To comprehend animal extinction, one has to first understand the difference between extinction and endangerment. According to the Oxford University Museum of Natural History extinction is when a species has died out and an endangered animal is an animal that is at risk of extinction.

A primary reason why most animals have gone extinct is due to poaching, which means illegal hunting. This is the reason why woolly mammoths died out along with the saber tooth tigers.

According to the Center for Biological Diversity, our planet is now in the midst of its sixth mass extinction of plants and animals — the sixth wave of extinctions in the past half-billion years. Scientists estimate we’re now losing species at 1,000 to 10,000 times the background rate, with literally dozens going extinct every day.  

This is why many students have organized protests and are working towards a better future for our furry friends.