Hey guys, it's Top 5 Animals with my first of what will hopefully be many posts. Today as our first topic we will be covering the Top 5 Animals brought back from the brink of extinction.

During the 1900s, the near extinction of the bison and the complete extinction of the passenger pigeon lead to a push for more nature conservation. Along with the passing of other nature conservation laws the US Congress passed the Endangered Species Preservation Act in 1966 preceding the amendment of the Endangered Species Conservation Act in 1969. These laws eventually led up to what we have today, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, signed by Richard Nixon. The primary goal of this act is to prevent the extinction of endangered species, animal or plant, and to remove threats to help the population recover.

It is estimated that there are over 100,000,000 different species of animals coexisting with us. Humans have caused the extinction rate to jump to 1,000%-10,000% times higher than the background extinction rate. If the estimates are correct then about 10,000-100,000 species go extinct each year. We have only identified about 1.2 million different species. Of the species we know, 500 have gone extinct in the past 100 years due to humans. However, thanks to the ESA (Endangered Species Act of 1973) We were able to save animals that would have gone extinct. These 5 animals were driven to the brink of extinction and brought back.

The Gray Wolf

The extinction of the gray wolf was an organized effort dating all the way back to Middle Ages in Northern Europe. Wolf extermination was enforced by the legislature and so wolves were hunted to extinction in Scotland, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Norway. This was done through the methods of habitat destruction and by decimating the population of their natural prey, the reindeer and deer. They even went as far as to burn down the forests and eventually using snowmobiles in mid 1900's. In Central Europe, the gray wolf was hunted in organized hunts and brought to extinction in many countries. Germany was the first country to put the gray wolf under its protection but the effort proved to be unsuccessful as the last wolf in Germany was shot and killed on 1945. The recovery of the gray wolf began during the 1950's and has shown to be successful. In the United States the gray wolves were hunted relentlessly until they reached a population of 30-40 in Yellowstone Park in 1920. By the time ESA was introduced there were no more gray wolves in the west. However the reintroduction of the species since then the population has been brought back up to around 3,000 in Minnesota alone! It's amazing that we were able to bring back such a destroyed population!

The American Alligator

Older than some dinosaurs this reptilian creature was almost brought to the end of the abyss and here's why. Alligators were extensively hunted for their hides because they proved to be an exotic material in the construction of leather clothing. It's estimated that roughly 10 million alligators were killed before it became illegal in 1970s. It was thought that these animals would never be able to make a comeback. However, thanks to the combined efforts of the ESA, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and State wildlife agencies these creatures were able to make a strong comeback and reimbursed themselves into their ecosystems. Subsequentially they were taken off the endangered species list. Sadly, people still hunt them today for their exotic meat and are threatened by habitat loss.

The Iberian Lynx

The Iberian Lynx is known as the most endanged feline species and for good reasons too. They were first found during the 19th century in Spain, Portugal, and France. Due to human contruction, a decreasing food base, and illegal hunting these big cats were brought all the way to the edge. With roads, dams, and railways it is estimated that the Iberian lynx lost 80% of its land. This also separated the different populations of the species making it even harder to keep the population count up. Their main prey, rabbits, were stuck by horrible epidemics which ravaged the population. This is another contributing factor to the decline of the lynx. They were also considered an exotic trophy among hunters. Their meat and fur also sold for high amounts. In the early 2000's there were only 100 Iberian Lynxes left in two different breeding populations with about 25 females in total. This species began to make a big comeback and in 2015 it was estimated that 404 adult lynxes are roaming. However, this does not mean they are safe. In 2014 alone 22 lynxes were hit and killed by cars on the freeway. That's a lot considering their small population.

The Virginian Northern Flying Squirrel

The Virginian Northern Flying Squirrel was listed as an endangered species in 1985 after encountering only 10 different squirrels in 4 different areas of it range. The cause for this decline was mostly due to habitat loss. The huge loss of red spruce trees devastated the population. However thanks to efforts from countless organizations and people, we have captured over 1000 of these squirrels in 100 different areas.

The Grizzly Bear

This bear was seen as a major competitor for food that humans eat such as livestock as well as a safety threat. Thus in the 1800's and 1900's they were hunted down. During this time it is estimated that they were pushed back from 95% of their range. After this massacre, they were hunted even more bringing their range down another 52%. After these devastations, the grizzly bear species was put on the edge of extinction with 98% of their range taken from them. Conservation organizations made drastic efforts in preserving these species. The ESA have provided full protection in the five places where grizzly bears continue to stay, the Northern Continental Divide, Greater Yellowstone, Cabinet-Yaak, Selkirk, and North Cascade ecosystems. Today in areas such as Washington's Northern Cascades, there are an estimated 5-20 grizzly bears remaining. Even those hunting these animals is illegal, their meat and hides make exotic treats.