November 8, 2011
The Federal Wildlife Conservation Center outside of Mexico City is the home to many rare and endangered species that have been rescued from illegal smugglers. These spider monkeys are being raised by the center’s specialists after they were found inside an abandoned canvas bag, along with three who didn’t survive.
The black rattlesnake below, seen inside a plastic tube, was also rescued from illegal traffickers.
According to Mexico’s Federal Wildlife Conservation Department, at least 2,500 different animals are rescued there every year.
If you are interested in wildlife conservation and learning more about what you can do to help stop illegal wildlife trading, the website of The Wildlife Conservation Society is a good place to start. They started in the early 1900’s when they successfully helped the American bison recover on the Western Plains; today, they manage about 500 conservation projects in more than 60 countries.
As our human population grows, we impact more animal habitats and use more of their resources. By learning more about our impact on nature, we can all help to protect endangered animals.
Photos: Carlos Jasso/Reuters
Posted by: Liz Nealon
