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Tag: endangered animals

WWF: WildLife In Danger

Living Planet Report (“Report”) is a report which is published by the World Wildlife Foundation (“WWF”) every two years. Experts from all over the world use the Living Planet index to monitor the health of the Earth and the animals. It tracks the population sizes of vertebrates like mammals, birds, reptiles and fish. It also checks if the population of animals is increasing or decreasing, and tries to understand the reasons behind the same, along with giving solutions. The Living Planet Index 2024 has covered the period from 1970 to 2020 and included data on 34,836 populations of 5,495 vertebrate species.

Finding Of The Latest Report 

  • Average wildlife populations have fallen by 73% in 50 years!
  • 85% drop has been reported for the population sizes of freshwater species.
  • Animal species in Latin America and the Caribbean have seen even more extreme average declines of 95% since 1970.
  • North America and Europe are responsible for nature loss in other countries because they import livestock that is grown in areas that were once wild.
  • The biggest threat to wildlife is loss of habitats. Other threats include invasive species, disease, climate change, and pollution.

The Warning!

The Report has warned that due to the rate of decline of animal species, deforestation in the Amazon rainforest, and melting of the polar ice caps in Antarctica, the Earth is fast approaching a tipping point. This could impact food security and livelihoods across the world and even loss of healthy ecosystems across the world. The WWF has called the figures a “wake-up call” and warns in the report that “what happens in the next five years will determine the future of life on Earth”.

Word Check

Tipping points are points which, if reached, there’s no way of getting things back to the way they were.

Did You Know?

The Amazon rainforest is a very important habitat, as it is home to 10% of wildlife species on Earth. The Amazon rainforest converts carbon dioxide into oxygen and is therefore sometimes called the Earth’s Lungs. With respect to the Amazon rainforest, a tipping point could be reached if just 20–25% of the Amazon rainforest were destroyed! It is estimated 14–17% has already been deforested.

What Can Be Done?

The Report has given the following three important suggestions regarding what countries around the world need to do now: 

  1. Transform food production – Currently, the food production INDIAMART system of the world uses 40% of the Earth’s habitable land. This is causing habitat loss, as forests and grasslands are being converted into farmland. The countries need to find more nature-friendly methods of farming nutritious food for the world to eat
  1. Transform finance – The Report has recommended that less money should be invested in environmentally-harmful activities and more into things that help restore nature.
  1. Moving to clean energy – We need to stop greenhouse emissions by stopping the use of fossil fuels. The countries need to use more renewable forms of energy like solar and wind.

The Living Planet Report On India

The Report states that keeping in mind the global demand for food production by 2050, India’s food consumption pattern is the most climate-friendly among G20 nations. The Report has highlighted that India’s diet is the least harmful to the environment. If all countries adopted India’s consumption patterns, the world would require less than one Earth to support food production by 2050, making it a model for sustainability. On the other hand, the Report has also stated that countries like Argentina, Australia, and the US have the least sustainable pattern, with respect to their diet and food choices. 

The Report has recommended that people should eat a more sustainable diet, which would reduce the amount of land needed to produce food. The researchers have said that achieving a healthy and nutritious diet will be heavily influenced by local cultural traditions, individual choice, and available food. The Report has praised India’s National Millet Campaign for promoting climate-resilient grains, such as millets, “In some countries, promoting traditional foods will be an important lever to shift diets. For example, the National Millett Campaign in India is designed to increase national consumption of this ancient grain, which is good for health and highly resilient in the face of climate change”.

Word Check

G20 is a club of countries who meet every year to discuss plans for the world economy. G20 is made up of 19 of the world’s largest economies plus a representative from the European Union.

Cheetah – The Fastest Mammal on Land

The cheetah is the world’s fast mammal on land. The spotted cat is native to Africa and central Iran and is known to reach up to 112 km per hour in just 3 seconds. The body of the cheetah has evolved for speed, with long legs, an elongated spine, and a long tail for balance. Most of the cheetahs in the wild are found in the sub-African Sahara and a small population is found in Iran. Even though they’re the fastest land animal, cheetahs are not known for their stamina as they tire easily. Most cheetahs are only active 12% of the time of the day and only accelerate their speed when they’ve spotted prey.

Also Read, Interesting Facts About Tiger, The Largest Wild Cat

All You Need To Know About The Fastest Land Mammal- Cheetah!

  1. Physical Characteristics of Cheetah

Cheetah’s body works like a machine, everything from its fur to its tail serves to help it in hunting its prey. Let’s take a close look at how his physical characteristics help it in surviving in the wild. Each body part serves a special purpose that helps it chase its prey with great agility and focus.

Tail

A cheetah has a flat-shaped muscular tail that acts like a rudder. Its tail helps it control the steering and also balance its weight while running fast.

Claws

Cheetahs have hard paws, unlike other cats who have soft paws. Their semi-non-retractable claws help them maintain a tight grip on the ground when they’re running swiftly. 

Tear Marks

You might have noticed the long black lines along Cheetah’s eyes that run across its mouth. These tear marks act like sun glare protection and help them stay focused on their prey while they hunt.

Spotted Skin

The black spots that you see on a cheetah come from their skin. The black fur grows out of the black spots on their skin.

Hair

Cheetah cubs have long hairs that run from their neck to their tail and are called the mantle. Their long mantle makes them blend in with their surroundings and grant protection from predators like hyenas and tigers.

Teeth

Unlike other big cats, cheetahs have weak jaws and smaller canine teeth. Their teeth are not their strongest defense weapons as they often find it hard to protect their hunted prey from other larger predators.

2. Interesting Facts About Cheetahs

  • Unlike other big cats like lions and tigers, cheetahs don’t roar, they chirp, purr and meow. When faced with danger, they growl. When communicating with each other, cheetahs bark.  
  • The cheetah gets its name from the Sanskrit word “chitraka” meaning the spotted one.
  • To avoid competition from other big cats like leopards and lions, cheetahs hunt during the day. 
  • Their exceptional eyesight helps them to spot their prey from afar. Cheetahs stalk and chase their prey before knocking it down. They kill their prey with a bite to the throat. 
  • Cheetahs can see appropriately with full details up to 3 miles, however, they do not have special night vision.  
  • Cheetahs are social animals that live in groups. A group of male cheetahs sometimes live and hunt together. A mother cheetah and young cubs also live together.
  • The average lifespan of the cheetah is up to 14 years in the wild and 20 years in captivity. 
  • Cheetahs can survive without water for up to 10 days! They only need to drink water once every 2-4 days.
  • Cheetahs are racing towards extinction and are classified as ‘Vulnerable’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.

Cheetahs are hunted for their skin which puts them at risk of extinction. Destruction of their habitat and climate change are also contributing factors that are leading to their extinction.

Also check out, #AnimalKingdom: Cheetah- The Fastest Mammal on Land