ENDANGERED ANIMAL SPECIES IN SOUTH AMERICA

The South American continent houses a good number of both plant and animal species, especially in the Amazon Basin of Brazil. Some of the animal species have been exposed to danger because of habitat loss, poaching, competition, wildfire among others.

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  Jaguarundi
  

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  The Uakari
  

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  Tamarin
  

Golden Tamarin Monkey Emperor Tamarin Monkey

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  Manatee (Trichechus inunguis)
  

This endangered species of mammal is enlisted endangered animal in South America, essentially in the Amazon River Basin because it is almost phased out by the local people through hunting. South American manatee or Amazonian ox manatee as it is fondly called is a rare manatee which is localised in the Amazon River and its major tributaries in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. In recent time, manatee population has reduced drastically because of organised poaching by the indigenous people.

Also, during the early part of twentieth century, manatees were commercially hunted for their hides, which were used for making water hose and machine belts. Thanks to legislation, which has protected manatees from extinction and of course, a Brazilian reservoir where a number of them are being bred.

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  Margay
  

Across the continents of the world, there are some identified reasons why majority of the animals in the world are endangered. Of a great negative impact is the widespread wildlife habitat destruction to their survival. This is because a certain species of animal is well adapted to a certain habitat and just a little alteration of the normal ecological balance of such habitat will ultimately affect the colony of such animal species. Deforestation, mechanised farming, urbanisation and overgrazing will ultimately result in habitat loss and thus expose some animal species to danger.

Intra and inter competitions for food and survival among animal species of the same fold and between different species of animals, in a way, also endanger some animal species. For instance, rabbits and hares are preyed upon by cheetahs, while cheetahs’ cubs are also being preyed upon by lions and hyenas. Also, the introduction of exotic species (which are viewed as interlopers in their new environment) into another environment might result into the disruption of the new environment; for instance, NUTRIA, that was introduced to the coastal areas of the southern United States from South America, became a threat to the native species.

Just as it is in biological warfare, threat to animals sometimes is politically motivated; this was the case of the buffalos of the great plain Western USA. Before the 1890s, record has it that up to 60 million herds of buffalos ranged freely within the great plain. Sadly enough, their populations declined sharply due to ruthless killing to feed the workers constructing the transcontinental railroads. Though, many believed that the massacre was primarily motivated to force the native dwellers of the vast plain onto reservations.

Soil compaction, soil erosion, desertification, disease, pollution and unfavourable local climatic conditions do affect the proliferation of animal population negatively as they may greatly alter or even eliminate wildlife habitats. Poaching by humans and hunting with sophisticated weapons have driven some animal species like the quagga into extinction. Biological warfare just like meteoric impact could lead to large scale extinction of animal species just like dinosaurs are believed to have been wiped out by meteoric impact. A typical large scale mass extinction of animal and plant species occurred in Phanerozoic time. Above all, humans’ needs for meat, skin and teeth give rise to the uncontrolled killing of many of the wildlife on the Red List.

WAYS TO PROTECT AND CONSERVE ENDANGERED ANIMAL SPECIES

It is imperative to praise the efforts of all the naturalists and conservationists as well as organised bodies such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), the Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund and individuals who have painstakingly work round the clock to ensure that most endangered animals are protected, conserved and prevented from extinction; for instance, the populations of the black-footed ferret and the California condor are revamped, and so are many other endangered animal species, through Nature preserves and zoos.

International bodies have been working with governments of concerned countries to establish wildlife conservation parks, ranches and reserves to revamp the dying extant species of the life-threatening animal species; also, appropriate legislations are enacted and promulgated to protect wildlife within their protected terrains. Such parks are prolific in Nigeria, from Yankari Game Reserve to Old Oyo National Park, and from Kainji Lake National Park to Cross River National Park. The Yellowstone National Park (the world’s first natural park) and the Amazon Basin National Parks are found on the North and South America continents respectively, and the Gunung Leuser National Park in Asia. Similar parks and reserves are established in other continents and nations of the world.

Not only is it important that the legislations should protect endangered animal species, but that their habitats should be restored and protected is equally important. Although there have been calls to reduce threats to wildlife like those enacted by the Civilian Conservation Corps, Endangered Species Preservation Act, Lacey Act (enacted by the US Congress), Henry David Thoreau, and Harriet Hemenway, these efforts should be more concerted and intensified so that they can bring about reduced endangerment and extinction orchestrated through habitat loss, pollution, poaching and the likes. People should be encouraged to learn about endangered species in their localities.

In order to save the environment from pollution so as to arrest its attended effects, agricultural, mining, petroleum exploitation and other related activities should be carried out adhering strictly to the best practices. Also, used materials should be recycled to reduced waste volume and pollution. People should be sensitised to always respect animals’ rights even while on the highways; besides, they should also be sensitised not to support the trade in illegal wildlife parts such as tortoiseshell, ivory and coral as well as products made from furs of tigers, polar bears, sea otters and other endangered wildlife.

If all these measures are observed and strictly adhered to, the world may become like the Garden of Eden once again. The endangered animal species will once more flourish and abound in their native and natural habitats. The environment also will be healthy as the issues of pollutions will have been considerately taken care of. We are earnestly looking forward to when humans will once more be breathing unpolluted air and of course live to appreciate the world of diverse animal and plant species around them.

Owing to the fact that the rate at which the endangered animal species in Nigeria were exploited was alarming and coupled with the need to have these animal species for academic reason (learning purpose) in such fields as Zoology and Ecology, as well as their economic (cultural and tourism) potentials, the government of Nigeria came up with a number of measures to protect these endangered animal species. Based on these, a number of wildlife parks, reserves, ranches and zoos were established in strategic places throughout the country.

There is hardly any federal university in Nigeria without a zoo or biological garden where a number of endangered animal species abode. These animals are well tendered and their populations have since been revamped; a classical example of these zoos is the famous University of Ibadan Zoo in Ibadan, Oyo State. Nigeria is a country with thirty-six states structure and a federal capital territory, with each state having at least one zoo. Most often, the zoos are usually attached to universities to enhance efficient learning. Others in this group are the Agodi Zoological Garden, Ibadan Oyo State; Calabar Zoo, and Obudu Cattle Ranch - Cross River State; Gashaka-Gumpti National Parks - Taraba, Taraba State; Jos Wildlife Safari Park - Plateau State; as well as Kainji National Games Park, and Zugurma Park - Niger State; Kano Zoological Garden - Kano State; Kyarimi Park - Borno State; Ogba Zoo - Edo State; Nekede Botanical and Zoological Gardens - Imo State; and the list continues.

Apart from the zoos, Nigeria now, according to the National Park Service Act No. 46 of 1999, has eight (8) renowned National Parks that are located across the geographical divides of Nigeria, from the core north to the south-south of the country, and from the western half to the eastern fringe. These parks were created out of more than 32 reserves (both forest and game) in the country. They are so called national parks partly because of their importance to national history and unity; and also because of their immense size, for they cover almost one-third of the total landmass of the country. A brief overview of these national parks alongside their area landmass and where they are located is presented in the table below.

Table Showing Renowned National Parks in Nigeria

S/N	NATIONAL PARK	AREA LANDMASS	LOCATION
1	Chad basin National Park	230,00 hectare	Maiduguri, Borno State
2	Kainji Lake National Park	523,000 hectare	New Bussa, Niger State
3	Cross River National Park	400,000 hectare	Calabar, Cross River State
4	Old Oyo National Park	253,000 hectare	Oyo, Oyo State
5	Gashaka – Gumti National Park	586, 000 hectare	Serti, via Yola, Taraba State
6	Yankari National Park	225,400 hectare	Bauchi, Bauchi State
7	Okomu National Park	18,100 hectare	Arakhuam, Edo State
8	Kamuku National Park	11,200 hectare	Nguru, Kano State