Endangered Species Brief

Over the past few days, I have been conducting research towards my endangered species project. I have collected a plethora of resources and information from a wide variety of reputable sources such as the World Wildlife Fund, National Geographic, and several government agencies. Through my research into this environmental issue, I have uncovered the who, what, where, when, and why. Here is what I found.

The first question I needed to answer was who is creating this problem. The answer was us, the human beings who live on this planet. Our actions result into the endangerment and, occasionally, the extinction of various species. Things such as man-made global warming cause temperature changes killing off large portions of a population like polar bears in the arctic circle. Other activities such as deforestation and other types habitat destruction also have a profound affect on the other species that inhabit the Earth. Things such as overpopulation could result in the need for more housing which results in the destruction of more wild habitats which result in more endangered species as well. Poaching is also a large contributing factor.

The second question was what is causing this issue. The answer blends in with my response to who. Our actions are what is primarily causing this problem. Things such as pouching, over-hunting, habitat destruction, pollution, global warming, etcetera all have major effects on some species, thus causing them to become endangered. The numbers of certain species living in the wild is down to the hundreds for some. That means that scientists know exactly how many are left. They have a definitive number as to how many animals of an endangered species live in the wild. Rhinos are being poached in the African savannah for their horns while Polar Bears are losing crucial habitats due to ice melt in the arctic.

The third question was where is this issue taking place? One cannot pinpoint a certain location on the globe as to where this problem is occurring. Endangered species exist everywhere across the world. There are most certainly areas of high concentration where a vast number of various endangered species exist, but the short answer is that the reduction of species is happening everywhere.

The fourth question is when did this start happening. The answer is fairly recent. Endangered species started to be noticed and addressed around the 1960’s. This is when the World Wildlife Fund began. They started to collect data and coordinate responses to the crisis. Also during this time, the first laws were passed in the United States Congress to address the issue of endangered species.

The final question that needed answering was why does this happen. This answer is also difficult to pinpoint. Perhaps the reason is lack of care or greed by humans. We consume a large amount of resources and thing very little of the consequences. Some people are over-run with greed and will stop at nothing to make a profit. Either way, something detrimental to our planet is happening and it needs to be addressed. We need to stop things such as man-made global warming, deforestation, habitat destruction, etc. in order to make a truly meaningful difference.

Image 1 Source: https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/428200758945652736/ekwCxl6Z_400x400.png
Image 2 Source: http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/sites/default/files/styles/media_full/public/00473-10104_0.jpg?itok=uv9Mr5rz