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green turtle
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seal
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polar bear
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galápagos penguin
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humphead wrasse
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pacific salmon
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bluefin tuna
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loggerhead turtle
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dugong
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vaquita dolphin
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whale shark
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ganges dolphin
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fin whale
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grey whale
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narwhal
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beluga
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The Uulnerable
GReat White
SHARK
Great white shark
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extinction risk: vulnerable
As large and powerful predators, great white
sharks play an important role at the top of the
marine food chain. Despite its fame and
reputation, little is actually known about the great
white shark’s biology and behavior.
Great white sharks are decreasing in numbers
and are rare due to years of being hunted by man
for fins and teeth, and often as a trophy for sport
fishing. The white shark is often caught as
bycatch by commercial fisheries and can also
become entangled in meshes that protect beaches.
WWF supports research and monitoring of
white sharks as they migrate to and from the
Gulf of California. Sharks are tagged and the
movements are tracked by satellite. This
information on their behavior will help with a
management plan for how to protect them from
bycatch and to regulate tourism.
--------------------------------------------For more information and to find out
how you can make a difference visit
www.worldwildlife.org
© 2013 worldwildlife.org
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The Critically Endangered
Hawks Bill
Turtle
Hawks Bill Turtle
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extinction risk: critically endangered
Hawksbills are named for their narrow, pointed
beak. Hawksbills help maintain the health of
coral reefs. As they remove prey such as sponges
from the reef 's surface, they provide better access
for reef fish to feed. They also have cultural
significance and tourism value. For example, for
local residents in the Coral Triangle, the flow of
visitors who come to admire turtles is a vital
source of income.
Like other marine turtles, hawksbills are
threatened by the loss of nesting and feeding
habitats, excessive egg-collection, fishery-related
mortality, pollution, and coastal development.
However, they are most threatened by wildlife
trade. WWF works around the world to
establish marine protected areas to ensure
marine turtles have a safe place to nest, feed and
migrate freely.
--------------------------------------------For more information and to find out
how you can make a difference visit
www.worldwildlife.org
© 2013 worldwildlife.org
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The Endangered
North AtlAntic
Right
Whale
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North Atlantic Right Whale
extinction risk: endangered
The North-Atlantic right whale is one of the
most endangered of all large whales. It is now
mostly found along the Atlantic coast of North
America, where it is threatened by entanglement
in fishing gear and ship collisions. North Atlantic
populations have been decimated by historical
over-exploitation by the whaling industry. The
species gets its names from early whalers, who
considered them to be the "right" whales to hunt.
The WWF has reached significant milestones
regarding the protection of the North Atlantic
right whale. This includes a shift of the shipping
lanes in Canada's Bay of Fundy in 2003, which
reduces the risk of ship strikes of right whales in
Canadian waters by up to eighty percent.
However, collisions in U.S. and other Canadian
waters remain a major conservation problem for
the North Atlantic species.
--------------------------------------------For more information and to find out
how you can make a difference visit
www.worldwildlife.org
© 2013 worldwildlife.org
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SEI
The Endangered
Whale
Sei whale
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extinction risk: endangered
The sei whale is one of the fastest whales,
reaching speeds of up to 30 miles per hour. The
sei whale became a major target for commercial
whaling after the preferred stocks of blue and fin
whales had been depleted. Today, although
commercial whaling has been officially halted, the
species is subject to "scientific whaling" by
Japan—that is, killing whales for scientific
research. They are threatened by climate change
and can also be harmed by pollution, shipping
strikes and entanglement in fishing gear.
The International Whaling Commission (IWC)
is the body charged with regulating whaling and
addressing the vast number of other threats to
whales, dolphins and porpoises in our oceans
such as shipping, climate change and bycatch.
WWF works to make the IWC more effective in
reducing threats to whales.
--------------------------------------------For more information and to find out
how you can make a difference visit
www.worldwildlife.org
© 2013 worldwildlife.org
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The Uulnerable
BigEye
Tuna
BigEye Tuna
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extinction risk: vulnerable
Bigeye Tuna are found in the subtropical and
tropical areas of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific
Oceans. They can live as long as 10 to 12 years.
Bigeye Tuna are long and streamlined, have dark
metallic blue on their backs and upper sides, and
are nearly white on their lower sides and belly.
They are an important commercial fish, usually
marketed as fresh or frozen. Although tuna do
provide food and livelihoods for people, they are
more than just seafood. Tuna are a top predator
in the marine food chain, maintaining a balance
in the ocean environment.
The WWF goal is for Bigeye Tuna populations to
be healthy and well-managed. We partner with
governments and regional fisheries management
organizations to advocate for stricter plans to
recover depleted tuna stocks, combat pirate
fishing and reduce bycatch.
--------------------------------------------For more information and to find out
how you can make a difference visit
www.worldwildlife.org
© 2013 worldwildlife.org
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The Endangered
SEA
LION
sea lion
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extinction risk: endangered
Sea lions haul out in large colonies on rocks and
sandy shores on the Islands. They move into the
water to feed and cool off as needed. The sea lion
is the most common mammal in the Galápagos.
Introduced species, such as dogs, carry diseases
that can spread to sea lions. They are vulnerable
to the effects of climate change on ocean
currents, which impacts their fish prey
abundance. They are also victims of bycatch in
fisheries. Sea lions often rest aboard fishing boats,
sometimes causing the boats to sink. Fishermen
try to prevent them from coming aboard by
putting up barbwire as a barrier, but this causes
severe injuries to the sea lions. WWF helped
support a project on San Cristóbal Island that
built and installed two floating bases for sea lions
to rest on and a “primary care nursery” for sea
lions and other species.
--------------------------------------------For more information and to find out
how you can make a difference visit
www.worldwildlife.org
© 2013 worldwildlife.org
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The Uulnerable
Marine
Iguana
Marine Iguana
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extinction risk: vulnerable
Marine iguanas are the world’s only oceangoing
lizard. They are also only found in the Galápagos,
where they can be seen resting on the rocky
shores. Introduced species such as cats, rats, dogs
and pigs prey on marine iguanas. They are also
threatened by the impacts of climate change. Sea
level and air temperature rise can affect their
beach nesting habitat and the iguanas’ ability to
regulate its body temperature while on land, as
well as interfere with egg development.
One of the main nesting zones for iguanas is
located on a central tourist beach in the
waterfront area of Puerto Villamil on Isabela
Island. In 2012 WWF extended the protected
area to include the entire nesting zone.
Additional signs for both tourists and local
communities inform of the importance of this
iguana nesting zone to the island.
--------------------------------------------For more information and to find out
how you can make a difference visit
www.worldwildlife.org
© 2013 worldwildlife.org
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The Uulnerable
Gi ant
Tortoise
Giant tortoise
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extinction risk: vulnerable
There are many subspecies of giant tortoises that
are found on different islands and have different
appearances. Those that live on the larger islands
where there is more rain have “dome” shaped
shells, while those that live in drier conditions are
smaller tortoises and have a “saddleback” shell.
The giant tortoise is an iconic species from the
Galápagos and is only found on these islands.
They are the largest living tortoise in the world.
The giant tortoise is threatened by introduced
species to the islands, such as dogs and cats
which prey on young tortoises, and cattle which
compete for grazing vegetation.
In 2012 the giant tortoise known as “Lonesome
George” passed away. He was thought to be one
hundred years old and was the last surviving land
tortoise from Pinta Island, one of the northern
islands in the Galápagos.
--------------------------------------------For more information and to find out
how you can make a difference visit
www.worldwildlife.org
© 2013 worldwildlife.org
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