Is it possible to reverse the current mass extinction event? There are many instances when critically endangered animal species have been brought back in numbers by the efforts of humans. So, you can say that there is still hope for humanity.

Giant Panda

The cute pandas that we see today were reduced to mere 800 in numbers in 1984 because of widespread hunting and deforestation. Their abysmally low birth rate also didn’t help matters. Once they were featured in the endangered list, hunting was prohibited and thanks to the efforts of Chinese government, humans were displaced from their habitat. Captive breeding programs were put in place to negate their low birth rate. According to 2016 census, giant pandas are numbered at 1,800 and have been moved up to the Vulnerable list.

Southern White Rhino

The use of powdered horns in traditional medicine had led to uncontrolled poaching of the Southern White Rhino of Africa to the brink of extinction. In 1895, there were less than a hundred of them in the wild. This led to various local and international law enforcements as well as many habitat conservatories were established to protect these majestic beasts. The species have since recovered and though not completely safe, are now placed in the Threatened list. Their numbers according to the count in 1995 is more than twenty thousand.

Snow Leopard

Snow leopard is one of the big five in the cat family and probably the most elusive. These beautiful felines had to be put in the critically endangered list in 1972 mostly because of habitat destruction because of climate change disrupting fragile mountain environment. There were also many instances of poaching as well as conflict with local communities. Once many local awareness programs to improve relations with local mountain communities were initiated and installation of leopard proof livestock pens were ordered, it collectively have had a positive impact in their population which finally crossed four thousand in 2017.

Gray Wolf

Gray wolves were the planet’s most widespread large land mammals after humans and livestock. But because of widespread hunting backed by unfortunate federal extermination programs and habitat destruction, this species was driven to near extinction in the 1960’s. Thankfully people started to look beyond them being a pest of livestock and understood their importance in the larger ecological picture. There were many efforts to minimize conflict between wolves and farms such as non-lethal deterrents, guard dogs and scare devices which lead to the regeneration of their numbers. In 2019, there were more than 6000 of them in the Northern Rockies. Even though thisnumber should have kept them in the endangered list, a few years ago they have been controversially delisted and are now no longer protected from hunters.