SOME ENDANGERED ANIMALS OF THE WORLD
The African elephant is classified as a member of the order Proboscidea (Elephants) and is a member of the family Elephantidae. The male stands up to ten feet high to its shoulder, and weighs up to six tons. The female is slightly smaller, and weighs up to four tons. It is classified as an endangered species due to a reduction of at least 50% of the African elephant population over the last three generations based on an index of abundance. Hunting of the African elephant is now banned in several countries, but poaching for ivory still exists.
The Asian elephant is classified as a member of the order Proboscidea (Elephants) and is a member of the family Elephantidae. Also known as the Indian elephant, it stands up to ten feet high and weighs up to 10,000 pounds. The Asian elephant is classified as an endangered species due to a reduction of at least 50% of the Asian elephant population over the last three generations based on a decline in area of occupancy and levels of exploitation. The Asian elephant has four subspecies: the Indian, Ceylon, Sumatran, and Malaysian elephants.
The right whale is classified as a member of the order Cetacea (Whales) and is a member of the family Balaenidae. It grows up to sixty feet long, and is twelve to eighteen feet long at birth. It weighs up to sixty tons as an adult. The right whale is classified as an endangered species due to an estimated population of less than 250 mature right whales and an estimated continuing decline of at least 20% within two generations. The right whale was once the most hunted of all whales, and is now protected by law.
The blue whale is classified as a member of the order Cetacea (Whales) and is a member of the family Balaenopteridae. The male blue whale grows to about eighty-two feet long, and the female grows to about eighty-five feet long. It weighs up to 285,000 pounds as an adult. The blue whale is classified as an endangered species due to a reduction of at least 50% of the blue whale population over the last three generations based on direct observation, an index of abundance, and levels of exploitation. The blue whale is the largest mammal to have lived on the earth, but it feeds on some of the smallest marine organisms - plankton.