According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), hundreds of marine(海洋的) species across the world come under endangered and critically endangered categories. Some of the endangered and recognizable marine species are named here.
Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle
The Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle, also known as the Atlantic Ridley Sea Turtle, is endangered as the rarest and smallest sea turtle.
Distributed throughout the Gulf of Mexico and U. S. Atlantic seaboard, they gather off the coast in northeastern Mexico and come ashore in large groups to lay eggs every year. As marine reptiles(爬行动物), they are threatened by oil spills, lack of food and marine pollution.
Vaquita
As a rare marine mammal, Vaquita is on the edge of extinction only a half-century after its first sighting.
Extensive fishing in the Gulf of California has endangered this marine species, resulting in a gradual drop in population since the 1940s. According to reports, there are only a dozen of these marine mammals left in the world since the percentage of dec line in their population was as much as90% since 2011.
Whale
Fin Whale is the second-largest mammal on the planet after Blue Whale and it is also a victim of hunting. According to estimates, the global population of Fin Whale ranges from below 100,000 to around 119,000.
Humpback Whale, another whale species, has also been listed as an endangered marine species. Before the introduction of the whaling moratorium (暂停) in 1966, the species was hunted for its fur, while the population dropped by 90%. Currently, around 2,500 Humpback Whales survive in the world.
Hawaiian Mon k Seal
A native of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, Hawaiian Mon k Seal is one of the earless seals who live on warm beaches, unlike other seals.
According to recent research, only 1,400 Hawaiian Mon k Seals remain on the Islands. These seals are mainly threatened by predators like tiger sharks. Besides, other reasons like habitat loss and food limitation also contribute to their critical situation.
