5 wildlife species that will be extinct soon

Shruti Saxena

It has been observed that the number of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish across the globe are declining in numbers day by day due to various reasons.

According to a recent survey by World Wildlife Fund (WWF), over 3,000 animal species have plunged by more than half in just 40 years as Earth`s human population has nearly doubled.

The 52% decrease confirms mankind is chomping through nature`s bounty much faster than the rate of replenishment, WWF warned.

Talking about India, the Government of India in the year 1952, established an Indian Board of Wild Life (IBWL) to preserve fauna. Every year around this time (October 2 to 8), several activities are taken up by various environmentalists and activists to spread awareness about wildlife conservation.

Here is a look at 5 species of the world which are on the verge of extinction:

Sumatran tigers: Sumatran tiger - the tiger species found only on the Indonesian island of Sumatra - is on the verge of extinction due to habitat loss from deforestation and poaching. The rare tiger subspecies are inhabits of Indonesian island of Sumatra. They are classified as critically endangered by IUCN in 2008.

Javan rhinoceros: Javan rhinoceros is also known as the Sunda rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus) and are one-horned. They are a very rare member of the family Rhinocerotidae and one of five extant rhinoceroses. The main factor behind their continuous decline is poaching for horns.

Vaquita: The vaquita is the most endangered species of the cetacean world and is a rare species of porpoise. It is endemic to the northern part of the Gulf of California. The estimated number of individuals dropped below 100 in 2014, putting it in imminent danger of extinction.

Cross River Gorilla: The Cross River gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli) is a subspecies of the western gorilla (Gorilla gorilla). Their numbers are continuously going down as they are hunted for bush meat. Cross River gorilla is the most endangered of the African apes. It is one of the world's 25 most endangered primates according to the IUCN Primate Specialist Group.

Golden-Headed Langur: They are listed as critically endangered langur from Vietnam. They are the rarest primates in the world and are considered to be one of “The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates”. As per recent data, less than 70 langurs are left in the world.

(Compilation)