It is important to note that consuming endangered species is illegal and poses a threat to their survival. However, to raise awareness about the need for conservation, here is a list of 25 plants and 25 animals that were either historically consumed or are used for traditional medicinal purposes but are currently listed as endangered. Remember, their protection should be prioritized rather than their consumption.
Example List of Engandered Plants:
1. American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius)
2. Baikal Skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis)
3. Black Cohosh (Actaea racemosa)
4. Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
5. Chinese Yam (Dioscorea polystachya)
6. Corkwood (Duboisia myoporoides)
7. Elephant Tree (Bursera microphylla)
8. False Unicorn Root (Chamaelirium luteum)
9. Gentian (Gentiana spp.)
10. Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis)
11. Hoodia (Hoodia spp.)
12. Lady’s Slipper Orchid (Cypripedium calceolus)
13. Lignum Vitae (Guaiacum officinale)
14. Madagascar Periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus)
15. Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum)
16. Queen’s Slipper Orchid (Cypripedium reginae)
17. Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium)
18. Slippery Elm (Ulmus rubra)
19. Star Cactus (Astrophytum asterias)
20. St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)
21. Trillium (Trillium spp.)
22. Turmeric (Curcuma longa)
23. Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula)
24. White Ginseng (Panax ginseng)
25. Wild Licorice (Glycyrrhiza lepidota)
Example List of Endangered Animals:
1. African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus)
2. Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii)
3. Amur Leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis)
4. Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus)
5. Baiji (Yangtze River Dolphin) (Lipotes vexillifer)
6. Beluga Sturgeon (Huso huso)
7. Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis)
8. Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus)
9. Bonobo (Pan paniscus)
10. Cross River Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli)
11. Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
12. Irrawaddy Dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris)
13. Javan Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus)
14. Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
15. Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei)
16. North Atlantic Right Whale (Eubalaena glacialis)
17. Orangutan (Pongo spp.)
18. Pangolin (Manis spp.)
19. Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi)
20. Red Wolf (Canis rufus)
21. Saiga Antelope (Saiga tatarica)
22. Sea Cucumber (Holothuroidea spp.)
23. Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia)
24. Sumatran Tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae)
25. Western Lowland Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla)
There are many more which are not listed. The important point is: species do go extinct and humans have been the cause in some cases. Worse, we have overconsumed past food sources to extinction rather than cultivate them as a continued resource. Endangered species require conservation efforts and protection to prevent their further decline and extinction. If you will see the big picture, if you are willing to understand how and why human survival depends upon thriving biodiversity, do what you can to protect these and other endangered species, before the human species itself is officially added to the list.
Endangered species that humans need to stop eating include whales, pangolins, sharks, tigers, elephants, primates, bluefin tuna, Chinese giant salamander, green sea turtle, chinook salmon, and sturgeon[1][2][3]. Eating these animals contributes to the unsustainable exploitation of threatened animal species and can lead to their extinction. Additionally, feeding wildlife can lead to a number of serious problems, including malnourishment, disease transmission, and aggressive behavior[4]. However, there is a concept of eater-based conservation, which holds that to save something, one has to eat it, but this works well for agricultural products and some wild foods like clams that benefit from regular harvests[5].
Citations:
[1] https://eia-international.org/what-can-you-do/take-action/dont-use-or-eat-parts-of-endangered-animals/
[2] https://www.treehugger.com/endangered-species-that-are-still-on-the-menu-4869242
[3] https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/apr/03/deadly-appetite-10-animals-we-are-eating-into-extinction
[4] https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/wildlifedamage/dontfeedwildlife/dont-feed-wildlife
[5] https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/30/dining/30come.html
