Endangered Species

Hey fellow adventurers! It’s time to look at some more cute but endangered animals! Ecuador (mainly the Galapagos) is another area that has endemic animals that are struggling to survive, and the least we can do is be aware of it. Let’s look at the eight most endangered species in Ecuador. Also, I’m very sorry about how late this was posted.

Spiny Rat

Level: Critically Endangered

I couldn’t find any information on this guy, apart from the fact that they’re endangered. So, if you find anything, or know anything, please comment down below. I would love to learn!

Galapagos Rice Rat

Level: Critically Endangered

Like many of the animals in the Galapagos, the Galapagos rice rat is not dangerous and unafraid of humans. Scientists on Santa Fe Island and Fernandina Island have learned to keep their tents open at night to minimize the risk of rice rats chewing through their tents.

Blue whale

Level: Endangered

Reaching up to 98 feet (29.9 meters), it is the largest animal ever known to exist. Blue whales were once abundant in almost all the oceans, until they were hunted to near extinction. Blue whale hunting was banned in 1966 by the International Whaling Commission (IWC).

Fin Whale

Level: Endangered

The fin whale is the second largest mammal on Earth, after the blue whale, with the longest recorded being 89.6 feet long (27.3 meters). Preferring temperate and cool waters, the fin whale can be found in all major oceans. The whale was heavily hunted in the 20^th century, and recovery of the species has been slow going. The IWC has called for a temporary ban on hunting these whales due to their endangered status. The only countries who hunt these whales are Iceland, Greenland and Costa Rica.

Giant otter

Level: Endangered

At up to 5.6 feet long (1.7 meters), the giant otter is the longest and nosiest species of the weasel family. They are a social species, preferring groups of three-eight individuals. Although typically peaceful, giant otters are very territorial and can become aggressive when they feel their space is threatened. Decades of poaching has considerably diminished population numbers. However, the greatest threat of today for the otter is habitat degradation and loss. Although they have no serious natural predators (other than humans), otters must compete with other species for food resources (almost exclusively fish but sometimes crabs, turtles, snakes and small caiman).

Mountain Tapir

Level: Endangered

The mountain tapir is the second-smallest species of tapir, and is the only one to live outside of tropical rainforests in the wild. When around other members of their species, mountain tapirs communicate through high-pitched whistles, and the males occasionally fight over estrous females by trying to bite each other’s rear legs. But for the most part, mountain tapirs are shy and lead solitary lives, spending their waking hours foraging for food on their own along well-worn tapir paths. Despite their bulk, they travel easily through dense foliage, up the steep slopes of their hilly habitats, and in water, where they often wallow and swim. Mountain tapirs have been hunted for their meat and hides, and their toes, proboscises, and intestines are used in local folk medicines and as aphrodisiacs. Since they eat any crops when available, they are also sometimes killed by farmers protecting their produce. Today, deforestation for agriculture and mining, and poaching are the main threats to the species.

Galapagos Fur Seal

Level: Endangered

Galápagos fur seals, the smallest species of otariids (eared seals), spend more time out of the water than almost any other seal. On average, 70% of their time is spent on land. Most seal species spend 50% of their time on land and 50% in the water. Poaching and climate change has led to a sharp decline in their number. Since the Galapagos has made hunting them illegal in 1959, their numbers have been on the rise.

White-Bellied Spider Monkey

 

 

 

 

 

 

Level: Endangered

The white-bellied spider monkey, found in Ecuador, Columbia, Venezuela, Peru and Brazil, are social monkeys that can be found in groups of twenty-forty individuals. The diet of White-bellied spider monkeys is 83% mature fruits and they are important to the seed dispersal of many fruit-bearing species. Over the last forty-five years (three generations), the population has declined by approximately 50% due to habitat loss and hunting.

If at this point, you’re wondering “what can I do to help endangered species?”, thank you! I really appreciate your dedication to making this planet a better place. Things you can do:

• You can donate money to a charity dedicated to helping endangered species, such as the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF): https://www.worldwildlife.org/. If everyone donated even just $1, that could make a huge difference.
• It’s almost Christmas! Did you know that you can symbolically adopt an animal from WWF? Depending on how much you spend, you could even get a stuffed animal of the animal you adopted! All packages come with a photo of the animal you adopted, an adoption certificate and a detailed species card. Here’s the link if you want to check it out: https://gifts.worldwildlife.org/gift-center/gifts/species-adoptions.aspx
• Do you shop on Amazon? If you’re reading an online blog, you probably do. If you shop at: https://smile.amazon.com/ instead of the regular Amazon page, Amazon will donate to the charity of your choice (and one option is WWF). For more information, go here: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/chpf/about/ref=smi_aas_redirect?ie=UTF8&ref_=smi_se_ft_abt_saas
• Or read this article for more ideas: https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/20-extraordinary-things-you-can-do-to-save-endangered-species.php
• You can also share this article and articles like this to help spread awareness.

That’s it for today’s post. Thank you so much for reading my blog! Until our next adventure!