Endangered Species:
What happens next?
Endangered Species
Did you know that 3,079 animals are endangered? There are also 2,154 plants endangered. That’s 5,323 endangered species in the world. That’s a big problem.
Tasmanian Devil
Tasmanian Devils are solitary animals that are marsupiuls. There greatest threats are TDFT and habitatt loss.
Irrawaddys Dolphin
Irrawaddy Dolphins are native to South and Southeast Asia. There less than 100 of these adorable playful creatures left.
Bald Eagle
DDT caused bald eagle eggs to cripple stopping them from reproducing.
Why is this happining?
Why does this happen?
Pollution is another cause of species becoming endangered. There are many forms of pollution like water, air, and ground pollution. When toxic substances get into soil in an area, it will poison the soil and everything in and around it. From bacteria to plants, to insects and the birds and animals that eat them.Diseases can occur naturally, but it is still a major cause of species becoming endangered. A few years ago, the bald eagle almost became extinct. It was caused by an insect killer called DDT. When people used the substance in their gardens and homes, it washed from their homes to sewer systems, to the lakes and rivers where bald eagles fished for food. Luckily, officials soon realized the problem and DDT was illegal to use. A natural disease that occurs like, TDFT (Tasmanian Devil Facial Tumors) is caused by tumors that form in the face and grow till it pushes out all the teeth eventually starving them to death. Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent or cure this disease. Illegal trade poaching is a big concern for endangered species. Many poachers will kill the animal’s mother and take the offspring. They will then be sold to the black market. Many animals are poached for their meat, pelts, and organs. They are used for food, medicine, clothes, and decoration. In 2012 World Wildlife Fund found a preserved tiger in a former poacher’s house. The poacher was planning to sell the tiger to the black market after tigers went extinct. So then the price would be in the billions. When there are too many species in an environment, the species have to compete for food and water. Eventually one species has to move to a different environment where they will have to adapt to the new environment, but many of them will die in the process. This mostly occurs in wooded areas where the trees are cut down for human uses. With only a little patch of wood left to live, these animals must compete for survival.
Why do we care?
What happens if animals go extinct?The major worry is that if animals go extinct we will never have them back, ever. So this is important that we should encourage others to have the same awareness and contribute also. When one animal goes extinct, there is another. What happens when ALL our animals go extinct? We would have to leave earth. And life would be very different. No dogs at your feet. No horses to ride and no zoos to look at animals.It’s like a domino effect. When one species is removed from the food chain, gradually, other animals start dropping out one by one, until the whole ecosystem is crushed. The species prey thrives, and what eats it dies out. Then what eats the extinct animals die out too, ripping apart the food web one animal at a time.
How can we help?
How can we prevent species becoming extinct? The best thing you could do is help your environment. Try planting native plant around the neighborhood to encourage native animals to return. Put out bird feeders, bird houses, and bird baths in your yard to give wild birds a home. Volunteer at local animal shelters or help clean up your neighborhood. You can visit nearby national parks and wildlife reserves and ask park rangers what you can do to help local wild life and endangered species. You can join organizations that support helping endangered species and help them by donating money for their cause. World Wildlife Fund is a great example of an organization you can contribute to. Donate money to an animal and feel good that you have helped. Not a lot of people care for the environment. So it’s up to us to make a difference.
Polar Bear
Polar bears are endangered due to global warming and thoughtless hunting.
Black Bear
These bears are still hunted for sport, but are doing just fine!
Brown Bear
Hunted for no reason. These bears only attack when she feels threatened or to protect her cubs.