Abstract
There is a growing concern all over the world about the endangerment of species. Man’s activities, such as habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change, are accelerating the rate of species extinction. This review will summarize the importance of conservation in protecting the world’s biodiversity. Several international agreements have implemented regulation and prohibition of human activities against these animals in order to prevent or hinder human activities against them, including the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and the Endangered Species Act. Other conservation efforts are keeping the habitats of such endangered species, reintroduction into their natural habitats as well as anti-poaching law enforcement that have also proved to be fairly effective. There are also quite several community-based efforts on conservation and education which aim at bringing the people involved or those close to the affected area to engage with species protection. There are difficulties such as a shortage of resources, human-wildlife conflict, and change in climate that impede the efforts to be undertaken. This review has been pointing toward the continuous international cooperation research and innovative solutions toward more effective conservation of endangered species and saving the natural treasures of the world.
Keywords: endangered species, conservation, biodiversity, habitat preservation, climate change, wildlife protection.
Introduction
An endangered species is a species of organism threatened with extinction. Species become endangered due to two major reasons, which are the loss of habitat and loss of genetic variation. Loss of habitat can be a natural affair. Nonavian dinosaurs lost their habitat around 65 million years ago.
There are 410 species, 186 genera, 45 families, and 13 orders in India of which nearly 89threatene Are listed as threatened in the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Animals (IUCN 2006).
The mammals are the class of vertebrate animals characterized by the presence of mammary glands, which in females produce milk for the nourishment of young; the presence of hair or fur; specialized teeth; the presence of a neocortex region in the brain; and endothermic or warm- blooded bodies. The brain controls endothermic and circulatory system, having a four-chambered heart.
Mammals include around 5,500 species (including Humans), spread over about 1,200 genera, 152 families and as many as 46 orders, though this depends on the classification scheme.
The loss of biodiversity, defined by extinction of species and habitats is an urgent global problem that impacts many aspects of life. Threatened species, that are on the verge of extinction, a harsh reminder of the fragile interplay between human actions and the natural world. In a bid to address this crisis, countries have developed various forms of legal instruments aimed at protecting endangered species. This comparative research examines these legal instruments, noting the similarities and differences among them and their effectiveness in conserving biodiversity.