Losing Habitats Means Losing Species

by Indy & Elliot
Published January 31, 2025

Many animals go extinct because of what happens to their habitat, including pollution and people moving to places where these animals live.  These animals call these places their home but if they go extinct, soon they can't call earth home at all.

One common animal that is facing extinction is the walrus. 

They are going extinct because of loss of ice in the sea habitat due to climate change, and effects on prey species due to ocean warming and ocean acidification. A lot of this is because of us, humans. Humans disturb the walruses due to oil and gas development in their habitat.

Walruses enjoy the company of other walruses and like to gather in big or small groups, some have 3 and some have up to 1,000. Their habitat is in the Arctic and subarctic areas of the world close to the North Pole. They can be found in the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and the Arctic Ocean. The loss of sea ice is affecting them because the warming climate melts away Arctic sea ice in the spring, forcing the large mammals to “haul out” of the ocean and temporarily live on land, and that is not what they were made for. With their populations significantly reduced, walruses now struggle to stay alive as their habitats are impacted by global warming and the ongoing legality of trade in walrus ivory.  

Red pandas are also going extinct. 

Red pandas are currently listed as an endangered species by the IUCN, and their numbers are believed to be less than 10,000 individuals in the wild. However, the exact figure remains unknown. Habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation are major threats to wild red pandas. Also, because they eat bamboo, they are running out of food, because humans are cutting down bamboo. Humans are also cutting down their nesting trees and that is their habitat. 

What do they look like? They are known for their kitten-like faces and ruddy coats. Not closely related to iconic giant pandas, red pandas are found only in isolated mountainous areas in the high forests of Asia. Around half of the population is found in the Eastern Himalayas alone.

The last example is a green sea turtle

The species known as the green sea turtle has been classified as endangered, and green turtles are threatened by overharvesting of their eggs, hunting of adults, being caught in fishing gear, and loss of nesting beach sites. The green sea turtles have been going extinct because of bycatch in commercial and recreational fishing gear, vessel strikes, loss of nesting habitat from coastal development, and climate change. The natural obstacles faced by young and adult sea turtles are staggering, but it is the increasing threats caused by humans that are driving them to extinction. Today, all sea turtles found in U.S. waters are federally listed as endangered, except for the loggerhead which is listed as threatened. If the green sea turtle went extinct, there would be a serious decline in seagrass beds and a decline in all the other species dependent upon the grass beds for survival. 

Ways you can help

1. Buy Recycled paper, so you do not buy new paper when there is already great paper. This will help with less trees getting cut down, because many animals depend on trees and other plants in order to survive.

2. Learn about the endangered animals in your environment. If you learn more about the endangered animals in your environment you will know exactly what they need, and can more easily help them.

3. if you're buying gifts for yourself or people back at home, make sure they are made from sustainable products that will protect and help endangered species

4. Secure garbage in shelters or cans with locking lids, feed pets indoors and lock pet doors at night to avoid attracting wild animals into your home. Reduce your use of water in your home and garden so that animals that live in or near water can have a better chance of survival. Disinfect bird baths often to avoid disease transmission. Place decals on windows to deter bird collisions. Millions of birds die every year because of collisions with windows. You can help reduce the number of collisions simply by placing decals on the windows in your home and office. For more information on what you can do, check out these tips from the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

5.  
Never buy furniture made from wood from rainforests. Recycle your cell phones, because a mineral used in cell phones and other electronics is mined in gorilla habitat. Minimize your use of palm oil because forests where tigers live are being cut down to plant palm plantations.

6. Overseas trips can be exciting and fun, and everyone wants a souvenir. But sometimes the souvenirs are made from species nearing extinction. Avoid supporting the market in illegal wildlife including: tortoise-shell, ivory, coral. Also, be careful of products including fur from tigers, polar bears, sea otters and other endangered wildlife, crocodile skin, live monkeys or apes, most live birds including parrots, macaws, cockatoos and finches, some live snakes, turtles and lizards, some orchids, cacti and cycads, medicinal products made from rhinos, tiger or Asiatic black bear. 

7. By protecting habitat, entire communities of animals and plants can be protected together. Parks, wildlife refuges, and other open space should be protected near your community. Open space also provides us with great places to visit and enjoy. Support wildlife habitat and open space protection in your community. When you are buying a house, consider your impact on wildlife habitat.

These are just a few of the many ways you can help these animals. Which one will you try first?