What a conundrum! Two wonderful occasions, Endangered Species Day and the International Day of Families, are upon us, presenting a daunting choice. On the one hand, the Rainforest Alliance works tirelessly to promote the wellbeing of families all over the globe by safeguarding women’s and children’s rights and improving livelihoods for those who depend on forests to live. On the other hand, we are just as committed to protecting and restoring biodiversity and the habitats of many endangered species.
Clearly, there’s only one way to handle this conundrum: a photographic celebration of endangered species with their families.
African wild dogs
One of the world’s most critically endangered mammals, the wild dog is mostly found in Tanzania and northern Mozambique. These fascinating creatures can reach running speeds of more than 44 miles per hour. Despite their impressive kill rate – 80%, higher than lions – they are very caring toward one another within the pack. All adults participate in caring for the pups, and adults feed the little ones before themselves. They also establish hierarchies without violence.
Mountain gorillas
A subspecies of the Eastern gorilla, Mountain gorillas live in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. War, hunting, habitat destruction and disease have significantly depleted their numbers. Mountain gorillas remain critically endangered: not long ago, they were expected to be extinct by the end of the twentieth century. But they are now enjoying a modest comeback due to conservation efforts, including those by sustainable forestry concessions certified by the Rainforest Alliance.
Orangutans
Looking at their soulful faces, you can see why the Malay called these highly intelligent creatures – who share 96.4% of our DNA – “people of the forest”. Orangutans have lost more than 80% of their habitat in the last twenty years, mostly due to irresponsible palm oil cultivation, deforestation, hunting, poaching and the illegal pet trade. Sumatran orangutans are critically endangered and Bornean orangutans are endangered.
Tigers
Today, the Sumatran tiger – the last of Indonesia’s tigers – number fewer than 400. Deforestation and rampant poaching led to the extinction of this tiger’s Javan and Balinese relatives and now threaten the Sumatran’s survival too. The South China tiger, which hasn’t been spotted in the wild for 25 years, is now considered “functionally extinct”. The endangered Amur tiger of the Russian Far East, northern China and the Korean peninsula numbers around 450.
Rhinoceroses
As their prehistoric appearance may suggest, rhinoceroses are among the oldest groups of mammals on the planet, but we could lose them one day soon. Hunters are killing them off in droves, as rhino horns fetch high prices for use in folk remedies. There are only about 35 Javan rhinos left; the numbers are scarcely better for Sumatran rhinos. The black rhinoceros of Namibia and coastal East Africa is also critically endangered.
Elephants
Populations of both the African elephant, the largest land mammal on Earth, and the smaller Asian elephant have been decimated by the ivory trade. Because elephants need vast territories to roam and graze, habitat destruction has also caused their numbers to plummet. Elephants live in complex, matriarchal social structures; adult males usually live on their own.
Learn more about the Rainforest Alliance’s work to protect lives, lands and livelihoods around the world.
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