Dear Future President:

Have you ever gone to the zoo and looked at the magnificent bengal tigers? Well, it turns out that they are going extinct at an alarming rate. Bengal tiger populations only number in the 2500s, which may seem like a large number but in population it is really low. This species is just one out of many that are going extinct, like the Amur Leopard and the Sumatran Elephant. These animals are being poached and hunted for their pelts or fur, or their horns as in the elephants and rhinos case. Their habitats are also being destroyed, giving them no place to go or hide from other predators.

In the United States, there are many different places being destroyed and animals that are going extinct because of it. The Black-Footed Ferret is one of these animals. The ferret was once thought to be globally extinct, but due to conservation efforts, they were given a second chance at survival. Although their population only ranges in the 300s across the U.S., we hope that one day they won't be on the endangered species list anymore.(World Wildlife, WWF) The ferret was lucky enough to be given a second chance, but a lot of species are going extinct with no hope of survival. Many other species barely have any members, one of these being the South China Tiger. The population is only estimated to be in the 20s range, and is believed to be extinct in the wild, meaning the only ones alive are in captivity. This tiger was hunted because it was pest.

One of the main reasons animals are going extinct is because of us. We have destroyed their homes, killed their families, and have hung their heads on our walls as trophies. These animals don’t deserve to be murdered in this way. They deserve to live just like we do. There are many poachers and hunters that kill animals on reserves to make a quick buck, and rangers aren’t able to get there fast enough to save the animal in danger. When you kill an animal that is endangered, you are making their extinction come even faster. Farmers in certain areas kill endangered animals due to them preying on livestock. When an animal's home is destroyed, it goes to the nearest place it can find food easily, so when they stumble upon farms, they see it as a quick meal. It’s not their fault they were pushed away from their homes, it's ours. Many young are left alone in their dens or caves awaiting their parents to come back from hunting, but they never return because hunters have picked them off. The young will be eaten by prey or die of starvation, either way, they have no chance of survival. These are reasons why we shouldn’t hunt them, destroy their homes, or push them into extinction.

There are many animals that are going extinct, and some that you may know are the Orangutan, Red Panda, Snow Leopard, and Asian Elephant, just to name a few. If you don’t want these beautiful animals to go extinct, then we need to do something about it. More reserves could be made to protect more animals, and put more rangers on duty to make sure they are protected from poachers and hunters. We could also put stricter laws on the hunting and poaching of endangered or vulnerable animals. Many baby animals are also sold on the black market for high prices so they can be raised in captivity and be killed for their furs. We could put more laws towards transporting animals without being identified first.

The animals I have spoken of are just a few of many that are suffering. New laws and security can prevent some of this pain that the animals are going through.

Sincerely,

Callie Berry