The Growing Crisis of Animal Extinction and Human Impact
Have you ever considered how many extinct animals would be alive if only humanity had done multiple projects differently without harming the environment and its creatures? What would be the impact on the animals? The importance of animal extinction is to inform our community due to the fact multiple creatures are dying per decade. Our ecosystem is failing, therefore, the number of endangered and extinct creatures is increasing massively and at a fast rate. Tons of gallons of waste are being thrown into the ocean yearly, affecting many sea mammals and other creatures. The animals will eat plastic, get tangled among the trash, different chemicals being thrown into the water, causing many to their deaths. Due to many projects that our society has created in the past decades for self-satisfaction, it has had the outcome of our climate to drastically change, which many animals lose their habitats. Either their homes are set on fire or their habitat melts due to the hot weather. Due to climate change taking place in the past decades to the present, an incident that is known worldwide took place in Australia, the forest was on fire due to its hot weather, placing multiple animals at risk of extinction and decreasing their number by half. Many people that live among forests or wide areas, tend to hunt for animals as a hobby, but most are currently listed as endangered species. These animals are targeted and killed to make products: purses, shoes, boots, belts, facial products, food, etc. But overall, approximately 30,000 species die per year due to the lack of habitat and nonadjustable lifestyle. Therefore, many at risk of extinction: such as our community taking over their land, for personal benefits without considering the environment’s consequences, or due to wars that are taking place at their homes and themselves involved. Multiple species that have gone extinct within the past decade might have still been alive if only society had planned projects differently without affecting our ecosystem.
Ocean Pollution and Its Devastating Effects on Marine Life
Yearly, it is estimated 14 billion pounds of garbage is released into the ocean, polluting approximately 88 percent of its surface. According to the National Academy of Science, water pollution kills nearly 1 million seabirds and 100,000 sea animals every year. Furthermore, 1.2 trillion gallons of waste are released into the ocean, creating much toxic waste and failure in the reproductive system of marine animals. Most of the water is currently contaminated by plastic cigarette butts, food wrappers, plastic beverage bottles, plastic bottle caps, and plastic straws, which can cause a lack of oxygen in the ocean for multiple sea animals. There’s more than one type of water pollution besides plastic: Sewage, Farm animal waste, Pesticides and herbicides, Construction, floods, and storms, lastly, Factories. Sewage pollution is a type of wastewater that is commonly on streams and rivers, causing harmful bacterias that can make multiple species ill and cause their death and maybe, extinction, having similar to side effects of factories that its waste goes into both the ocean and rivers. Pesticides and herbicides are sprays that its purpose is to kill bugs and weeds, in which transport by rainstorms, contaminating rivers and lakes, increasing the chances of cancer. Construction, floods, and storms lower the oxygen content, therefore, sea animals such as fishes suffocate. Factories pollute rivers and the ocean by disposing of their waste into them. If any animal drinks from a polluted river or ocean, mentioning the above, has a negative side effect, increasing their chances of extinction. Affecting the animal’s reproductive system or their mating rituals, decreasing the species’ average population. Even after such incidents of water pollution and its disadvantages to our ecosystem, there are programs in which protect animals from becoming endangered or extinct.
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The Endangered Species Act: Efforts to Protect and Restore Animal Populations
The Endangered Species Act, also known as ESA is a program of people who protect endangered species and restore their population to a higher number. Approximately, 84 percent of Americans support ESA to protect endangered species and many being protected by law to recover its population. Due to the fact many species are dying at a fast rate, many Americans are willing to against bills to keep ESA protections for those animals endangered, which is a total of 1,400 species in the United States only, including their habitat. Certain species may not be able to be protected by ESA due to the fact the cause of many animal’s extinction is due to water pollution and climate change, which is uncomplicated for the program to prevent. According to experts and scientists, approximately 0.1 percent of species go extinct, which is estimated 10,000 higher than its regular rate, yearly. The extinction of many animals had been mostly caused by our community. Which has been previously mentioned: pollution, climate change, hunting, and loss of habitat. Climate change is one of the major causes of animal extinction in the world, either causing wildfires and ice melting.
Climate Change: A Major Driver of Habitat Loss and Species Extinction
Multiple species both on land and water are strongly affected by the massive change of climate change taking place in the present, which causes many to become endangered from extinction due to the fact it changes their lifestyle and surviving skills. According to CCAP, carbon dioxide, super pollution, and nitrous oxide are the main cause of climate change, creating multiple wildfires and loss of habitat, such as Australia's wildfires causing the number to decrease by half, therefore, many species at risk of extinction. Carbon Dioxide is released when fossil fuels are used, such as burning coal for electricity. Super Pollution is black carbon and methane, which are human sources in agriculture and transportation. Lastly, Nitrous Oxide is released from fossil fuels and solid water; which half of all species are estimated to extinct by the 2100s century. The polar ice is melting at an alarming rate from underneath, due to global warming. NASA has calculated, approximately 40 percent of the Arctic Ice has decreased since the 1960s. Mostly having a disadvantage on polar bears, whales, and seals. Natural extinction cannot always be prevented, in which animals can not adapt to a new area and poor reproduction does occur.
The Natural and Accelerated Rate of Animal Extinction
Many animals can naturally become extinct due to the fact, the number of its species can decrease over time. Experts have previously mentioned, the regular rate of animal extinction is between 200 to 2,000. If humanity did not exist, the regular rate of animal extinction would be a maximum of 2,000 animals going extinct yearly. Due to the fact, our community has not only hunted animals for self products but also, due to many projects for our society and self-satisfaction, it has affected animals and their lifestyle - making it much more difficult. The fact dozen are going extinct at a fast rate yearly is also caused by the fact animals are constantly targeted as a hobby and a sport. Even after multiple warnings of endangered animals and nearly extinct, the number continues decreasing. People receive awards, such as a trophy and prices for hunting animals.
Hunting and Habitat Loss: Direct Human Actions Leading to Extinction
Many animals are targeted for products or as a hobby, increasing a certain number of species to be endangered. Approximately, more than 150 species are endangered due to hunting, which is usually weak animals that may not be able to defend themselves and to make famous brands. The animals most commonly being hunted for products are hippopotamus for their meat and ivory. The second most common is the great white sharks for their fins to make dishes in Asia. The third most common is the African Lion due to the fact, it is a legal sport in Africa to hunt them for trophy prizes, which half its population had decreased since the 1950s. Many hunters are unaware the animals that are being killed are endangered or at risk of being labeled at risk. Hunters may lack to identify the species of animal they are about to kill, causing certain species to become less common over time. The major cause of animal extinction is the loss of habitat, lacking to adapt to a different area.
Many animals are targeted for products or as a hobby, increasing a certain number of species to be endangered. Approximately, more than 150 species are endangered due to hunting, which is usually weak animals that may not be able to defend themselves and to make famous brands. The animals most commonly being hunted for products are hippopotamus for their meat and ivory. The second most common is the great white sharks for their fins to make dishes in Asia. The third most common is the African Lion due to the fact, it is a legal sport in Africa to hunt them for trophy prizes, which half its population had decreased since the 1950s. Many hunters are unaware the animals that are being killed are endangered or at risk of being labeled at risk. Hunters may lack to identify the species of animal they are about to kill, causing certain species to become less common over time. The major cause of animal extinction is the loss of habitat, lacking to adapt to a different area.
Conclusion: The Urgency of Addressing Animal Extinction
There are multiple reasons behind the loss of habitat: wars, wildfires their homes melting due to the extreme heat, taking over lands and destroying their homes. More than a million species have been at risk due to a massive wildfire in Australia. One-third of the 1,700 square mile island has been burned due to the massive wildfire causing many animals to lose their habitat. Mostly koalas and kangaroos have become affected by the fire, which is believed to go extinct. Habitat destruction is the primary cause of animal extinction. Which Australian Museum has mentioned, scientists believe the sixth mass extinction is taking place. Clearing certain territories for agriculture is the main cause of habitat destruction. It includes mining, trawling, logging, and urban sprawl. There are multiple reasons for animal extinction due to human actions, that damaged our ecosystem and many species.
Numerous animals have gone extinct due to the fact our society's projects have massively changed our ecosystem, which many species have come across multiple disadvantages. The life extension of many animals has shortened drastically the past decades, which it is assumes, half of the species will be extinct by the 21st century. Even though natural extinction occurs very often, it is happening twice as fast compared to its normal rate. The normal extinction rate is 200 to 2,000 yearly but has increased by 5 times its natural rate, up to 10,000 times deaths. There is yet time for humanity to make changes and save the planet and its creatures from extinction. Therefore, the awareness of animal extinction should be heard and shared to correct our mistakes.
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