According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, more than 32,000 endangered animals exist in the world. Individuals with time, effort and money can help conservation groups and organizations around the world to lower that number and to encourage endangered species populations to grow.
Instructions
Personal Donations
1. Donate time or money to charity organizations for endangered animals. Search the websites for these organizations or find out where they are located to donate easily with the click of a button or volunteer your time and energy into working with them to help save endangered animals. The World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) is one example of a charity that works to save endangered species. The African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) helps save endangered species from Africa like elephants, rhinos and lions.
2. Shop at stores that specify they are participating in a charity campaign to help endangered animals. Buy or use items that are backed by a company that donates a portion of proceeds to charities that help endangered animals (eBay and Doubletree have both donated to WWF). Environmentally friendly cleaning products and other household items are often backed by companies like SC Johnson that will donate annually to help wildlife organizations.
3. Donate items you no longer need to charities or other organizations that will help wildlife and endangered animals. Donate and recycle your used cell phone equipment to your local zoo to help save mountain gorillas, which are harmed by the mining of coltan (used to coat components of cell phones) in the Congo. Donating old furniture and buying used furniture for yourself helps the environment in general, which in turn helps endangered species in the long run.
4. Reuse and recycle to protect the environment. Purchase biodegradable items when they are available, use less water by taking shorter showers. Make your home and backyard environmentally friendly and inviting with plants, trees, birdfeeders and more. Endangered animals aren't only those that live in far-away countries.
Encourage Others
5. Speak at public forums like your City Hall. Post banners on your personal websites or social media sites like Facebook to let family, friends and friends-of-friends know your cause.
6. Encourage big business owners to donate money. Research which companies are likely to help and email the public relations departments or chairmen of each company. Reinforce the known idea that any donations are tax deductible and that attaching a company name to a reputable charity may be a good form of advertising with possible fundraising events, like 5K walks with T-shirts. Hewlett-Packard, Nokia, Sony, IBM and Johnson&Johnson are just a few companies that have helped endangered animals by donating money to major charities.
7. Donate food, clothes and other items to charitable organizations and companies that help the environment. People in poor countries may be killing endangered species because of a lack of food or poor living conditions. Donating electronics and other used, but useful, items may also help non-profit organizations like WWF and AWF to help endangered species without spending donated money to buy new equipment.
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