By Carmen Sylva
We all love our animals!
There are lots of different species in the world, and whether, you’re a fan of furry mammals, reptiles or even bugs, you should definitely be worrying about them.
What is happening?
Sea levels are rising and oceans are becoming warmer. Longer, more intense droughts threaten crops, wildlife freshwater supplies. From polar bears in the Arctic to marine turtles off the coast of Africa, from burning Australia and Amazon, our planet’s diversity of life is at risk from the changing climate.
For instance, the burning of forests are leaving animals without a home. One of these well-known rainforests, that are burning is the Amazon. The Amazon is home to 1,500 species. If the rainforest, does get burned till the end, we might lose 99% of all species, if of course the government changes its policy regarding the Amazon.
Endangered Animals:
Here are the four most endangered animals that are suffering because of Climate Change, and of which you probably haven’t heard much:
American Pika
Close relatives of rabbits and hares, Pikas are adapted to cold alpine conditions and are very intolerant of high temperatures.
Monarch Butterfly
Beautiful Monarch Butterflies are famous for their impressive migrations across North America to reach southern grounds. The Monarch is very sensitive to weather and climate. Increased frequency of extreme weather events is threatening the future of this amazing species.
Ringed Seal
Ringed seals are polar bears’ favourite prey, are highly dependent on Arctic sea ice and almost never come onto land. Warming spring temperatures and early sea ice breakup are causing nursing pups to be prematurely separated from their mothers.
The West African Black Rhinoceros
Some believe their horns had medicinal properties – though this had no grounding in scientific fact – which lead to heavy poaching. In the 1930’s preservation action was taken to protect the species, but the numbers continued to decline. The World Wide Life organization is take care to increase their number.
What we have already lost before....
In the past we have already lost some of the animals. Not all because of climate change, but for other reasons, which is a lost to biodiversity and impacts the whole natural ecosystem.
Pyrenean Ibex
The exact cause of the Pyrenean Ibex’s extinction is unknown; scientists believe factors included poaching and the inability to compete with other mammals for food and habitat.
Passenger Pigeon
By the 19th century pigeon meat was commercialized as a cheap food for the poor, which resulted in hunting on a massive scale.
Tasmanian Tiger
It is believed to have been hunted to extinction – this was encouraged by bounties – but human encroachment into its habitat, the introduction of dogs and disease could also have contributed.
The Great Auk
The last two of these birds was killed by three men who caught it on St Kilda, Scotland in 1844. When a large storm surged, they believed that the auk was a witch and was causing the storm, so they killed it. Excessive hunting was the main cause of their extinction.
Dodo
Dutch sailors first recorded a mention of the dodo in 1598. The bird was hunted to extinction by sailors and their domesticated animals, and invasive species. The last widely accepted sighting of a Dodo was in 1662.
If interested, you may read more about some extinct animals by now here.
How we all can protect animals?
Educate your family about endangered species in your area. It’s not just about, koalas in Australia. It’s about the ecosystem in your own backyard. Teach your friends and family about wildlife, birds, fish and plants that live near you. Just awareness of these species is a critical step. From the worms in the garden to the bats that pollinate and control the mosquitos, there are many ways that our daily habits at home affect these creatures.
Recycle and buy sustainable products. Much of what threatens local populations has to do with development and more and more of the natural world is destroyed to product new goods. Never buy furniture made of wood from rainforests or endangered trees. Recycle your cell phones, because a mineral used in electronic production is mined in gorilla habitat. Don’t use palm oil because forests where tigers and orangutans live are being cut down to plant palm plantations.
Reduce your water consumption. During droughts, people get better about not watering their lawns, but we need to understand that clean water is a global problem for wild animals, so the less humans consume, the better. Never dump chemicals or pharmaceuticals down toilets, storm drains or into streams or lakes.
Reduce your personal footprint. Drive less, walk more. Support better public transport, use biodegradable products and eat whole food from your farmers market. You can calculate your carbon footprint online
Do not buy plastic products. Take your bags to the store, reuse containers and properly dispose of lightweight plastics. Wild animals get tangled in these products, and they end up in the ocean being ingested by small fish and killing off beneficial microorganisms.
Do not purchase products from companies that are known polluters. Many industries pollute natural water resources and lobby hard so that they don’t have to clean up their own messes. You can do your part by not giving these companies your business, and cast your vote with your dollar. Spread the word about bad business practices and when it dings their bottom lines, these companies will take notice.
Back out the Black Market. Sometimes when we travel, we don’t realize that the souvenirs we are buying are under threat. Avoid supporting the market in illegal wildlife including: tortoise-shell, ivory, and coral.
Herbicides and pesticides are hazardous pollutants that affect wildlife at many levels. These chemicals take a long time to degrade and build up in the soils before disseminating throughout the food chain. Critical predators like hawks, owls and coyotes suffer if they eat poisoned animals, and it can rock whole populations. Amphibians are particularly vulnerable to these chemical pollutants and its unnecessary.
You too can help, and if everybody helps, maybe we could one day, be able to see endangered animals being free and multiplying.
“Ecosystems, species, wild populations, local varieties and breeds of domesticated plants and animals are shrinking, deteriorating or vanishing. The essential, interconnected web of life on Earth is getting smaller and increasingly frayed,” said Prof. Settele. “This loss is a direct result of human activity and constitutes a direct threat to human well-being in all regions of the world.”
Source: United Nations
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