Environment Essay: We Can Stop The Extinction of Endangered Species

What is a species? What exactly is an endangered species? What is an extinct species? How have these species come to the point of becoming endangered or extinct? What can we do to save the endangered species that are near extinction? Can we actually do anything to save these species, or is it a lost cause? Why should I care?

The answer to many of these questions is not know by most people. As much attention as this subject gets from environmental groups and agencies, it gets just as much ignoring by the general public. Many people feel compelled to help or contribute, yet few seldom do carry out their intentions. This is a very serious subject that needs to receive immediate and full attention from the general public. Only they can truly make a difference. The concept of extinction just doesnt seem to be fully understood by many people. Once theyre gone, theyre gone for good. There is no returning from extinction. If we continue at the present rate we are at now, we could lose one bird or mammal species per year by the year 2000. These concepts and questions will be fully answered by the time you have completed reading this paper.

According to The American Heritage Dictionary of The English Language, A species is a fundamental category of taxonomic classification, ranking after a genus, and consisting of organisms capable of interbreeding . A simpler working definition agreed upon by most biologist is if two visibly different though similar groups of organisms live together with little or no sign of interbreeding, they are considered to be separate species. Dogs, cats, trees, flowers, and humans are all different examples of species. A definition of endangered species and a classification of when a species is endangered is such, organisms once common and abundant but now rare in numbers in the wild are considered to be endangered. And obviously, species that do not exist anymore are considered extinct. These are important fundamental concepts that need to be understood before anything can actually be done to help save or prevent endangered species from becoming extinct.

The methods and causes of many species becoming endangered and extinct are many and varied. Yet they are all related and caused by one all important underlying factor, humans. Humans are responsible for nearly every endangered species being that way and for very many of the species that have become extinct within the past few hundred years.