estimated 750 blue iguanas and hopefully this number continues to grow!
12. Black-footed ferret
18: that’s the number of captive ferrets that existed in 1986. By 2016, an estimated 500 of them were reintroduced to various sites in Mexico, the United States, and Canada. But there’s still work to be done. Scientists estimate that it will take nearly 3,000 ferrets for this species to full recover from near extinction.
For more information about wildlife and how we can work to keep protecting them, check out the following articles:
