May 18, 2007 was declared as the Endangered Species Day in the United States. It was started last year with the aim to “encourage the people of the United States to become educated about, and aware of, threats to species, success stories in species recovery, and the opportunity to promote species conservation worldwide.”

The Endangered Species Act of the US is considered as the most successful conservation laws in the country.

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In the latest list released by WWF, the tiger landed as the most in-demand animal, meaning it is the most “bought, sold, smuggled, killed or captured for trade purposes.”

The most immediate threat to wild tigers is poaching for trade. Despite international and domestic bans, a thriving black market for tiger skins and bones threatens to wipe out wild tigers. China, with its booming economy, burgeoning human population and ancient traditions of using tiger parts as medicine and clothing, is the world’s leading consumer of tiger products. [wwf.worldwildlife.org]

Here are some advocacy videos geared towards saving tigers:

Other species cited by WWF as most endangered by international trade include red and pink coral, Asian rhinos, the European eel, African and Asian elephants, the figleaf mahogany found in central and South America, Asian elephants and great apes – including gorillas, chimpanzees and orangutans. [inthenews.co.uk]