| As lobby groups and environmental | | | | crucial for a number of reasons - including |
| organisations continue to push governments | | | | that they serve as umbrella species; this |
| across the world into taking drastic measures | | | | means that their survival also helps numerous |
| to curb the acceleration of global warming, | | | | other species that live in the same |
| it is perhaps fair to say that other | | | | habitats.The early efforts of organisations |
| environmental issues may be in danger of | | | | like the WWF were essential in passing |
| being pushed aside. People need to remember | | | | crucial legislation for the protection of |
| that climate change is not the only scourge | | | | endangered species; this includes the |
| to the health of our planet; the protection | | | | Endangered Species Act of 1973 in America, |
| of endangered species, for instance, remains | | | | which was designed to protect plant and |
| a paramount concern to many people intent on | | | | animal species from becoming extinct. Since |
| the preservation of natural wildlife across | | | | this time, global awareness of the importance |
| the world.What makes a species 'endangered'? | | | | of protecting endangered species has |
| Generally speaking, a species can be said to | | | | skyrocketed. In the late 1990s, high street |
| be in danger of extinction if it is few in | | | | shops began to see the importance of animal |
| number or threatened by changing | | | | protection - retailers like The Body Shop, |
| environmental or predation parameters. The | | | | for example, designed an entire range of |
| twentieth century saw the importance of | | | | products on the protection of endangered |
| protecting certain species from extinction - | | | | species, and saw their popularity increase |
| particularly with the pioneering efforts of | | | | dramatically.In the last few years, more |
| organisations like the World Wildlife Fund | | | | effort has been made to involve children in |
| (WWF), which has been protecting endangered | | | | the fight for the protection of endangered |
| species since its inception in 1961.The UN | | | | species. Recently, the WWF has entered into a |
| estimates that nearly 100 species are lost | | | | partnership with Doubletree Hotels Teaching |
| every day - a staggering statistic. The major | | | | Kids to Care initiative in order to spread |
| species protected by groups like the WWF | | | | awareness of the dangers and facts |
| include: tigers, great whales, marine | | | | surrounding endangered species, as well as to |
| turtles, elephants, gorillas, of which fewer | | | | stress importance of protecting them. Such |
| than 650 are left, and giant pandas, of which | | | | efforts represent an important step in the |
| only 800 are estimated to exist in the wild | | | | protection of animals facing extinction; |
| today.However, these are only a selection of | | | | after all, we aim to save the environment and |
| the thousands of endangered species that | | | | preserve our wildlife so that these children |
| exist across the world. Their survival is | | | | can enjoy a better future. |