ENDANGERED SPECIES AND NORTH
AMERICA
North American was once a
vast, mostly empty wilderness, where many wild animals flourished. But in the
last 400 years, hunting and the destruction of natural vegetation have
greatly reduced the numbers of animals. Some species are close to extinction.
Prior to the great decline of North American wildlife over the past 400
years, there were many animals that lived in far greater abundance than they
do today, for example: the bison (60 million), bald eagle (150, 000), and grizzly bear (100, 000). These are some of the
animals that have already become extinct in North America:
The following organisms
are under threat:
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THE THREATS TO SPECIES Human beings are not the only force affecting animal populations. Even when left to its own rhythms, a population of animals experiences ups and donws, Natural populations increase due to births and immigration from neighboring groups. Decreases can be due to emigration or dispersal and death due to aging, disease, accidents, predators, and starvation. The size of any population depends upon these factors, plus the quantity and quality of food, water, and shelter available; weather and climate; and the behaviour of those animals such as territoriality, stress tolerance, mating behaviour, social interactions, food preferences, and the animal’ ability to adapt to new food sources. These natural checks and balances, however, have been
upset by the enormous pressure placed upon animals by the presense and
activity of human beings, whether intentional or not. Threats to the
continued well-being, and even existence, of many species of animals are
serious and widespread, including: ·
habitat destruction (urbanization, deforestation,
desertification) ·
overhunting and overfishing ·
pesticides, herbicides, and other toxic compounds
that poison the food chain ·
global warming ·
acid rain and other forms of air pollution ·
toxic waste buildup and environmental contamination ·
surface- and groundwater pollution ·
the over-collecting of animals for pets and other
commercial products ·
poaching and other illegal activities that kill
wildlife ·
hazardous human refuse, such as plastic waste, that
entangle animals and cause internal injuries and death when ingested ·
growing human populations and competition with
animals for resources ·
disturbance and stress caused by contact with
humans while involved in hiking, photographing, bird-watching, boating, and
other activities |
HOW TO HELP SPECIES
There are actions we can take to be a positive force in helping to preserve animals species: ·
Use less electricity to decrease the need for power
plants, which could mean one less hydroelectric dam destroying thousands of
acres of habitat for wildlife and humans. ·
Reduce the demand for resources and reuse and
recycle our waste products to place a smaller demand on the environment, and
help to prevent the pollution of water ·
Drive less, use more mass transit, and buy fewer
plastics and synthetic clothing to decrease the need for oil and the
resulting environmental disasters associated with extracting and transporting
oil. Burning less gasoline, oil and other fossil fuels also decreases the
contribution to acid rain and global warming ·
Refuse to eat or use the products made from all
animals that are threatened or endangered to take pressure off their
diminishing numbers ·
Refrain from the use of goods produced from the
habitats of endangered species and boycott foods that harm endangered species
indirectly while the food is being captured, grown, or processed |
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THE VALUE OF SPECIES As people realize how deeply we are interconnected with all life on Earth, the importance of all organisms is being realized. Still, the questions of value are often asked, “Why should we care so much about animals – endangered species in particular? Why are they so important?” Consider the many ways that any species is of irreplaceable value: ·
ecological, as sources of genetic and
biological diversity and stability and as warnings or signs of environmental
health, as threads in the web of life ·
economic, since animals are used for
food, clothing, shelter, and more ·
educational and scientific, as
teachers to help us better understand our environment and ourselves ·
historical, connecting us with our
own cultural past and that of Earth ·
recreational, for our enjoyment while
engaged in outdoor activities ·
aesthetic and symbolic, as sources of
beauty, inspiration, and wildness ·
spiritual, as sources of our
connection with all our relation on Earth, both human and wild ·
inherent or intrinsic, the value of a
species possesses simply by virtue of its existence and being, regardless of
whatever values people do or do not attribute to it ·
ethical, that species have the right
to exist, and that human beings play a role to preserve, not
destroy, other species |