2. Extinction of a particular animal or
plant species occurs when there are no
more individuals of that species alive
anywhere in the world - the species
has died out. This is a natural part of
evolution
Endangered means for a species to be at
risk of becoming extinct from Earth
meaning the species population has dropped
so low that it is at risk of becoming
extinct in the wild.
3.
4. Habitat Loss
Deforestation and urbanization combine to create
two reasons why plants and animals become extinct.
Deforestation is leveling forests to harvest the wood or
create space for building or agriculture, while
urbanization is the turning of once-rural areas into
cities. As the human population grows, more and
more land has to be cleared and urbanized for living
space.
Global Warming
Global warming is the ongoing increase in the Earth's
atmospheric and ocean temperatures created by
the greenhouse effect; a temperature increase of
even 1 degree can affect plant and animal life.
5. Exotic Species Introduction
When animals and plants that are not native to a region
are introduced to the ecosystem, they can cause serious
damage to the local plants and animals, and potentially
contribute to their extinction. Native species must compete
with the exotic species for basic needs such as food and
water. If the exotic species is more aggressive than the
native species, the native species then runs the risk of
extinction.
Overexploitation
Overexploitation, also called overharvesting,
is the excessive harvesting of an animal or
plant species, making it harder for the
species to renew its numbers.
6.
7. We should educate people from the young age about the
importance of plants and animals in maintaining the ecosystem and
biodiversity. Young people should be educated how to protect our
environment in general and how to protect endangered animals in
particular. They should be told about the things that threat the
safety of wildlife so that they can avoid doing them. This should be
included in their curriculum at school.
One of the most important ways to help threatened plants and animals
survive is to protect their habitats permanently in national parks, nature
reserves or wilderness areas. There they can live without too much
interference from humans. It is also important to protect habitats outside
reserves such as on farms and along roadsides.
Each nation must enforce stricter law with more serious punishmentcapital punishment, for example- to prevent people from poaching rare
and valuable animals.
8. Plant trees. This will help create homes
for animals. Planting trees can also help
curb the impacts of climate change – one
of the major drivers of biodiversity loss.
Save on energy.
Save on paper.
Save on fuel.
Learn more about biodiversity and share it
with your family, friends, and colleagues.
Do not patronize wildlife products (fur,
tusks, hooves, etc).
Recycle and re-use. Better yet, spearhead
a recycling drive.
Turn off the lights in an empty room.
Stop using plastic bags.
9.
10. Biodiversity is the variety of life (its
ecosystems, populations, species and genes).
Saving endangered species (plants and animals)
from becoming extinct and protecting their wild
places is crucial for our health and the future of our
children.
As species are lost so too are our options for future
discovery and advancement. The impacts of
biodiversity loss include clearly into fewer new
medicines, greater vulnerability to natural disasters
and greater effects from global warming.