Saturday, November 21, 2009

Minnesota List of Endangered Species

Species that you may not know are endangered in Minnesota:

Beetle, American burying (Nicrophorus americanus)
Butterfly, Karner blue (Lycaeides melissa samuelis)
Crane, whooping (Grus americana)
Curlew, Eskimo (Numenius borealis)
Eagle, bald (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Higgins eye (pearlymussel) (Lampsilis higginsii)
Lynx, Canada (Lynx canadensis)
Mapleleaf, winged (Quadrula fragosa)
Mussel, scaleshell (Leptodea leptodon)
Plover, piping (Charadrius melodus)
Shiner, Topeka (Notropis topeka (=tristis))
Wolf, gray (Canis lupus)

Quote:

"Our ancestors viewed the Earth as rich and bountiful, which it is. Many people in the past also saw nature as inexhaustibly sustainable, which we now know is the case only if we care for it. It is not difficult to forgive destruction in the past which resulted from ignorance. Today, however, we have access to more information, and it is essential that we re-examine ethically what we have inherited, what we are responsible for, and what we will pass on to coming generations. Our marvels of science and technology are matched if not outweighed by many current tragedies, including human starvation in some parts of the world, and the extinction of other life-forms. The exploration of space takes place at the same time as the Earth's own oceans, seas, and fresh water areas grow increasingly polluted. Many of the Earth's habitats, animals, plants, insects, and even micro-organisms that we know as rare may not be known at all by future generations. We have the capability, and the responsibility. We must act before it is too late."
--The Dalai Lama, His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet, spiritual leader of the Buddhist faith

Species at Risk

This is a youtube video about endangered animals.