Because of global warming, and the melting ice, the polar bears have been put on the ‘threatened’ species list. Scientists predict that if this keeps going on, the species will have dropped 2/3 of the population! There are about 20,000- 25,000 left in the world today! Polar bears can be found in the Artic or Canada.
Go here for more information:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/05/14/polar.bears.listing/index.html
There are not only endangered species and plants, but there are also endangered habitats!
An example of this, would be a reef. There are many different causes of reef endangerment:
- Coastal development
- Destructive fishing methods (overfishing, trawling, dynamite, poison)
- Pollution
- Activities that muddy the water and smother coral with sediment
- Coral mining and ornamental fish and shell collectors (aquarium fish collectors)
- Careless and harmful human behavior (reef-hopping, manhandling, boat anchors)
- Global warming, changing climates, storms and other natural events
- Tourism and tourism development
- Crown-of-Thorns starfish invasions
All of these are affective and are killing reefs around the world. Certain animals need specific coral to be able to effectively hide. Coral reefs also take thousands of years to fully build and because it only takes an amount of hours to destroy one, this is one habitat that we really need to protect.
We also get many things from the reefs. They provide food and medicine! These special ecosystems also provide a coastal protection from wave erosion.
There are different types of rhinos. The West African Black Rhino was a type of Black Rhino. The Black Rhino is an endangered species on the top ten list, while the West African Black Rhino is already extinct. We all have to help the Black Rhino to get out of its current situation!
1. Global Warming- as the Earth gets warmer, animals (such as polar bears) who depend on a cooler climate will die, leaving those who eat them with no meal.
2. Pollution- This is one of the reasons that killed off the Baiji White Dolphin. Pollution can kill animals in different ways. One way, (have you ever seen Happy Feet?) pollution can either be mistaken for food and eaten, killing the animal, or the animal can get caught in it, and with suffocate to death. Both ways has and will continue to kill animals.
3. Species Introduction- Humans in general love to create, and occasionally we have been smart enough to create new species. However, once we introduce these species into the wild, they may overtake the natural specimen there, eating them or maybe even taking all of their food.
4. Poaching- Whether you’re killing animals for their hides, for food, for their hooves or tusks, for medicinal value, for their furs, or for fun– you’re still killing animals. In the case of the Passenger Pigeon, we presumed that there were so much of them that we used them for target practice! We eventually made the entire species extinct. What have animals ever done to us?
5. Habitat Loss- Animals are able to adapt, but the speed at which they are built to adapt is not able to catch up to the way we have been destroying their natural habitats. We’ve been polluting the oceans, cutting down rain forests, and taking nutrients from the rich soil in which so many things depend on.
The Steller’s Sea Cow grew up to 25.9 ft long and weighed up to three tons. (Much larger than a manatee or a dugong.)
This dolphin has been around for nearly 20 million years.Habitat loss, illegal fishing and over fishing, getting tangled up in fish nets, and the over crowded waters of the Yangtze are the most likely reasons for extinction.
The West African Black Rhino was 10-12.5 feet long, with a height of 4.5-5.5 feet, and tweighed 1750-3000 pounds. They had two horns, the first one measuring roughly 1.8 feet-4.4 feet and the second measuring 1-22 inches. Like all Black Rhinos, they were browsers and could be found on the savanna.
