Endangered Wild Animals in Africa

The continent of Africa is known for its diverse and varied wildlife. People from all over the world visit Africa to enjoy its safaris; the ones in Kenya and South Africa being the most popular. For scientists and wildlife enthusiasts, Africa is no less than heaven. However, the situation may drastically change in the near future. Today, Africa has become a paradise for poachers. Wild animals are hunted, slaughtered and sold for the sake of petty gains. Thus, many African animals have come under the category of endangered species.

Animals that live in Africa are amongst the most endangered ones. The following 4 animals face the major threat of extinction.

• Cheetah: This fast and agile animal is one of the endangered animals in Africa due to high mortality resulting from inbreeding. It also falls prey to larger carnivores like lion and hyena. At present there are 12,400 cheetahs in the wild in Africa.
• White Rhinocerous: This huge herbivore is hunted for its horns. The Northern White Rhino and the Southern White Rhino are its two sub-species. The former one is on the brink of extinction, while the latter has increased in number due to the protection given by the South African government.
• The Cuvier’s Gazelle: This is one of the smallest gazelle species and was hunted for meat and skin in the first half of the 20th century. The gazelle faces the problem of starvation frequently due to the absence of pasture lands. The Cuvier's Gazelle is found in the vicinity of Atlas mountains in small numbers. Their total number is not even 500 today.
• The African Elephant: These massive tuskers are hunted for the purpose of obtaining ivory. Some native populations of Africa also eat their meat. In the last 30-35 years their population has dropped down tremendously; from around 3 lac in 1970, to 10,000 in 2006. The two sub species of the African elephants surviving today are the African Forest Elephant and the African Bush Elephant.

Few More Endangered Animals
The list of endangered animals in Africa doesn't end with the above mentioned 4 species. Many other species are on the verge of extinction.

• Chimpanzee: The chimpanzees face the threat in the form of hunting, human encroachment in their habitats and are also held for trading purpose. In 2008 their total number was estimated to be 1,90,000.
• Leopards: These cats are prone to hunting due to their beautiful fur coats. Leopards are found in sub Saharan countries and also to the west of the Kalahari desert. With their natural habitats dwindling down day-by-day, livestock hunting has become a routine. Thus, farmers consider these carnivores a threat to their property and have poisoned them on many occasions.
• Addax: It is an antelope. This sturdy animal is also capable of surviving in desert areas. Addax is a nocturnal animal and wanders in search of grasses grown during the rainy season. Northern Chad and north-eastern Niger are its areas of habitat. Hunting for flesh is the main cause of the decline in Addax's population. Only 100 addaxes approximately are left in the wild today.
• African Wild Dog: The ferocious African Wild Dog, also known as the Cape Hunting Dog is a 16 inch long animal, hunting in packs. These merciless killers, though, hunt small animals like antelopes, can also bring down a wildebeest. Farmers hunt these dogs to save their livestock.
• Ethiopian Wolf: There is no other wolf found in the sub Saharan area, except for the Ethiopian wolf. These dogs weigh around 35-40 pounds and primarily feed on rodents. Reduction in their number is attributed to the loss of natural habitat and diseases like distemper, rabies, etc.
• Striped Hyena: These dog-like animals inhabit the savannas of East and North Africa. Weighing between 60-110 pounds, these mammals from the Hyaenidae family are 3-4 feet long. Their body parts are used for medicinal purpose. Loss of habitat is the main reason for reduced population.
• Ostrich: The biggest bird of all, the ostrich weighs around 290 pounds and runs with a maximum speed of 40 miles per hour. These terrestrial birds can easily dodge predators like hyenas. In olden days, their feathers were in great demand, which lead to ostrich-hunting on a large scale. This practice of hunting limited the ostrich population only to the South and Central Africa.
• Reptiles: The endangered reptiles of Africa include the African Slender-snouted Crocodile and the Geometric Tortoise. The crocodiles are found in the Central and Western Africa. These creatures living in marshland and lakes and are hunted for their hides. In the case of Geometric tortoise, almost 97% of its habitat is lost. The shells obtained from these tortoises are used in preparation of decorative artworks.

A large number of animal species on Earth have already been destroyed. Now is the time to take action and save these endangered species. Conscious efforts in the different forms like - not buying ivory products, fur coats, leather bags, etc. can be undertaken. The balance of this planet and hence the ecosystem needs to be maintained at least for us - humans to survive!