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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. 。

Via Giphy。

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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