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Polar bears have become the poster child for all the horrible things we're doing to the planet. But they're also a symbol of hope.。

Wildlife groups are fighting to save the Arctic-dwelling species as their habitat steadily melts and toxic chemicals pile up on the ice. 
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On Monday, conservationists will celebrate International Polar Bear Day to highlight the small but important steps people can take to help preserve the bears' homes -- namely by cutting greenhouse gas emissions to slow the pace of global warming.。

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Yet polar bears are far from the only species to galvanize wildlife lovers and drive conservation efforts.。

Here's a look at other endangered species that have inspired their own global movements.。

Pangolins。

Via Giphy。

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Companies like Google and nonprofits such as the World Wildlife Fund are also rolling out advanced technologies to track poachers and sniff out illegal shipments.。

True, these black-and-white bears are just as iconic as their Arctic cousins. But giant pandas are worth noting because they're actually rebounding thanks to decades of conservation work in China.。

Via Giphy。

In September, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) on Sunday moved the black-eared bears from "endangered" to "vulnerable" on its Red List of Threatened Species. The Chinese government has worked to replant bamboo forests -- the bears' main food source and habitat -- and develop captive breeding programs.。

Orangutans。

Orangutans。

The primate's habitat is rapidly disappearing as farmers burn and drain swamp forests to produce more palm oil -- an ingredient used in most of the world's packaged foods and bath products. A recent study found the Sumatran orangutan lost 60 percent of its habitat between 1985 and 2007.。

Feeling gloomy?

Feeling gloomy? How about a baby orangutan to cheer you up?

Born in November, the infant became the first orangutan to be born inside the Thirty Hills conservation concession, a 100,000-acre forest on Indonesia's Sumatra island. World Wildlife Fund said the birth was a "symbol of hope" for the specie's future. 。

Humpback whales 。

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