Endangered Animals

Statistic Brain (2018) noted that nearly 3,879 are critically endangered, 4,389 species are near threatened, and 801 species have gone extinct in the world. So you may be asking what exactly is the difference between endangered, threatened, and extinct? What are some ways I can help in my community? Why is this even important? I’m glad you asked that! As defined by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (2016), endangered means they are close to extinction and threatened species are observed as becoming endangered soon. Extinction, I’m sure you all have watched Ice Age.

To put it simply, all species no matter how big or small, play a significant role in the ecosystem and one disruption can cause a ripple effect. Each species relies on the services provided by the other species, in other words all species go through a cycle of give and take. For example, soil, bacteria, plants, and nitrogen help contribute to the development of each other is the process of the Nitrogen Cycle. Exploring different ways to help endangered animals allows you to become aware of all the wonderful biodiversity the Earth has to offer (Shah, 2014). Wouldn’t it be awesome to preserve this beautiful place we call home?

Biodiversity is Important

Affirmed by Anup Shah from GlobalIssues.org, life variety, or often referred to as biodiversity of the Earth, is very important, as there are many reasons why preserving all ecosystems are necessary. For beginners, all forms of culture have derived from biological diversity in some way or another and the decline in ecosystems can lead to many issues. As quoted by Globalissues.org, “Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where each species, no matter how small, all have an important role to play” (Shah, 2014) A healthy biodiversity offers many natural benefits, that can not be mocked by science. The benefits include, but are not limited to, natural protection of resources and recovery from unpredicted events. One single species disappearance can create a ripple effect in our ecosystem, as mentioned before.

National Parks

We need to visit and promote national parks. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (2018) defines national parks as reserves of land that have been set aside by the federal government to promote historic areas or protect wildlife. By visiting a National Park you become aware of the protected species that are located in America. According to the National Park and Conservation Association (2018), national parks across the United States alone, protect hundreds of different animal species. Not all are threatened or endangered, but their safe status can be attributed to the protection provided by the parks.

According to the World Wildlife Fund (2018), approximately 160,000 kilometers of forest are lost to deforestation each year. That’s about one percent of natural forest habitat lost each year. One percent might not sound like a lot of forest, but do the math to figure out how quickly there will be no forest left. The United States is home to 59 national parks (National Geographic, 2018).

Species Have an Impact

Endangered species have a huge impact on our ecosystem and our environment. One such species is the honeybee. I am sure you have heard of Colony Collapse Disorder, or CCD. Don’t worry if you haven’t, we’ll briefly go over it. Scientists are still unsure of the causes behind this massive bee-killing epidemic, but CCD has left a big enough dent in the honeybee’s population to land them on the endangered species list. The bees’ impact on our ecosystem is one often taken for granted. Bees are responsible for the pollination of about 35% of America’s food supply, and about 15% of the world’s food supply. Without the bees, you’d never be able to enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning, or a tomato slice on your cheeseburger, or mustard on your pretzel. But it’s not just the bees; there are countless endangered and threatened species that are vital to the survival of several ecosystems across the world.

To take a close look at home, a local endangered species would be the Short-eared Owl which is protected under the Game and Wildlife Code. The Short-eared Owl got its unique name from its ear “tufts.” The short-eared Owl can grow anywhere between 13 to 17 inches tall and have a wingspan of 38 to 44 inches wide. The patches on the wings are very distinctive during flight, which is often confused with the Barn Owl. The Short-Eared Owl can be found nesting in marshes, grasslands, and infrequent used pastures anywhere from Allegheny County to Clarion County. The nesting of the Short-eared owl are bothered by people like you who are using their habitats to clear the fields for developments such as malls or homes. In order to preserve this natural beauty, we need to find a way to preserve large unused pastures that are home to the grassland nesters. The short-eared owl has been listed on the endangered list of Pennsylvania since 1985 and the breeding populations are still declining. So are you going to do anything to help?

How We Can Help in Our Community

There are three really easy ways we can help in our community. Most generally, we can fight for the protection of wildlife habitats; conservation lands and parks protect habitats that are otherwise destroyed. Once destroyed, it is very easy for endangered species to die off, causing that nasty ripple effect. Many species’ habitats are being destroyed through deforestation, logging, oil drilling, and gas drilling. In order to help, we can write to our lawmakers or simply elect candidates that are going to put a stop to habitat exploitation. Another simple, yet effective, tool in our toolbox is to recycle and buy sustainable products. This goes hand in hand with our next tip, which is to never purchase products that are made from the fur or carcasses of endangered or threatened animals. This is not so much a problem in the United States anymore, as we’ve placed helpful regulations; in foreign countries, however, endangered species are often listed that way because poachers hunt animals down to make consumer products. Additionally, some foreign countries do not outlaw the practice of hunting endangered animals. While you may think to yourself that you would never want to purchase these products, sometimes you may not realize what you're buying. Several species in the endangered and threatened categories are very obscure, and it's hard to realize the product came from that animal.

Conclusion

Endangered species are important to our everyday lives, even if we don’t realize it. Often times we take the things we have in life for granted, and don’t do anything to help because we don’t realize what the problem is. The fact is there are hundreds of different species that make a difference in the way we live, the food we eat, and the things we buy. Most of these species have been here long before we have. What gives us the right to invade their homes, and wipe them out? It is time to give animals the respect they deserve. We've gone over some ways to help, so go out and defend the wild!

References

Deforestation. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/deforestation

Education resource: What is a national park? (2018). Retrieved from http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/education-services/teacher-resource-what-is-a-national-park

Statistic Brain. (2018, January 31). Endangered Species Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.statisticbrain.com/endangered-species-statistics/

List of Foods We Will Lose if We Don't Save the Bees. (2013, August 15). Retrieved from https://honeylove.org/list-of-food/

Merry, M. (n.d.). 10 Easy Things You Can Do to Save Endangered Species. Retrieved from http://www.endangered.org/10-easy-things-you-can-do-to-save-endangered-species/

Threatened and Endangered Species. (2018). Retrieved from http://www.fishandboat.com/Resource/SpeciesofSpecialConcern/Pages/ThreatenedEndangeredSpecies.aspx

Pollinator myth: Are bees responsible for one third of global food, heightening crisis? More like 7%. (2018, January 12). Retrieved from https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2015/08/12/pollinator-myth-bees-responsible-one-third-global-food-heightening-crisis-like-7/

Service, U. F. (2018). What Is the Difference Between Endangered and Threatened? Retrieved from https://www.fws.gov/midwest/wolf/esastatus/e-vs-t.htm

Short-Eared Owl. (2018). Retrieved from http://www.pgc.pa.gov/Wildlife/EndangeredandThreatened/Pages/Short-EaredOwl.aspx

Threatened & Endangered Species. (2018). Retrieved from http://www.pgc.pa.gov/Wildlife/EndangeredandThreatened/Pages/default.aspx

Threatened & Endangered Species. (2018). Retrieved from http://www.pgc.pa.gov/Wildlife/EndangeredandThreatened/Pages/default.aspx

Why Is Biodiversity Important? Who Cares? (2018). Retrieved from http://www.globalissues.org/article/170/why-is-biodiversity-important-who-cares