17/10/2019
😍Great News😍⠀
For some species of animals, conservation efforts are paying off in a big way: Mountain gorillas, Rothschild’s giraffes, and western grey whales are three endangered species that are now showing increased populations since they were last assessed a decade ago. ⠀
With the increase in population, these species are now less vulnerable to the threat of extinction — and experts are hoping that this helps people realize just how impactful these conservation efforts are for the animals of our planet. ⠀
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When the mountain gorillas were last assessed in 2008, there were only 680 gorillas, which meant they were classified as “critically endangered” — in other words, dangerously close to extinction. The population of the animals continually decreased in their native habitat — the mountain rainforests that cover Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo — because of not only the destruction of their habitat for agricultural expansion, but also disease and civil unrest.⠀
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But conservation efforts that include daily monitoring and armed protection of the animals have allowed the population of mountain gorillas to rise to 1,004 individuals. Not many but an increase!⠀
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Rothschild’s giraffe is also seeing significant gains in term of their population. The population dropped to around 500 between 2006 and 2009 due to illegal hunting, habitat destruction, and an increase in human agriculture. ⠀
However, several programs have been introduced which have allowed the population to rise to 1,470 mature adults.⠀
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With all the attention put on whaling, western grey whales have also seen a population increase. In 2007, there were only 120 western grey whales and today, there are between 170 and 180 individuals. ⠀
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There is hope with conservation and protection. Share this great news with your friends ☺⠀
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