Endangered Mammals - Levels Of Endangerment, The Black-footed Ferret, Northern Idaho Ground Squirrel, Wolves, Bears And Pandas
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The majority of threatened and endangered mammals are imperiled for the same reasons as other biological species—habitat destruction, pollution, competition with invasive species, and so on. However, some mammals have also been intentionally killed-off by humans. For example, in the nineteenth century, the quagga of southern Africa was hunted to extinction because it competed with sheep for grazing land. Similarly, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger, was driven to extinction through hunting, in response to its attacks on domestic sheep.
Other mammal species have been driven to endangerment or extinction because they are seen as dangerous. Large predators such as grizzly bears, wolves, and mountain lions are endangered at least partly for this reason. Changing attitudes have led to interest in preserving all species, and conservation measures have allowed several predatory mammals to recover. As their populations increase, however, encounters with humans are also becoming more common.
- In California, following a ban on mountain lion hunting, reports of mountain lions rose through the 1990s. In January 2004 a mountain lion killed one bicyclist and severely injured a second in southern California. The mountain lion was later found and shot. In 114 years, California has reported a total of fourteen mountain lion attacks, of which six were fatal.
- In Yosemite National Park in California, black bears have increasingly confronted park visitors, causing significant damage and occasional injury. However, biologists attribute the incidents not to aggressive bears but to careless park visitors. In 2001 park officials killed a female bear, the mother of two cubs, because she was allegedly teaching her cubs to raid cars, campsites, and picnic areas for food.
- In 2000 biathlete Mary Beth Miller was mauled to death by a black bear as she ran along a wooded path during her training routine in Quebec, Canada. The tragedy ignited controversy over attempts by Canadian officials to protect the species, including the cancellation of an annual bear hunt.
Additional Topics
In 2004 there were a total of 342 threatened and endangered mammals listed under the Endangered Species Act. Of the endangered mammals, 65 are found in the U.S. and 251 are foreign. Of the threatened species, 9 are found in the U.S. and 17 are foreign. U.S. threatened and endangered mammals are shown in Table 7.1. Some mammalian groups that are particularly well-represented on the U.S. list includ…
The black-footed ferret (see Figure 7.1) is a small furrow-digging mammal and member of the weasel family.
FIGURE 7.1 Black-footed ferrets, once thought extinct, are now being successfully bred in captivity. A few reintroduced ferret populations are doing well. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
Nocturnal creatures, ferrets help to control populations of snakes and rodents, including their pr…
Wolves were once among the most widely distributed mammals on Earth. Prior to European settlement, wolves
FIGURE 7.2 Northern Idaho ground squirrel probable historical distribution and primary/secondary metapopulation sites, 2003
ranged over most of North America, from central Mexico to the Arctic Ocean. Their decline has largely resulted from hunting. In 1914 Congress authorized funding fo…
Bears and pandas are imperiled worldwide. In 2002 seven species were listed as in immediate danger of extinction under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES): the giant panda (China), red panda (Himalayas), Asiatic black bear, sloth bear (Asia), sun bear (Asia), spectacled bear (South America), and grizzly bear (North America). U.S. bear species listed by…
Of the nearly forty feline, or cat, species, only one—the domestic cat—is believed to be secure. As undeveloped land becomes harder to find, large cats, such as lions, panthers, tigers, jaguars, and cheetahs, are left with less and less natural habitat in which to live. The mountain lion is a seven-foot-long cat that can weigh between 70 and 170 pounds. It was once found throughout N…
Rhinoceros are among the largest land mammals. They weigh up to 8,000 pounds—as much as fifty average-sized men—and are herbivorous grazers. The name rhinoceros is made up of two Greek words meaning "nose" and "horn," and rhinos are in fact the only animals on Earth that have horns on their noses. Figure 7.8 shows an African white rhinoceros with two horns…
Elephants are the largest land animals on Earth. They are frequently described as the "architects" of the savanna habitats in which they live. Elephants dig water holes, keep forest growth in check, and open up grasslands that support other species, including the livestock of African herders. Elephants are highly intelligent, emotional animals and form socially complex herds. There a…
The World Conservation Union (IUCN), in its 2003 Red List of Threatened Species, reported that the 295 examined species of primates (excluding humans) are among the most endangered mammals. Since the 1996 IUCN assessment, the number of "critically endangered" primates increased from thirteen to twenty species, and the number of "endangered" primates rose from twenty-nin…
A hundred years ago, desert bighorn sheep were commonly seen climbing the mountains of the American West. The species is named for its large, curved horns, which males use to battle for access to females, wrestling with horns interlocked. Overhunting and disease have decimated bighorn sheep populations across the U.S. In Texas, for
FIGURE 7.10 The orangutan is highly endangered, along with the…
Sixty million bison (see Figure 7.11)—or buffalo—once roamed the grasslands of America. Historical accounts describe herds stretching as far as the eye could see. Although Native Americans hunted bison, it was not until European settlers came with firearms that their numbers fell drastically. Many people shot the animals for fun, while others sold the hides. Bison numbers were eventu…
Why do zebras have stripes? Nobody knows for sure. Although scientists have proposed a variety of theories, none has proved conclusive. What is known is that among the varieties of African plains zebras, those that are native to southern Africa display less striping than zebras that inhabit the northern regions. Perhaps the most uniquely
FIGURE 7.12 Three quaggas now run at a national park in…
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