Wayne Padgett Photography - World in Danger

The natural world is full of wonders, big and small! Humans have had a tremendous impact on the world we live in; somehow we need to learn how to keep our home healthy. Many plants and animals have been threatened, endangered, of have gone extinct because of our disrespect of their needs and the environment in which they live(d). We have broken many ecosystems and must learn how to restore their resilience so that we, as a species on this planet, can survive well into the future.

Vegetation is the foundation for all terrestrial beings. From humans to bees, all rely on plants for their existence; even carnivores feed on animals that survive only because of the vegetation they consume. In fact, the very air we breathe is created by the plants of our planet. In addition, plants are the above- and below-ground banks for the excess carbon that is taking its toll on the climate around the world we live in. Yet, plants get so little recognition for their contributions to our survival.

It's strange that plants made up nearly 57% of the total number species recognized as threatened or endangered in the United States in 2016, yet received less that 3% of the total state and federal funding to protect and restore those species. The mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians, which make up 26.7% of these threatened or endangered species received 93.7% of the funding. Something about this system is broken

Rare Species

Plants

Ute's Lady's Tresses - Spiranthes diluvialis (Imperiled, Federally Listed, Threatened)

Maguire's Primrose - Primula maguirei (Critically Imperiled, Federally Listed, Threatened)

Maguire's Draba - Draba Maguirei (Imperiled)

Goodrich's Penstemon - Penstemon goodrichii (Imperiled)

White River Beardtongue - Penstemon scariosus var. albifluvis (Critically Imperiled Variety)

Graham's Beardtongue - Penstemon grahamii (Imperiled)

Wildlife

Grizzly Bear - Yellowstone National Park

California Condor - H9, Southern Utah/Northern Arizona

Gray Wolf - Yellowstone National Park

Eastern Black Rhinocerus - Critically Imperiled, Serengeti National Park

Black rhinoceros are listed as critically endangered and it has been noted that between 1960 and 1995, their numbers dropped by 98%, to less than 2,500 (Source: World Wildlife Fund, Inc.). Seen here in Serengeti National Park in 2019, the Eastern Black Rhinoceros, Diceros bicornis michaeli, belongs to one of three surviving subspecies of black rhinos recognized by the International Union of for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The Eastern Black Rhinoceros is considered Critically Endangered, as is the South-eastern Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis minor). The South-western Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis bicornis, which was previously assessed as Vulnerable, has been re-categorized as Near Threatened because of the increase in its population size according to the IUCN

October 2019

The entire California Condor population was reduced to 22 known individuals in the 1980s according to The Peregrine Fund. Recent studies have shown that lead poisoning from gunshot materials found in dead prey, such as deer that have been hunted in their vicinity, has caused over half of all condor deaths. According to information provided to the National Park Service by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the 2022 total world population of California Condors stood at 561, including 347 wild, free-flying individuals and 214 individuals in captivity. Nine new chicks fledged in the wild and the new Pacific Northwest flock was established in 2022. The following images were taken in February 2020 near Marble Canyon, Arizona.