Humanity And Wildlife: The California Grizzly Bear

Humanity and Wildlife

In 1953, the California grizzly bear was officially designated the state animal of California (State Symbols USA, 1). The irony with this is that the California grizzly bear had been extinct twenty nine years prior to it becoming the official state animal (State Symbols USA, 1). According to the Valley Center History Museum (VCHM), when the first settlers started to explore the western regions of the US, many of them encountered an estimate amount of ten thousand California grizzly bears (Grizzly Bear, 8). VCHM also gives insight over the reasoning behind the extinction of the grizzly bear, citing that the bear was originally hunted to protect the settlers, but this later evolved into hunting it for sport and for its

fur, most likely to be sold for profit (Grizzly Bear, 10). California grizzly bears are not the only animals hunted for both recreation and profit. The rhinoceros is also a species facing extinction due to illegal hunting for their horns. Unlike the California grizzly, these species still have the opportunity to recover. However, urbanization has halted progression for animals to replenish, and has caused animals to migrate to different locations. The relocation of certain species is not only due to urbanization it is also due to climate change. The warming of the Arctic is causing some animals to die off, like coral. Humanity has contributed to the extinction and near extinction of species through poaching, urbanization, and climate change caused by the warming of the planet. This research paper will first address the poaching of rhinos and destructive acts happening to coral. Second part of the essay will talk about urbanization and how it affects rhinos and coral. Lastly will be the effects climate change has had to coral.
Poaching has impacted the rhinoceros population tremendously, and is contributing to their rapid decline in population. Rhinoceros have been hunted illegally for their horns, which are in high demand. In Yemen, the horns are used to make daggers called Jambiya, which are given to the Yemeni boys as a sign of manhood and devotion to Muslim religion (Rhino Horn Use: Fact vs Fiction, 2). This tradition is still practiced today, even though the Yemeni government banned the importation of rhino horns (Rhino Horn Use: Fact vs Fiction, 2). The problem with poaching rhinos for their horns is that it has led to the extinction of one type of rhinoceros called the black rhinoceros, which was declared extinct in 2006, according to Time Magazine (Nicks, 2). The resulting effect of the extinction could lead to the endangerment of other species of rhinos. Because of the high demand for rhino horns it would lead to more poaching, and once they are fewer rhinos to get horns from, it could lead to consumers paying more, and as a result of the increase in cost, which would give poachers more of a reason to go after rhinos. Similarly, rhinos are not the only ones dealing with excess hunting, coral reef’ building species are facing similar repercussions.
Overfishing of species native to coral reefs have also contributed to their decline, given that coral requires certain spaces to build them up.

One of the causes of overfishing are destructive fishing practices, like dynamite fishing. Fishermen need to figure out better methods of catching fish instead of resorting to the current destructive techniques, such as dynamite fishing, for the reason that current techniques are catastrophic to the coral reefs. Dynamite fishing is a procedure involving an explosion under water, the resulting explosion causing the dead fish to surface (Fishing problems: Destructive fishing practices, 5). This method of fishing can be devastating to coral reefs, as explosions can be unpredictable. Using these current practices shows that humans are indirectly causing the extinction of the coral reefs through their devastating practices of over fishing. With this in mind, some of the motives behind poaching overfishing are largely for self

interest.
Some people that practice poaching and overfishing do not commit this act because of amusement, some of them do it to feed their families. An article on the BBC gives insight on the motives of the poachers through a film made by a South African filmmaker named James Walsh. People in these communities they see the wildlife as either food for their families or food to sell, and horns are just a bonus for killing them for food (Segendi, 7). To some in the communities, they practice poaching because most of them are unemployed and need some way to feed themselves. Unemployment in Africa is a complication that must be addressed to prevent poaching, and Africa's unemployment is largely due to Africa’s poor economy. Instead of focusing on giving Africans shoes, computers, or books, we should instead invest in Africa's economy to help them create more jobs. This would resolve Africa’s unemployment problem and would decrease poaching. In like manner, Fishermen’s motives for overfishing are also economically influenced.
Currently there is a high demand for fish, and on behalf of the high demand the fisherman would have to meet consumer demand to keep their company open. The resulting high demand is causing fishermen to overfish, however, because fishermen are fishing in high quantities, this is leading to an inflation on the price of the fish. According to The Pew Charitable Trusts, commercial fishermen are losing millions in potential revenues by reason of years of overfishing (Sunken Millions:the Hidden Cost of Overfishing to Commercial Fishermen, 1). As a result of overfishing, fishermen are losing substantial revenue, which could lead to them fishing even more as that they could make a profit. The consumers high demand for fish is leading to the death of the coral, as coral need fishes to survive. Corals give insight into the health of the ocean and if the coral is dying, off this is a sigh something is wrong. A solution to the problem would be for consumers to find different alternatives to fish, so that the demand for fish would decline and hopefully give fish a chance to replenish. If the consumption of fish is important to the consumer then they should find a fish a there is plentiful of. Although overfishing and poaching is a problem to rhinos and coral, urbanization is becoming a looming threat as deforestation and urban pollution are affecting their habitat.
While poaching is the biggest threat rhinos are currently facing, the remaining rhinos would have to deal with habitat loss caused by urbanization. The WWF reports that in places like India they have to cut down forest to make more room for the population and build more buildings (Rhinoceros, 14). In places like Asia, rhinoceros have been pushed back to smaller areas where there is a smaller population, as a result of urbanization. However, the problem with this is that it would lead to a greater chance of inbreeding (Rhinoceros, 16). This could lead to more diseases, shorter life spans, and a higher chance of developing deformities. The result of urbanization caused by human expansion could very well lead to the extinction of the rhinoceros as they would not have a habitat to stay in. Even if they did, it would be an area with a smaller population resulting in inbreeding. In order to solve this we must find rhinos a large area that is not inhabited by people and put them all in that location. In order to prevent inbreeding we must make sure to keep bringing in any rhinos that are not already located in that region to diversify the rhinos. Correspondingly, coral is also getting affected by urbanization through urban pollution, some of which ends up at the ocean.
Another devastating effect people are having on coral is due to urban pollution, ranging from oil to harmful chemicals. According to WWF, over eighty percent of pollution came from land based activities (Marine Problems: Pollution, 2). Oil spills can be a messy problem and challenging to clean up According to a study conducted by the US National Research Council they believe that thirty six percent of oil comes for the drains and rivers from nearest cities (Marine Problems: Pollution, 2). This shows that urbanization is having a negative effect of species. However, it is not just oils that can come from the cities to the oceans. Chemicals also make their way to the ocean in a similar way. When there is a chemical spill near a river, it is most likely to end up in an ocean later to be absorbed by any species it comes near (Marine Problems: Pollution, 15). To solve problems like this we must properly dispose of oil like substances and chemicals and make sure that they are away from water sources. Due to factors like deforestation and urban pollution, this in return impacts the effects of global warming, which greatly affects coral.
The process of urbanization has contributed to worsening climate change as chemicals and cutting down trees would have a negative impact to the environment. In places like the amazon, in order to urbanize they have to get rid of trees to make way for the new houses, they do so by burning down the trees (Climate Impacts: rainfall and temperature, 3). According to the NASA Earth Observation, sciences believe that the amazon has ten years worth of carbon produced by greenhouses (Climate Impacts: rainfall and temperature, 3). By burning down the trees in the amazon this would release the carbon into the atmosphere which would enhance the effects of climate change. Again, action like burning down forest causes the earth to get warmer and impacts greenhouse gases.
Humans have contributed to climate change immensely, especially through the burning of coal, which releases CO2. The cause of climate change is due to a rise in greenhouse gasses, like coal, which is the main cause of climate change. Coral reefs have taken a huge blow over the years as a result of climate change by cause of the change in temperature of the water and the loss of its reef building species (Dell'amore, 16). The Great Barrier Reef has seen a massive die off of the coral. According to an article in The New York Times, the reasoning behind the mass die off of coral is of the resulting warming of the ocean, which is bleached and weakening the coral resulting in their die off (Innis, 1). Humans that are using coal for energy are causing the temperature in the ocean to rise, therefore they are contributing to their extinction of coral. To keep prevent global warming becoming worse we must stop burning down forest, instead of burning them down people should cut them down by hand, which would in return create more jobs. We must invest in alternative energy sources like solar or wind power, so that people would no longer burn coal for energy.
Humanity is having a profound effect on wildlife whether if we know it or not.

Poaching and overfishing is a big problem that we are facing. Some people do not like to poach, for they poach just to stay alive. Fishermen overfish because a combination of decreasing profit and high consumer demands. This shows that people rely on these rhinos and fish to be able to put food on the table, it shows that we need each other. Nature is like jenga if you take one peace we could all go down with it. The process of urbanization is greatly affecting wildlife through deforestation and urban pollution. Deforestation is causing the loss habitats and urban pollution is causing damage to the ocean, which in return also affects climate

change.