African Leopard At Risk Of Extinction
Climate change induced habitat loss combined with poaching and other illegal activities have caused an environment filled with torment for animals globally. In fact, the impact is so great that the rate of extinction of animals is increasing at a faster rate. The latest addition to the list of animals that are at risk of extinction is the African leopard who population has fallen by 30 per cent over the last 25 years and may now qualify as “endangered” under the Endangered Species Act.
Legal petition filed
Last a year a legal petition was filed by a number of animal protection charities to extend the full protection of the Endangered Species Act to the African leopard. According to Nature World News, HSI director of wildlife department Dr Teresa M. Telecky, the number of African leopards have plummeted despite the fact that the United States which is the largest trophy importer in the world has taken vital steps to ensure its consumption does not threaten the survival of the African leopard.
Long considered endangered
Sarah Uhlemann international program director for the Center for Biological Diversity says that leopards in both Asia and Africa have for a long time been considered as an endangered species. She argues that the United States must provide protection to this species in order to reverse the population decline which Ms Uhlemann says is extremely disturbing.
South Africa bans trophy hunting
According to studies that have been conducted the main reason behind the drop in leopard numbers is poorly managed trophy hunting. Earlier in the year South Africa banned trophy hunting on its territory as a result of an alert from its CITES Scientific Authority who warned that the number of leopards left in the country was not known and the survival of species was at risk.
