Mankind has co-existed with nature for thousands of years. Since the Industrial Age began, it has taken its toll on the animals who share our beautiful blue planet. As more and more land is cleared and taken over by humans, the world’s wildlife population is losing ground. Many species have disappeared entirely and many more are considered endangered. Thankfully, some of us are speaking up for these animals and doing something about their plight. Several projects have been launched in various parts of the world to set aside thousands of acres of land dedicated to wildlife preservation.

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has set aside over 181,000 acres of land under its management for use as a wildlife preserve. The World Wildlife Fund began in 1961 and set as its goal to protect wildlife, particularly endangered species, around the globe. WWF is focused on keeping these species around for generations to come. Some of the most endangered animals include tigers, giant pandas, rhinos, elephants, great apes, sea turtles, whales and dolphins. These are considered WWF’s “flagship animals,” since their survival depends on the survival of other species down the food chain. Other endangered animals they are working to protect are snow leopards, grizzly bears and some birds.

According to the World Conservation Union (IPCN), 40 percent of all organisms are endangered. Several nations around the world have gotten on board the preservation vehicle by prohibiting the hunting of endangered animals and setting aside land for wildlife preservation. Unfortunately, there are many more endangered species that have not been listed for legal protection. Species are dying out, while most humans go about our lives neither knowing nor caring.
If we would all do our part to prevent this senseless extinction, more animals might be saved.