Today is Endangered Species Day

May 18, 2018

The bush dog — Speothos venaticus — is a New World canid which makes Panama the northern end of its range, which goes down to Argentina. Shy, often but not always nocturnal, generally a forest dweller, it has recently been found by scientists at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute to be more common in Panama than thought. The species, despite its wide range, is considered to be moderately endangered. Photo by Tamako The Jaguar.

Be nice to endangered species today!

Do not litter their habitat — throwing plastic stuff in a storm drain is a standard way to make the lives of endangered marine species miserable to impossible.

Do not destroy their habitat — “cleaning” the land for no good purpose, and especially by setting it on fire or spraying toxic chemicals on it, is downright mean.

Be mean to politicians who disregard the environment, whatever justification they may proffer — environmental destruction equals fewer votes is the equation they must learn.