Endangered species

Introduction

Earth is a strange and wonderful place. Its neighboring planets are virtually lifeless, but earth's atmosphere makes it an oasis in space. It is rich in habitats that are living places for an incredible variety of plants and animals. All over the planets, millions of animals from thousands of species are in danger. As humans interfere with the environment, the habitats animals live in are destroyed, and the air and water that they need is polluted. Hunters and trappers are also proving more deadly to some species than their natural predators in the wild. Almost everyday, a species faces extinction somewhere in the world.

 

Discussion

Animals of all kinds are struggling to survive as our world changes. Day by day, people require even more space, food, etc., and all these demands put a squeeze on the earth's resources, including its wildlife. The biggest problem for wildlife today is that people destroy and change natural landscapes and animals lose places that they need to live in. Dams on a river, for example, stop fish from moving up and downstream. Also, too many cattle or sheep put out to pasture in natural grasslands can dangerously thin out our foliage because of grazing and trampling. Pollution is another serious threat to wildlife, especially in areas where lots of people live. The terrible fires and oil spills that started the 1991 Gulf War destroyed countless animals. Many birds migrating across the areas were killed because they were coated with soot from the thick soot. Also, many flew down to the oil lakes, mistaking the gleaming surface for water (Doremus 1998). It is normal in nature for animals to rise and fall in number. In today's world, however, the threats to wildlife are so great that thousands of species are becoming scarce at the same time. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has started to keep a record of which animals are endangered and to take preventative measures against their extinction.

PROBLEMS IN NORTH AMERICA AND THE CARRIBEAN

        Endangered species in North America and the Caribbean have declined for many reasons. Environmental destruction for agriculture and industry, pollution, and hunting have all damaged wildlife and its habitats. The cougar, for example, has become extremely rare in many regions because its hunting grounds have been turned into fields and settlements. And although it seldom attacks farm animals, farmers often kill it, thinking that will protect their herds. The West Indian manatee is in danger all around the Caribbean. It lives in estuaries and on coasts, often where people are busily using the water. Lots of manatees die every year when they collide with motor boats, become entangled in fishing net, and are harmed by pollution (O'Connell 1997).

        One of the most serious problems in tropical countries is the destruction of rain forest. Lots of animals that live in them cannot survive anywhere else. The blue-headed quail dove forages on the floor of tall, shady forests where there is not too much undergrowth. But on its homeland, Cuba, untouched ...