Panther Pride! Take Action On Endangered Species Day With Eco-Schools USA

This post is an Endangered Species Day guest post by National Wildlife Federation. It is a part of our occasional series by Endangered Species Coalition Member Organizations.

By Amanda C. Cooke
Communications Associate
National Wildlife Federation

Coming up this Friday, Endangered Species Day is a time for students, families and wildlife enthusiasts to learn about local species and their habitats. Currently, there are 1,324 endangered species in the United States—750 plants and 574 animals are listed.

This week, we’re challenging you to learn at least one new plant or animal that is endangered in your area. Share with us a species you learned about and want to protect—post it on Facebook, blog about it, Tweet with hashtag #speciesday, or even comment below. Check out www.nwf.org/esday to learn more about Endangered Species Day 2010.

Panther, puma, cougar, mountain lion, catamount: which is it?

The names written above are often used interchangeably; technically they are all common names for one species of wild cat called puma concolor. My high school’s mascot was the panther, even though the cats were maliciously hunted and eradicated from the Hudson Valley years ago. Only one subspecies of the nation’s largest cat remains in the eastern United States—the Florida panther. Although added to the Endangered Species List in 1973, there are fewer than 100 Florida panthers left in the wild.

Eco-Schools USA engages our future leaders

While growing up, the classroom setting helped inculcate in me an awareness of our planet’s need for conservation stewardship. NWF hosts the Eco-Schools USA program to help boost schoolwide energy efficiency, reduce consumption, inspire the next generation of climate scientists, and develop a more global perspective. The program, now in 38 states and growing, is part of an international network of more than 30,000 schools. Want to learn more or register your school? Just visit ecoschoolsusa.org.

I look forward to hearing about your local wildlife!

Resources

Visit our Wildlife Library to learn about the Florida panther and other species of precious wildlife.

How many endangered species are currently listed in your state? Click here to search by location.

Read the Endangered Species Coalition’s press release on Endangered Species Day here.

Photo Credit: Florida panther by Flickr’s Monica R.