A species of plant or animal classified as endangered is a species that faces the risk extinction. Their possible extinction can be attributed to human activity, climate change, critical habitat loss, disruption in predator/prey ratio, and many other factors. The Endangered Species Act (ESA), established in 1973, is a federal mandate that requires the endangered species to be listed and subsequently protected to avoid future extinction of the species - included is the protection of their critical habitat. The ESA is the world’s most effective law pertaining to the conservation of species on the brink of extinction. Responsibility for the enforcement of this mandate is resided in the US Fish and Wildlife Services. Species of plants and animals …show more content…
Scientific data of historical and current population numbers of species are the tools used in determining the plants and animals that are included under the protection of the ESA. To be listed as an endangered species, a minimum of one of the following criteria must be met: large percentage of critical habitat is destroyed; the specie has been over-consumed through commercial, recreational, or scientific exploitation; threat of mass disease/predation; current inadequate protection; and/or human born factors that prevent the long term survival of the species. A species is delisted when it no longer faces the threat of the previous listed criteria and population numbers have increased to a sustainable number. The preservation of endangered species remains critical because of the consequential domino affect of negative repercussions that follow, i.e., a loss in biodiversity, ecological alterations, environmental degradation, a disruptions in the food chain, …show more content…
This ground nesting bird’s population decreased from 16 million during the 1900’s to nearly 350,000 in 2010. That is nearly a 98% loss of all sage grouse. In 2004, the sage grouse was refused protection under the ESA. However, on Sep. 22, 2015, the sage grouse was found to warrant protection needs and inducted to the federal endangered species list. Amphibians and reptiles in the Southwest United States have posed major survival issues, in particular the Arizona Toad species found in Utah. These toads, as well as many other reptiles and amphibians, are experiencing excessive habitat loss along with other threats to their survival. The Arizona toad is currently under review to determine the severity of it’s threatened state and if it should be protected under the
U.S. Department of the interior, National Park Service. (2013). Endangered Species. Retrieved from website: http://www.nature.nps.gov/biology/endangeredspecies/index.cfm
Landscape fragmentation contributes to loss of migratory corridors, loss of connectivity and natural communities, which all lead to a loss of biodiversity for a region. Conservation of biodiversity must include all levels of diversity: genetic, species, community, and landscape (CNHP 1995). Each complex level is dependent upon and linked to the other levels. In addition, humans are linked to all levels of this hierarchy. A healthy natural and human environment go hand in hand (CNHP 1995). An important step in conservation planning, in order to guarantee both a healthy natural environment as well as a healthy human environment, is recognizing the most endangered elements.
9. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: The Endangered Species Act of 1973. Department of the
The Endangered Species Act Introduction: Long-term survival of a species depends on its ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions (Murphy, 1994). Genetic diversity within a species, which has taken 3.5 billion years to evolve, makes adaptations to these changing environments possible. Unfortunately, the rate of extinction of genetically diverse organisms is rapidly increasing, thus reducing this needed biodiversity, largely due to the human impacts of development and expansion. What was an average of one extinction per year before is now one extinction per hour and extinct species numbers are expected to reach approximately one million by the year 2000 (WWW site, Bio 65). As a result governmental and societal action must be taken immediately!
Modern-day genetic technology has granted mankind with the opportunity to bring back extinct species from the dead. If humans have come to possess the DNA from an extinct animal population, it is possible to create an identical clone of the animal in question, effectively “bringing it back from the dead”. Many ethical dilemmas surround the practice of de-extinction, and rightfully so. Recreating an extinct species could produce groundbreaking scientific breakthroughs, generating exciting opportunities for future genetics-based research. However, there could also be monumental consequences: the newly revived, once-extinct species might destroy the ecological equilibrium of modern Earth
Humans are destructive. Not a lot of us think about how what we do affects the world around us. We almost act like we are the only ones on this planet. We go around polluting and destroying our world with no regard for our actions. The things that live out in the wild are paying the price for it. Every day that passes there is another animal or plant that is placed on an endangered list. This is happening at an alarming rate. Because of man’s desire to expand and conquer their surroundings, there are animals and plants that are on the brink of extinction that will not be around for our kids and future generations to enjoy if something is not done about it now. This problem has been going on for hundreds of years. There are animals and plants that can only been seen in paintings or early photography. It is because of our early ancestors that we have this problem today and we have to do more to prevent more animals and plants from disappearing forever.
...t of an invasive species is when it starts to displace or even eliminate native species. This can quickly snowball into a much greater negative ecological effect. A hierarchy is a useful way to demonstrate the impacts of an invasive species on an ecosystem as it progresses and becomes dominant (Meinesz, 2003).
nuclei was then inactivated and substituted with dead nuclei from the extinct frog. Some eggs started to grow and divide to early embryo stage (a tiny ball of m...
The ending of species such as weeds that are used by animals as shelter and/or food sources.
Any species which fall into the categories vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered are considered to be at risk of extinction. Robert Redford said “I think the environment should be put in the category of our national security defense of our resource’s because it’s just as important as defense abroad otherwise what is there to defend?” People should all take the environment more seriously and protect the future for those to come. It’s our responsibility to ensure that the children to come may enjoy all of earth’s beauty, and not through old issues of National Geographic’s.
Biodiversity loss can lead to extinction, and hurt human life. It is our responsibility to take care of the environment. We bring in machines that harm the environment and destroy animal life. We need to limit ourselves on how much land and resources we consume. There are major issues that are causing species to become extinct and hurt our way of life and other animals do to the change in food chain.
In the world today there are about five thousand endangered species. Around one specie dies out every year. Some animals become endangered because people are killing them for their horns, as in the case of the Black Rhino of Africa. Others become extinct because pesticides are put on the food we eat, causing the animals that eat the insects off the plant to become contaminated, which causes their predators to become contaminated, which often affects the shell of that organism?s egg. Here is a list of the endangered species, 91 endangered birds, 76 endangered mammals, 36 endangered reptiles, 21 endangered amphibians, 115 endangered fish, 70 endangered clams, 35 endangered snails, 44 endangered insects, 12 endangered arachnids, 21 endangered crustaceans, 594 endangered flowering plants.
The Earth is far and away the most biodiverse planet in our solar system, with about 8.7 million more unique species than the other 8 planets (UNEP). However, the Earth’s commanding lead is shrinking; not because the other planets are increasing biodiversity, but because Earth’s is decreasing. According to the World Wildlife Fund, we as a planet are losing 1,000 to 10,000 more species than the natural rate. Since the total number of species is hard to pin down, this can mean anywhere from 200 to 10,000 species going extinct per year (World Wildlife Fund). This obscenely high extinction rate is dangerous not just to ecosystems directly affected by the loss, but also creates a domino effect that circles around the globe and up and down the food
Although it may not seem saving or protecting endangered animals is important, it actually and truly is important because animals around the world are being killed for wildlife market goods which is illegal and destroys the species population in that environment. Citizens should take more concern with taking care of these endangered animals before they become totally extinct and will no longer be seen on the face of the earth. Recently researchers have found that poachers (hunters who hunt animals for their value with trading illegal merchandise) are killing thousands of animals a day, and they are doing so even to this day. These species should be treated with more responsibility and care. They are even being killed by human interactions
In our world today we have approximately 26,021 endangered species. Endangered species are organisms that may possible become extinct. The term 'endangered species' refers to all species that fits this description. However some conservation biologists and scientists normally use the term ‘endangered species’ to refer to species that are put on the IUCN(International Union for Conservation of Nature)Red List. Many factors can be looked at when considering the conservation status of a species. Factors such as human threats or environmental threats can cause a species to become endangered.