You may not have known that some of the most beloved animals came close to no longer existing. Luckily, that ended up not being the case for any of these incredible creatures. Here are 5 animals that beat the odds and made a comeback from near extinction.
Animals That Beat The Odds With A Comeback From Near Extinction
While the list of animals that made a comeback from near extinction is much larger than just 5, this list is composed of the animals that I am truly happy beat the odds. While I love all animals, and don't want any to go extinct, these 5 hold a special place in my heart.
1. Giant Panda
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I am honestly obsessed with the giant panda. After all, how could you not be? As they are so cute and chubby, just sitting and enjoying some bamboo. This animal was suffering because many bamboo forests and other natural habitats were being destroyed. However, Reader's Digest shared that "China spent many years and resources in restoring its bamboo forests," and now their population is over 2,000.
2. West Indian Manatee
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As someone who has gone swimming with manatees I can say they truly are a joy. Such peaceful, passive animals. They are honestly just giant sea cows. However an increasing number of boat collisions and habitat loss caused their numbers to plummet. Luckily, these animals made a comeback from near extinction. While there numbers were down to the few hundreds, they bumped up to around 6,600 individuals in 2017. This earned them a the new status of "threatened."
3. Sea Otter
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There are few animals that I love more than otters. It is one of my life goals to swim with otters. They are so cute and lovable! Did you know they hold hands while they sleep? However their cuteness did nothing to protect them from those who captured them for their fur. So many were captured and killed that their numbers dwindled down to only 2,000. Luckily, these animals beat the odds and are slowly making a comeback. Now, there are various "long-standing protections" to shield these creatures from further harm.
4. Grizzly Bears
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While I wouldn't want to snuggle up with one of these bears, I can appreciate and respect their beauty. Additionally, I cannot imagine a world without them — they are a staple of the American west. However, they were also commonly hunted as well. It got so bad that at one point in time, there were only a handful of these incredible creatures left. Luckily, like the other animals on this list, they made a comeback from near extinction. Those remaining communities of grizzlies were fiercely protected and now they are slowly beginning to thrive. Including those in Yellowstone National park, which is now home to some 2,000 grizzly bears.
5. Florida Panther
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This is one of those animals that beat the odds when everyone thought there was no hope for them. The Florida Panther really had everything stacked against it. At one point, there were only 20 panthers left in Florida. Can you imagine? What if there were only 20 people left in the world...it is not many at all. Luckily the severity of the situation prompted people to grant the panthers federal protection. While many still die from collisions with automobiles, at least they are no longer being shot at in fear. Their numbers have slowly risen and their population is now around 280 panthers.
