Posted by admin | Posted in Rainforest | Posted on
Tags: golden lion tamarind monkey, gorillas, poison dart frog, rainforest animals, toucans
Approximately half of animal species live in our rain forests. Unfortunately, these are endangered animals in the rain forest whose numbers diminish almost daily because of the human intrusion into the rain forest and jungles. Businesses have begun to cut trees, build mines and bore holes into mountains, and shave off the area to build infrastructures, all with the approval of the local governments.
Aside from the endangered animals in the rain forest, destruction of parts of the rain forest will compromise the earth eco-balance. For example, 28% of the earth oxygen turnover happens in the rain forests. It is a complex problem that affects much more than the loss of trees, plants, and a natural habitat for animals.
As early as the 1960s, there have been organizations that have begun the tedious process of protecting animals species. In the rain forest, the most common animals that are in danger of becoming extinct are the following:
The Golden Lion Tamarind Monkey – This animal is known for its incredible fur. If caught, the fur alone fetches a eye-boggling price of up to $20,000. Today, because of the promise of huge revenue, there are only a handful of this species living in the lowlands of the Brazilian rain forest.
The Toucans – These beautiful birds live primarily in the Central and South American jungles. Over 40 of these sub-species are in danger of being wiped out completely. One of the top reasons for this is capture for the purpose of selling the birds as a pet. Once out of their natural habitat, they have difficulty procreating and surviving.
Gorillas – Gorillas are always being hunted for their meat. However, since the outbreak of the Ebola Virus, the gorillas have also begun to die, not from the efforts of the hunters, but because of the virus itself.
Poison Dart Frog – There are different species of this animal, and not all of them are in danger of becoming rare. They are hunted down for their lethal poison which is used for blowgun gun darts. These animals come from South and Central America.
Bengal Tiger – Once very popular in Asian countries like Indonesia, India, and China, the Bengal Tiger has become one of the most popular animals on the brink of extinction. There was once a population of 50,000, and in the span of several decades, it has gone down tremendously to just 4,000.