Endangered Baby Animals

Baby animals provide some of the most endearing pictures snapped in the wild. However, habitat encroachment, climate change and poaching threaten thousands of species of animals every year. Several organizations, such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, maintain lists of endangered species that are near extinction.

  1. Jaguars

    • Most jaguars in the United States were found in captivity as of 2011.

      Jaguars are large felines that were once found throughout the southwestern United States, Mexico and South America. Their numbers were initially threatened by extensive hunting due to the high value of their spotted fur coats. As of 2011, the greatest threat to the wild jaguar population is loss of habitat, particularly in Arizona and New Mexico. Jaguars were placed on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's endangered species list in 1972, though as of 2011, there was no conservation plan in place to boost their numbers in the wild.

    Giant Pandas

    • Giant pandas eat almost nothing but bamboo.

      Giant pandas are found in the wild only in a tiny portion of southeast China. Their numbers have reached critical levels due to rapid population expansion in the country. This loss of habitat is the main threat to giant pandas, as they are very picky eaters and survive almost exclusively on a diet of bamboo. Giant pandas have a reputation as being difficult to breed, though the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources says that this is a myth, and that captive breeding efforts in China are going well.

    Snow Leopards

    • There are severe penalties for poaching snow leopards.

      Like jaguars, snow leopards were initially threatened by extensive hunting for their highly desirable furs. As of 2011, however, the main threat to snow leopards was loss of habitat and loss of prey. Snow leopards are highly reclusive and most hunters will never see one in the wild. However, extensive hunting of the snow leopard's food sources is causing their numbers to diminish. The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources said that the wild population of snow leopards was between 4,000 and 6,500 in 2011.

    Chimpanzees

    • Captive chimpanzee numbers are strong, but the number of wild chimpanzees is decreasing.

      Wild chimpanzees are found only in the jungles of central and west Africa. A number of threats have caused a decrease in their numbers. Loss of habitat due to clearing of jungles and rain forest for agriculture is pushing them into smaller and smaller areas. Hunting is also a large threat to the the wild chimpanzee population, as poaching laws are largely unenforced in Africa. Chimpanzees are hunted for meat, traditional medicines and to trade as exotic pets.