essay animals in danger of extinction

Animals are in Danger of Extinction IELTS Essay

Animals are in danger of extinction. Some people say that we should protect only those animals, which are useful to humans. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. You should write at least 250 words.

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Animal extinction has become a matter of great concern. I disagree with the given statement that we Animal extinction has become a matter of great concern. I disagree with the given statement that we should conserve only those animals, which are beneficial to humans. I believe that all animals have direct or indirect effect on mankind. It has been rightly said that plans to protect wildlife are in fact plans to protect man.

The most important reason for saving all animals is that they are part of our ecosystem. Every species of wildlife plays a role to maintain the balance of life on Earth. Thus, the loss of any species can affect us directly or indirectly. For example, there are many bat species that are becoming extinct. Such bats help keep the insect population in control. If these bats die then the insects will increase a lot and destroy our crops. So, we will have nothing to eat. In addition, many animals, like rodents, help in the dispersal of plant seeds and in the pollination of plants. By protecting endangered animals we ensure not only their survival but also the biodiversity that is necessary for the ecological health of the planet.

Secondly, wild animals provide many valuable substances such as medicine and fur. The horn of the rhinoceros has medicinal value and the fur of the mink is very valuable. The recreational viewing of animals at zoos is also a source of revenue. Thus, the financial value of wild species is important to the economies of many nations.

Furthermore, wild animals have aesthetic appeal. They are beautiful creatures of nature and are a part of our bio-diversity. Their beautiful and mysterious life has enchanted mankind since the dawn of evolution. Scientists have been awed, by observing their behaviour. Such study has helped scientists understand how the human body functions and why people behave as they do. Scientists have also gained medical knowledge by studying the effect of many drugs on these animals.

Finally, it is undeniable that animal species have been vanishing at a much faster rate for about a century now due to human factors such as pollution, commercial over exploitation, poaching and deforestation. Knowingly or unknowingly, we humans are doing so much damage to plants and animals that working for their conservation has become a necessity.

To sum up, it can be reiterated that saving all the animal species on the verge of extinction is well justified. All animals have direct or indirect relation to humans. So we should not work to save only those few species, which have a visible effect on humans.

IELTS Essay on Animal Extinction

These days, the number of endangered species has reached an alarming stage. While some people think that people should only protect those animals that are useful to us, I completely disagree with this idea and believe that we should try to protect all species, even if there are those who consider them useless. This essay will present arguments in support of my opinion.

To begin with, I believe that a large number of endangered animals are due to human activities. For instance, deforestation and burning forest are two major factors that have driven dozens of species to extinction. Therefore, there is nothing more just than to protect those animals that we put in such a position, regardless of whether they are useful to humans or not. Furthermore, we may think that some species are not useful nowadays, but we are not able to predict the future and that some species that we classify as unusable will be in the future.

Moreover, each animal plays an important role in the environment. In other words, each individual species is extremely important for maintaining balance in the animal kingdom. For example, the extinction of a single animal can lead to serious trouble for others. This is because every animal has a place in the animal web, with some being prey and others being predators. If one of them goes missing, the entire system could be in danger.

In conclusion, I believe that people should be concerned about the protection of all kinds of animals. Not only because they are important to the environment, but also because some of them are endangered due to human activity.

Also Check: Changing Lifestyle and Family Relationships IELTS Essay

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Endangered Species

An endangered species is a type of organism that is threatened by extinction. Species become endangered for two main reasons: loss of habitat and loss of genetic variation.

Biology, Ecology, Geography, Conservation

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An endangered species is a type of organism that is threatened by extinction . Species become endangered for two main reasons: loss of habitat and loss of genetic variation . Loss of Habitat A loss of habitat can happen naturally. Nonavian dinosaurs , for instance, lost their habitat about 65 million years ago. The hot, dry climate of the Cretaceous period changed very quickly, most likely because of an asteroid striking Earth. The impact of the asteroid forced debris into the atmosphere , reducing the amount of heat and light that reached Earth’s surface. The dinosaurs were unable to adapt to this new, cooler habitat. Nonavian dinosaurs became endangered, then extinct . Human activity can also contribute to a loss of habitat. Development for housing, industry , and agriculture reduces the habitat of native organisms. This can happen in a number of different ways. Development can eliminate habitat and native species directly. In the Amazon rainforest of South America, developers have cleared hundreds of thousands of acres. To “clear” a piece of land is to remove all trees and vegetation from it. The Amazon rainforest is cleared for cattle ranches , logging , and ur ban use. Development can also endanger species indirectly. Some species, such as fig trees of the rainforest, may provide habitat for other species. As trees are destroyed, species that depend on that tree habitat may also become endangered. Tree crowns provide habitat in the canopy , or top layer, of a rainforest . Plants such as vines, fungi such as mushrooms, and insects such as butterflies live in the rainforest canopy. So do hundreds of species of tropical birds and mammals such as monkeys. As trees are cut down, this habitat is lost. Species have less room to live and reproduce . Loss of habitat may happen as development takes place in a species range . Many animals have a range of hundreds of square kilometers. The mountain lion ( Puma concolor ) of North America, for instance, has a range of up to 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles). To successfully live and reproduce, a single mountain lion patrols this much territory. Urban areas , such as Los Angeles, California, U.S.A., and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, grew rapidly during the 20th century. As these areas expanded into the wilderness, the mountain lion’s habitat became smaller. That means the habitat can support fewer mountain lions. Because enormous parts of the Sierra Nevada, Rocky, and Cascade mountain ranges remain undeveloped, however, mountain lions are not endangered. Loss of habitat can also lead to increased encounters between wild species and people. As development brings people deeper into a species range, they may have more exposure to wild species. Poisonous plants and fungi may grow closer to homes and schools. Wild animals are also spotted more frequently . These animals are simply patrolling their range, but interaction with people can be deadly. Polar bears ( Ursus maritimus ), mountain lions, and alligators are all predators brought into close contact with people as they lose their habitat to homes, farms , and businesses. As people kill these wild animals, through pesticides , accidents such as collisions with cars, or hunting, native species may become endangered.

Loss of Genetic Variation Genetic variation is the diversity found within a species. It’s why human beings may have blond, red, brown, or black hair. Genetic variation allows species to adapt to changes in the environment. Usually, the greater the population of a species, the greater its genetic variation. Inbreeding is reproduction with close family members. Groups of species that have a tendency to inbreed usually have little genetic variation, because no new genetic information is introduced to the group. Disease is much more common, and much more deadly, among inbred groups. Inbred species do not have the genetic variation to develop resistance to the disease. For this reason, fewer offspring of inbred groups survive to maturity. Loss of genetic variation can occur naturally. Cheetahs ( Acinonyx jubatus ) are a threatened species native to Africa and Asia. These big cats have very little genetic variation. Biologists say that during the last Ice Age , cheetahs went through a long period of inbreeding. As a result, there are very few genetic differences between cheetahs. They cannot adapt to changes in the environment as quickly as other animals, and fewer cheetahs survive to maturity. Cheetahs are also much more difficult to breed in captivity than other big cats, such as lions ( Panthera leo ). Human activity can also lead to a loss of genetic variation. Overhunting and overfishing have reduced the populations of many animals. Reduced population means there are fewer breeding pairs . A breeding pair is made up of two mature members of the species that are not closely related and can produce healthy offspring. With fewer breeding pairs, genetic variation shrinks. Monoculture , the agricultural method of growing a single crop , can also reduce genetic variation. Modern agribusiness relies on monocultures. Almost all potatoes cultivated , sold, and consumed, for instance, are from a single species, the Russet Burbank ( Solanum tuberosum ). Potatoes, native to the Andes Mountains of South America, have dozens of natural varieties. The genetic variation of wild potatoes allows them to adapt to climate change and disease. For Russet Burbanks, however, farmers must use fertilizers and pesticides to ensure healthy crops because the plant has almost no genetic variation. Plant breeders often go back to wild varieties to collect genes that will help cultivated plants resist pests and drought, and adapt to climate change. However, climate change is also threatening wild varieties. That means domesticated plants may lose an important source of traits that help them overcome new threats. The Red List The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) keeps a “Red List of Threatened Species.” The Red List de fines the severity and specific causes of a species’ threat of extinction. The Red List has seven levels of conservation: least concern , near threatened , vulnerable, endangered, critically endangered , extinct in the wild , and extinct. Each category represents a different threat level. Species that are not threatened by extinction are placed within the first two categories—least concern and near-threatened. Those that are most threatened are placed within the next three categories, known as the threatened categories —vulnerable, endangered, and critically endangered. Those species that are extinct in some form are placed within the last two categories—extinct in the wild and extinct. Classifying a species as endangered has to do with its range and habitat, as well as its actual population. For this reason, a species can be of least concern in one area and endangered in another. The gray whale ( Eschrichtius robustus ), for instance, has a healthy population in the eastern Pacific Ocean, along the coast of North and South America. The population in the western Pacific, however, is critically endangered.

Least Concern Least concern is the lowest level of conservation . A species of least concern is one that has a widespread and abundant population. Human beings are a species of least concern, along with most domestic animals , such as dogs ( Canis familiaris ) and cats ( Felis catus ). Many wild animals, such as pigeons and houseflies ( Musca domestica ), are also classified as least concern. Near Threatened A near threatened species is one that is likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future. Many species of violets , native to tropical jungles in South America and Africa, are near threatened, for instance. They have healthy populations, but their rainforest habitat is disappearing at a fast pace. People are cutting down huge areas of rainforest for development and timber . Many violet species are likely to become threatened. Vulnerable Species The definitions of the three threatened categories (vulnerable, endangered, and critically endangered) are based on five criteria: population reduction rate , geographic range, population size, population restrictions , and probability of extinction . Threatened categories have different thresholds for these criteria. As the population and range of the species decreases, the species becomes more threatened. 1) Population reduction rate A species is classified as vulnerable if its population has declined between 30 and 50 percent. This decline is measured over 10 years or three generations of the species, whichever is longer. A generation is the period of time between the birth of an animal and the time it is able to reproduce. Mice are able to reproduce when they are about one month old. Mouse populations are mostly tracked over 10-year periods. An elephant's generation lasts about 15 years. So, elephant populations are measured over 45-year periods. A species is vulnerable if its population has declined at least 50 percent and the cause of the decline is known. Habitat loss is the leading known cause of population decline. A species is also classified as vulnerable if its population has declined at least 30 percent and the cause of the decline is not known. A new, unknown virus , for example, could kill hundreds or even thousands of individuals before being identified. 2) Geographic range A species is vulnerable if its “ extent of occurrence ” is estimated to be less than 20,000 square kilometers (7,722 square miles). An extent of occurrence is the smallest area that could contain all sites of a species’ population. If all members of a species could survive in a single area, the size of that area is the species’ extent of occurrence. A species is also classified as vulnerable if its “ area of occupancy ” is estimated to be less than 2,000 square kilometers (772 square miles). An area of occupancy is where a specific population of that species resides. This area is often a breeding or nesting site in a species range. 3) Population size Species with fewer than 10,000 mature individuals are vulnerable. The species is also vulnerable if that population declines by at least 10 percent within 10 years or three generations, whichever is longer. 4) Population restrictions Population restriction is a combination of population and area of occupancy. A species is vulnerable if it is restricted to less than 1,000 mature individuals or an area of occupancy of less than 20 square kilometers (8 square miles). 5) Probability of extinction in the wild is at least 10 percent within 100 years. Biologists, anthropologists, meteorologists , and other scientists have developed complex ways to determine a species’ probability of extinction. These formulas calculate the chances a species can survive, without human protection, in the wild. Vulnerable Species: Ethiopian Banana Frog The Ethiopian banana frog ( Afrixalus enseticola ) is a small frog native to high- altitude areas of southern Ethiopia. It is a vulnerable species because its area of occupancy is less than 2,000 square kilometers (772 square miles). The extent and quality of its forest habitat are in decline. Threats to this habitat include forest clearance, mostly for housing and agriculture. Vulnerable Species: Snaggletooth Shark The snaggletooth shark ( Hemipristis elongatus ) is found in the tropical, coastal waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Its area of occupancy is enormous, from Southeast Africa to the Philippines, and from China to Australia. However, the snaggletooth shark is a vulnerable species because of a severe population reduction rate. Its population has fallen more than 10 percent over 10 years. The number of these sharks is declining due to fisheries, especially in the Java Sea and Gulf of Thailand. The snaggletooth shark’s flesh, fins, and liver are considered high-quality foods. They are sold in commercial fish markets, as well as restaurants. Vulnerable Species: Galapagos Kelp Galapagos kelp ( Eisenia galapagensis ) is a type of seaweed only found near the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean. Galapagos kelp is classified as vulnerable because its population has declined more than 10 percent over 10 years. Climate change is the leading cause of decline among Galapagos kelp. El Niño, the natural weather pattern that brings unusually warm water to the Galapagos, is the leading agent of climate change in this area. Galapagos kelp is a cold-water species and does not adapt quickly to changes in water temperature.

Endangered Species 1) Population reduction rate A species is classified as endangered when its population has declined between 50 and 70 percent. This decline is measured over 10 years or three generations of the species, whichever is longer. A species is classified as endangered when its population has declined at least 70 percent and the cause of the decline is known. A species is also classified as endangered when its population has declined at least 50 percent and the cause of the decline is not known. 2) Geographic range An endangered species’ extent of occurrence is less than 5,000 square kilometers (1,930 square miles). An endangered species’ area of occupancy is less than 500 square kilometers (193 square miles). 3) Population size A species is classified as endangered when there are fewer than 2,500 mature individuals. When a species population declines by at least 20 percent within five years or two generations, it is also classified as endangered. 4) Population restrictions A species is classified as endangered when its population is restricted to less than 250 mature individuals. When a species’ population is this low, its area of occupancy is not considered. 5) Probability of extinction in the wild is at least 20 percent within 20 years or five generations, whichever is longer.

Endangered Species: Scimitar -horned Oryx The scimitar-horned oryx ( Oryx dammah ) is a species of antelope with long horns. Its range extends across northern Africa. Previously, the scimitar-horned oryx was listed as extinct in the wild because the last confirmed sighting of one was in 1988. However, the first group of scimitar-horned oryx was released back into the wild in Chad, in August 2016, and the population is growing. Overhunting and habitat loss, including competition with domestic livestock , are the main reasons for the decline of the oryx’s wild population. Captive herds are now kept in protected areas of Tunisia, Senegal, and Morocco. Scimitar-horned oryxes are also found in many zoos . Critically Endangered Species 1) Population reduction rate A critically endangered species’ population has declined between 80 and 90 percent. This decline is measured over 10 years or three generations of the species, whichever is longer. A species is classified as critically endangered when its population has declined at least 90 percent and the cause of the decline is known. A species is also classified as endangered when its population has declined at least 80 percent and the cause of the decline is not known. 2) Geographic range A critically endangered species’ extent of occurrence is less than 100 square kilometers (39 square miles). A critically endangered species’ area of occupancy is estimated to be less than 10 square kilometers (4 square miles). 3) Population size A species is classified as critically endangered when there are fewer than 250 mature individuals. A species is also classified as critically endangered when the number of mature individuals declines by at least 25 percent within three years or one generation, whichever is longer. 4) Population restrictions A species is classified as critically endangered when its population is restricted to less than 50 mature individuals. When a species’ population is this low, its area of occupancy is not considered. 5) Probability of extinction in the wild is at least 50 percent within 10 years or three generations, whichever is longer. Critically Endangered Species: Bolivian Chinchilla Rat The Bolivian chinchilla rat ( Abrocoma boliviensis ) is a rodent found in a small section of the Santa Cruz region of Bolivia. It is critically endangered because its extent of occurrence is less than 100 square kilometers (39 square miles). The major threat to this species is loss of its cloud forest habitat. People are clearing forests to create cattle pastures .

Critically Endangered Species: Transcaucasian Racerunner The Transcaucasian racerunner ( Eremias pleskei ) is a lizard found on the Armenian Plateau , located in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Turkey. The Transcaucasian racerunner is a critically endangered species because of a huge population decline, estimated at more than 80 percent during the past 10 years. Threats to this species include the salination , or increased saltiness, of soil . Fertilizers used for agricultural development seep into the soil, increasing its saltiness. Racerunners live in and among the rocks and soil, and cannot adapt to the increased salt in their food and shelter. The racerunner is also losing habitat as people create trash dumps on their area of occupancy. Critically Endangered Species: White Ferula Mushroom The white ferula mushroom ( Pleurotus nebrodensis ) is a critically endangered species of fungus. The mushroom is critically endangered because its extent of occurrence is less than 100 square kilometers (39 square miles). It is only found in the northern part of the Italian island of Sicily, in the Mediterranean Sea. The leading threats to white ferula mushrooms are loss of habitat and overharvesting. White ferula mushrooms are a gourmet food item. Farmers and amateur mushroom hunters harvest the fungus for food and profit. The mushrooms can be sold for up to $100 per kilogram (2.2 pounds). Extinct in the Wild A species is extinct in the wild when it only survives in cultivation (plants), in captivity (animals), or as a population well outside its established range. A species may be listed as extinct in the wild only after years of surveys have failed to record an individual in its native or expected habitat.

Extinct in the Wild: Monut Kaala Cyanea The Mount Kaala cyanea ( Cyanea superba ) is a large, flowering tree native to the island of Oahu, in the U.S. state of Hawai‘i. The Mount Kaala cyanea has large, broad leaves and fleshy fruit. The tree is extinct in the wild largely because of invasive species. Non-native plants crowded the cyanea out of its habitat, and non-native animals such as pigs, rats, and slugs ate its fruit more quickly than it could reproduce. Mount Kaala cyanea trees survive in tropical nurseries and botanical gardens . Many botanists and conservationists look forward to establishing a new population in the wild. Extinct A species is extinct when there is no reasonable doubt that the last remaining individual of that species has died. Extinct: Cuban Macaw The Cuban macaw ( Ara tricolor ) was a tropical parrot native to Cuba and a small Cuban island, Isla de la Juventud. Hunting and collecting the birds for pets led to the bird’s extinction. The last specimen of the Cuban macaw was collected in 1864. Extinct: Ridley’s Stick Insect Ridley’s stick insect ( Pseudobactricia ridleyi ) was native to the tropical jungle of the island of Singapore. This insect, whose long, segmented body resembled a tree limb, is only known through a single specimen, collected more than 100 years ago. During the 20th century, Singapore experienced rapid development. Almost the entire jungle was cleared, depriving the insect of its habitat.

Endangered Species and People When a species is classified as endangered, governments and international organizations can work to protect it. Laws may limit hunting and destruction of the species’ habitat. Individuals and organizations that break these laws may face huge fines. Because of such actions, many species have recovered from their endangered status. The brown pelican ( Pelecanus occidentalis ) was taken off the endangered species list in 2009, for instance. This seabird is native to the coasts of North America and South America, as well as the islands of the Caribbean Sea. It is the state bird of the U.S. state of Louisiana. In 1970, the number of brown pelicans in the wild was estimated at 10,000. The bird was classified as vulnerable. During the 1970s and 1980s, governments and conservation groups worked to help the brown pelican recover. Young chicks were reared in hatching sites, then released into the wild. Human access to nesting sites was severely restricted. The pesticide DDT , which damaged the eggs of the brown pelican, was banned. During the 1980s, the number of brown pelicans soared. In 1988, the IUCN “delisted” the brown pelican. The bird, whose population is now in the hundreds of thousands, is now in the category of least concern.

Convention on Biological Diversity The Convention on Biological Diversity is an international treaty to sustain and protect the diversity of life on Earth. This includes conservation, sustainability, and sharing the benefits of genetic research and resources. The Convention on Biological Diversity has adopted the IUCN Red List of endangered species in order to monitor and research species' population and habitats. Three nations have not ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity: Andorra, the Holy See (Vatican), and the United States.

Lonesome George Lonesome George was the only living member of the Pinta Island tortoise ( Chelonoidis abingdoni ) known to exist. The Pinta Island tortoise was only found on Pinta, one of the Galapagos Islands. The Charles Darwin Research Station, a scientific facility in the Galapagos, offered a $10,000 reward to any zoo or individual for locating a single Pinta Island tortoise female. On June 25, 2012, Lonesome George died, leaving one more extinct species in the world.

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10 of the world's most endangered animals

Currently, more than 41,000 species have been assessed to be under threat of extinction according to the IUCN.

As our modern society gets more resource-intensive, natural spaces are shrinking and wildlife numbers are declining. Our 2022 Living Planet Report shows global wildlife populations have plummeted by 69% on average since 1970. While there have been amazing and inspirational wildlife successes and stories in the past, many animals are still endangered mostly due to unsustainable human-led activities. Currently, on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, more than 41,000 species have been assessed to be under threat of extinction . And below we’ve listed 10 of the world’s most endangered animals in the wild:

1. Javan Rhinos

Once found throughout south-east Asia, Javan rhinos have suffered a staggering decline in their numbers due to hunting and habitat loss. The lone wild population of Javan rhinos is one of the rarest of the rhino species—around 75 individuals—which can only be found on the island of Java, Indonesia. 

The Ujung Kulon National Park, a World Heritage Site, is the last remaining refuge of Javan rhinos. But the area also suffers from the invading Arenga palm, leaving the rhinos with less food to eat and less habitat to roam. Besides, the small Javan rhino population is also extremely vulnerable to extinction due to natural catastrophes, disease, poaching and potential inbreeding.

2. Amur Leopard

The Amur leopard is one of the rarest big cats in the world, with only around 100 individuals left in the wild. Although their wild population seems to be stable and increasing, these leopard subspecies are still critically endangered since 1996. And there is a good reason that: Amur leopards can only be found in a relatively small region of the far east of Russia and north-eastern China at present. 

The remaining Amur leopards face multiple threats to their survival, including habitat loss and fragmentation, prey scarcity and transportation infrastructure such as roads. However, there is hope for this rare big cat. Around 75% of their home range lies in protected areas in Russia and China, and they are also moving into suitable habitats outside of these protected areas.

3. Sunda Island Tiger

The Sunda Island tiger, or the Sumatran tiger, is the smallest tiger subspecies in the world, weighing up to 140kg. For reference, the tigers that live in the Amur region are the biggest of all the big cats where males can weigh up to twice as much as Sunda Island tigers. They are also very rare -  there are estimated to be around 600 in the wild, and are only found on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. 

Since the 1980s, the human population of south-east Asia has nearly doubled from 357 million to around 668 million in 2020. And this has had an impact on tiger numbers, which have been shrinking along with their habitats.

As human settlements expand in the region, Sunda Island tigers are increasingly likely to encounter people, which could lead to a further rise in human-tiger conflict. Tiger poaching and illegal trading of tiger parts and products are also of serious concern to their survival.

4. Mountain Gorillas

The Mountain gorilla is a subspecies of the eastern gorilla, which lives in two isolated populations in the high-altitude forests up in the volcanic, mountainous regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda, and in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park of Uganda. 

The Virunga Landscape has a history of political instability along with high levels of poverty in the region. This poses a substantial threat to mountain gorilla numbers as people have moved into areas closer to these great apes for food, shelter and space—over 500,000 people live near mountain gorilla habitat at present.  Despite this, mountain gorillas are making a promising recovery with conservation efforts and interventions from local and international partners and the WWF through the International Gorilla Conservation Programme.

At present, mountain gorillas are currently listed as endangered species, with just over 1,000 individuals in the wild. However, multiple threats remain that can hinder recovery progress for this species.

5. Tapanuli Orangutan

The Tapanuli orangutan is the newly described species of orangutan, listed as a distinct species in 2017. Only a single, isolated population of Tapanuli orangutans exist in the wild, which is restricted to the tropical forests of the Batang Toru ecosystem on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. 

Today, these tree-dwelling primates are critically endangered with fewer than 800 individuals in the wild, making them the most endangered great ape species in the world. The loss of habitat is one of the main threats to its survival as tropical forests are being replaced by agriculture, mining, and hydroelectric and geothermal development. Between 1985 and 2007, over 40% of the forests in the province of North Sumatra, where the Tapanali orangutan is found, were lost.

6. Yangtze Finless Porpoise

The Yangtze Finless Porpoise is the odd one out of its family as it is the only living freshwater porpoise found in the world. This aquatic mammal currently resides in the Yangtze River in China and is listed as a critically endangered species. 

While the Yangtze river plays a crucial role in healthy ecosystem functioning, years of environmental degradation, overfishing and water pollution in the region are having detrimental impacts on many animal species who call it their home.

Once upon a time, Yangtze river dolphins used to live alongside finless porpoises, but there haven't been any freshwater dolphin sightings for the past two decades. Sadly, this could be yet another stark reminder of what soon may follow for many endangered species, including the Yangtze finless porpoise.

To protect this species, China has upgraded finless porpoises to ‘first level protected species’ in 2021—the highest level of protection available in the country. In 2018, their numbers were still around 1,000 individuals and stabilising in the wild.

7. Black Rhinos

Between 1960 and 1995, black rhino populations suffered dramatic losses in their numbers due to large-scale poaching. Around 2% survived the severe onslaught of the past. As rhino conservation took hold, their numbers have more than doubled across Africa since the 1990s. But, black rhinos are still listed as critically endangered by the IUCN, with around 5,630 individuals in the wild. 

Three subspecies of black rhino now survive, with the western black rhino declared extinct in 2011. Today, 95% of black rhinos are found in just four countries: Kenya, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. The biggest threat to the remaining population is still poaching for their horn—in the last 10 years, almost 10,000 African rhinos have been killed to supply the illegal rhino horn trade.

8. African Forest Elephant

Deep in the dense, humid forests of West and Central Africa, you can find the elusive forest elephant, one of the two members of the African elephant species. The actual number of wild African forest elephants remains uncertain due to their shy nature, but we do know that they are critically endangered species and have declined by an estimated 86% over 31 years.

The main reason behind the decline is due to poaching, which is frequent, widespread and intensive, especially in Central Africa. As well as elephant poaching, habitat loss and land-use change for agriculture and other land uses have resulted in fragmented habitats and increasing human-elephant conflict leading to losses on both sides.

Today, African forest elephants occupy around 25% of their historic range, scattered among 20 different African nations, mostly in Gabon and the Republic of Congo.

9. Sumatran Orangutan

The Sumatran orangutan is found exclusively on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia. They are listed as critically endangered by the IUCN at present, with less than 14,000 individuals in the wild.

Sumatran orangutans face similar threats  to their Bornean and Tapanuli counterparts. From logging, agricultural plantations, and expanding infrastructure development to the illicit pet trade.

Orangutans need vast tracts of connecting forest to live in but between 1985 and 2007 these great apes lost 60% of their forest habitat. Today the majority of these orangutans are found in the northernmost tip of Sumatra in the Leuser Ecosystem, a landscape that includes tropical lowland rainforests and steamy peatland swamps.

10. Hawksbill Turtles

The Hawksbill turtle is one of the seven species of marine turtles and is found in nearshore tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, the Indian, and the Pacific Ocean. Their numbers are believed to be between 20,000 and 23,000 nesting turtles, although it is difficult to assess their true population numbers since marine turtles are the true ocean wanderers. 

In the last 30 years, the worldwide populations of hawksbill turtles have reduced by at least 80% as a consequence of accidental capture in fishing gears, nesting habitat degradation, coral reef damage and the illegal trade of hawksbill shells and products.

Other human-led threats such as plastic pollution, climate change and rising sea levels could further contribute to the decline of this species in the future. At present, Hawksbill turtles are listed as critically endangered.

We are addressing our planet's biggest threats by understanding, promoting, and protecting wild habitats and our unique wildlife. With your help, tiger populations are recovering in Thailand, rhino numbers are increasing in Nepal, and world leaders have pledged to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030. You can help us make a difference too, by supporting our work to create a better future where people and nature can thrive. 

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• ENVIRONMENT

One million species at risk of extinction, UN report warns

A landmark global assessment warns that the window is closing to safeguard biodiversity and a healthy planet. Yet solutions are in sight.

The bonds that hold nature together may be at risk of unraveling from deforestation, overfishing, development, and other human activities, a landmark United Nations report warns. Thanks to human pressures, one million species may be pushed to extinction in the next few years, with serious consequences for human beings as well as the rest of life on Earth.

“The evidence is crystal clear: Nature is in trouble. Therefore we are in trouble,” said Sandra Díaz, one of the co-chairs of the Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. A 40-page “Summary for Policy Makers” of the forthcoming full report (expected to exceed 1,500 pages) was released May 6 in Paris.

Related: Iconic Endangered Species

Based on a review of about 15,000 scientific and government sources and compiled by 145 expert authors from 50 countries, the global report is the first comprehensive look in 15 years at the state of the planet’s biodiversity. This report includes, for the first time, indigenous and local knowledge as well as scientific studies. The authors say they found overwhelming evidence that human activities are behind nature’s decline. They ranked the major drivers of species decline as land conversion, including deforestation ; overfishing ; bush meat hunting and poaching; climate change; pollution; and invasive alien species.

The tremendous variety of living species—at least 8.7 million , but possibly many more —that make up our “life-supporting safety net” provide our food, clean water, air, energy, and more, said Díaz, an ecologist at the National University of Cordoba in Argentina, in an interview. “Not only is our safety net shrinking, it’s becoming more threadbare and holes are appearing.”

A world of green slime?

In parts of the ocean, little life remains but green slime. Some remote tropical forests are nearly silent as insects have vanished , and grasslands are increasingly becoming deserts. Human activity has resulted in the severe alteration of more than 75 percent of Earth’s land areas, the Global Assessment found. And 66 percent of the oceans, which cover most of our blue planet, have suffered significant human impacts. This includes more than 400 dead zones —where scant life can survive—that collectively would cover the state of Oregon or Wyoming.

The new report paints “an ominous picture” of the health of ecosystems rapidly deteriorating, said Sir Robert Watson, Chair of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), which conducted the global assessment. IPBES is often described as the equivalent of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change for biodiversity and does scientific assessments on the status of the non-human life that makes up the Earth’s life-support system.

For Hungry Minds

“We are eroding the very foundations of our economies, livelihoods, food security, health, and quality of life worldwide,” Watson said in a statement.

“My biggest personal concern is the state of the oceans,” Watson told National Geographic. “ Plastics , dead zones, overfishing, acidification... We’re really screwing up the oceans in a big way.”

Saving more species

Protecting nature and saving species is all about securing the land and water plants and animals need to survive, said Jonathan Baillie , executive vice president and chief scientist of the National Geographic Society. Protecting half of the planet by 2050, with an interim target of 30 percent by 2030 , is the only way to meet the Paris climate targets or achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals for the world, Baillie said.

Forests, oceans, and other parts of nature soak up 60 percent of global fossil fuel emissions every year, the report found. “We need to secure the biosphere to protect the climate and help buffer us from extreme weather events,” Baillie said.

Coral reefs and mangroves protect coastal areas from storms such as hurricanes. Wetlands reduce flooding by absorbing heavy rainfall. Yet each of these ecosystems has declined dramatically, with wetlands down to less than 15 percent of what they were 300 years ago and coral reefs facing a global bleaching crisis .

Nearly 100 groups around the world (including the National Geographic Society and the Wyss Campaign for Nature) have endorsed the goal of protecting half of the planet by 2050. Recently, 19 of the world’s leading scientists published a study to make a science-backed plan for an interim step that would protect 30 percent by 2030 under what’s called a Global Deal for Nature . The proposed protection does not mean “no go” areas, but rather areas protected from resource extraction and land conversion. Sustainable uses would be permitted in all but the most sensitive areas, the groups wrote.

“The international community has both the time and the tools to safeguard nature and slow the ongoing wildlife extinction crisis,” Brian O’Donnell, director of the Wyss Campaign for Nature, said in a statement.

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National Geographic Society and the Wyss Campaign for Nature are working together to inspire the protection of 30 percent of the planet by 2030 .

Such tools were under discussion during the week-long negotiations by IPBES country members who debated the key messages and policy options to be published in the “Summary for Policymakers.” The full Global Assessment report will be published later this year.

“The main message of our report is that transformative change is urgently needed. There are no other options” said David Obura, a marine biologist at the Coastal Oceans Research and Development – Indian Ocean in Mombasa, Kenya. “There’s so little time left to save corals. If we can save corals we could save everything.”

Value nature not stuff

In order to safeguard a healthy planet, society needs to shift from a sole focus on chasing economic growth, the summary report concludes. That won’t be easy, the report acknowledges. But it could get easier if countries begin to base their economies on an understanding that nature is the foundation for development. Shifting to nature-based planning can help provide a better quality of life with far less impact.

Putting that concept into practical terms, the report says countries need to reform hundreds of billions in dollars in subsidies and incentives that are currently given to the energy, fishing, agricultural, and forestry sectors. Instead of driving additional exploitation of the world’s natural resources, those monies should be shifted to incentivize protection and restoration of nature—such as underwriting new reserves or reforestation programs, the report said.

“We need to change what we value: nature, ecosystems, social equity, not growing the GDP,” Obura said.

The other evidence gathered by IPBES shows that nature managed by indigenous peoples and local communities is in generally better health than nature managed by national or corporate institutions, despite increasing pressures, said Joji Cariño, a senior policy advisor at the Forest Peoples Programme , a human rights organization.

At least a quarter of the global land area is traditionally owned, managed, used, or occupied by indigenous peoples. However, their land tenure and other rights are not always protected or recognized by all countries. Nor is their deep knowledge of the land and their values often considered in policies and decisions by governments. That needs to change, the Global Assessment noted.

“Indigenous peoples are key partners in the global transformation that’s needed,” said Cariño.

Yet countries still are slow to recognize this, she adds. As an example, she points to the Philippines. Forty years ago, indigenous people there stopped construction of dams on the Chico River because they were concerned about impacts on their land. Yet those dams are now being built by China under their trillion-dollar Belt and Road infrastructure initiative .

China has an important role to play in global discussions around biodiversity, because the country will host a major United Nations conference called the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in late 2020. Scientists hope a new, ambitious international agreement to protect the planet could happen there, akin to the Paris agreement around climate.

Assessment co-chair Díaz doesn’t yet know if a global agreement will arise as bold as protecting 30 percent by 2030. “If it were easy it would have already happened,” Diaz said.

“However, the evidence is clear: the future will be bad for us if we don’t act now. There is no future for us without nature.”

Related Topics

• BIODIVERSITY
• ENDANGERED SPECIES
• ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION

In the heart of the Amazon, this pristine wilderness shows nature’s resilience

Fireflies are vanishing—but you can help protect them

The world's largest fish are vanishing without a trace

Is this paradise—or a parking lot? This Florida ecosystem is a battleground.

500 baby sharks to be released: An exclusive look at an unprecedented mission

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Animals Are in Danger of Extinction – Writing Task 2 Agree and Disagree Essay

Updated On Oct 06, 2023

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The essay writing section of the IELTS Writing Module can be a difficult task for many IELTS aspirants. Thus, it is vital that you polish your essay writing skills before attempting the IELTS.

Find below the band 8 sample answer for writing task 2 on, “Animals are in danger of extinction.” This Agree or Disagree Essay is a part of Writing Task 2 of the IELTS and is discussed here with an outline and vocabulary that will help you to prepare.

Learn some more Ways to achieve a band score of 8 for Writing Task 2  and check out the IELTS essay for Animals Are in Danger of Extinction given below.

You should spend no more than 40 minutes on this task.

Agree or Disagree Essay

Introduction

Animals are in danger of extinction, globally and it’s a serious concern for many species. While some argue that we should only save species directly benefiting humanity, I firmly disagree with this.

Paragraph 1: Human activity stands as the primary driver of the extinction crisis.

Paragraph 2: Maintaining a balanced ecosystem demands that we take collective action.

Clearly restate points covered in the essay in a summary.

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Band 8 Sample Answer for Animals Are in Danger of Extinction Writing Task 2

Animals are in danger of extinction, globally and it’s a serious concern for many species. While some argue that we should only save species directly benefiting humanity, I firmly disagree with this. Prioritizing human needs over animal welfare in safeguarding endangered species seems counterproductive and ethically flawed.

Firstly, human activity stands as the primary driver of the extinction crisis. Moreover, overpopulation, continuous urban expansion, and the relentless exploitation of natural resources have left many species struggling due to habitat loss. People’s actions are not to condone brutality and cruelty, such as encroaching on their homes, exploiting them for sustenance, or wearing their skins as fashion.

Additionally, maintaining a balanced ecosystem demands that we take collective action. Each species plays a unique role, and distancing ourselves from some non-human organisms can have devastating consequences. Focusing solely on species proportionally more useful to us disrupts the delicate food chain, leading to imbalances in animal populations. For example, protecting a predator species on the rise might lead to the sharp decline of specific herbivores, leaving the predator starved and jeopardizing the ecosystem.

In conclusion, our priority should be saving all endangered creatures, not just those benefiting us directly. Compassion, respect for life, and understanding the intricate interconnections of the ecosystem are vital. We must unite to protect animals from extinction, preserving the rich biodiversity that sustains life on Earth. Together, we as humans can start embracing a holistic approach to conservation and safeguard the delicate balance of the planet’s intricate web of life.

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1. Extinction

Meaning:  The complete disappearance of a species from the Earth, often due to environmental changes or human activities.

Eg:  Recently, some wild orchids have been threatened with extinction

2. Safeguarding

Meaning: Protecting or ensuring the safety of something, in this context, refers to the protection of endangered species.

Eg:  He was accustomed to hearing and safeguarding the secrets of others.

3. Counterproductive 

Meaning: Having the opposite effect of what is desired or intended, making the situation worse rather than better.

Eg:  Staying up all night to study for that history test will be counterproductive – you’ll be so tired that you won’t remember any of the information you reviewed.

4. Ethically

Meaning:  Relating to principles of right and wrong, particularly in terms of moral conduct and behaviour.

Eg:  Millions of people are deciding to shop ethically and shop less.

5. Ecosystem

Meaning:  A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment, where each species plays a specific role in maintaining the balance of the environment.

Eg:  The marine ecosystem of the northern Gulf had suffered irreparable damage

Useful Links:

• People from prison – Agree or disagree essay
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Extinction of Animals Essay

This  extinction of animals essay question appeared recently in the IELTS test.

It is about how animals become extinct and whether humans should take steps to prevent this from happening.

It is a natural process that animal species become extinct, as the dinosaurs did in the past. There is no reason for people to prevent this from happening.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Choosing a Side

With agree / disagree type essays you can discuss both sides of the issue but you can come down firmly on one side and focus on only this in your response.

This can be an easier way to answer such questions and is certainly recommended if you are just needing the lower band scores, such as 7 and especially 6.

This is an example of an essay where the writer disagrees with the opinion and has given three reasons for this, set out in three body paragraphs.

For the higher band scores there is a risk the examiner thinks for a fully addressed answer , both sides of the issue should have been considered. So if you need a band 8 or 9, look at both sides of the issue as in this model answer.

Take a look at the model answer for this animal extinction essay and the comments below.

Extinction of Animals Essay Sample

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge.

Write at least 250 words.

Model Answer

It is commonly known that many species have gone extinct throughout history, including the dinosaurs. Some argue that preventing extinction is not necessary, as it is a natural process. However, I believe that humans have a moral obligation to protect endangered species and prevent their extinction.

Firstly, human activities such as deforestation, overfishing, and pollution have caused a rapid decline in animal populations, leading many species to be at risk of extinction. As a result, humans have a responsibility to conserve the environment and prevent further harm to wildlife. It is unfair for humans to cause the extinction of a species due to their actions, particularly when they have the ability to prevent it.

Another reason is that many species play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem. For example, bees are essential pollinators that are responsible for pollinating 80% of flowering plants, and thus if bees were to become extinct, it would have a devastating impact on our food supply and ecosystem. Similarly, the loss of predators can cause a ripple effect, leading to overpopulation of other species and causing imbalances in the food chain.

Lastly, preventing extinction is not only a matter of responsibility but also a matter of morality. Species have intrinsic value, and it is not our place to determine which species should exist and which should not. Humans must respect the inherent value of all life forms and do what they can to protect them.

In conclusion, while extinction may be a natural process, it is not a justification for humans to sit idly by and watch as countless species go extinct. By taking action to conserve the environment, humans can ensure that future generations can enjoy the same diversity of life that we have today.

(294 Words)

This extinction of animals essay would achieve a high IELTS band score.

It's organised well so would score highly for coherence and cohesion . It has a clear introduction that introduces the topics and then gives the writers opinion (the thesis statement).

Each body paragraph clearly sets out and explains a key idea, then the conclusion summarises the writers view and gives some final thoughts. The linking between sentences is also very good.

It has a clear opinion and that opinion is reflected in the response. The ideas are fully supported and explained. The question is fully addressed and the essay does not go off-topic. It would therefore score highly for task response . 

The essay also had a good range of high-level and accurate lexis and grammar , so it would also score well for those criteria.

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Animals are in Danger of Extinction IELTS: Best IELTS Writing Preparation from IELTS Ninja

The IELTS writing task appears challenging since everything is based on your level and way of thinking; your language, vocabulary and grammar are thoroughly examined, and precision is rated.

Many people believe this test is straightforward, but when it comes to writing, they reconsider because no one can write adequately according to this test’s degree. Continue reading for some responses to today’s writing prompt: Animals are threatened with extinction. Read the article below to know more about writing task preparation.

Also Read: How To Prepare For IELTS in 10 Days: A Super Strategy To Achieve Your Desired Band Score

Animals are in Danger of Extinction IELTS

The extinction of animals has become a major problem. I disagree with the statement that only those animals that are beneficial to humans should be conserved. All animals, I believe, have a direct or indirect impact on humanity. Measures to protect wildlife have been correctly stated as plans to safeguard man. They should converse for their good and people should know the importance of animals.

IELTS Exam Preparation: IELTS Writing Task

Ielts essay: paragraph 1.

Another factor that contributes to environmental change is pollution. Many bird species around the world, such as the bald eagle, pelicans, peregrine hawk, and roseate terns, have thin shells as a result of low-quality foods and other chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides that find their way into the food chain.

Salamander species are vanishing in New England because acid rain has contaminated the ponds where they reproduce and the damp soil where they must reside.

Humans damage the natural habitats of animals and plants for land development and agriculture. Animal poaching and hunting for meat, fur, jewellery, and leather are also significant contributors to wildlife extinction. If no immediate action is made to rescue the fauna, it will not be long before they are added to the list of extinct species.

Also Read: The Key to Solving The Environmental Problem: Check Out The Sample Answers to This Topic

IELTS Essay: Paragraph 2

And that’s not the end of it! The extinction of wild species will almost definitely be disastrous to humanity. As a result, it falls to us as human beings to conserve the species, our planet, and, most importantly, ourselves. Here are a few more reasons why wildlife is so vital for sustaining ecological equilibrium.

If the quantity of birds and insects carrying pollen reduces for any cause, crop growth might be severely hampered. You might be astonished to learn that bee pollination is responsible for 90% of global apple production.

The ecosystem is fully dependent on the interactions of many organisms, which are linked via food webs and food chains. Even the extinction of a single wild species can disrupt the entire food chain, resulting in severe consequences. Consider the basic example of a bee, which is necessary for the growth of particular crops due to its pollen transport functions. Due to a lack of pollination, the growth of food crops would suffer if bees were to go extinct.

To summarise, it is well justified to save all of the animal species on the verge of extinction. Humans have a direct or indirect relationship with all animals. As a result, we should not focus our efforts solely on the few species that have a noticeable impact on humans.

The most important aspect to comprehend and understand is the marking criteria because if you are completely familiar with this area and scoring, you will be able to react effectively. You will have completed 25% of your work if you understand the criteria on which you will be judged. All that is left for you to do now is focus on improving those areas.

As a result, to provide the best responses to the question paper, you need to pay close attention to the marking criteria. You can appropriately prepare for each part by using grading criteria.

Visit IELTS Ninja for additional writing themes.

Also Read: IELTS Essay Questions for 2022: Top IELTS Writing Topics for Preparation

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• 06 May 2019
• Update 06 May 2019

Humans are driving one million species to extinction

• Jeff Tollefson

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Up to one million plant and animal species face extinction, many within decades, because of human activities, says the most comprehensive report yet on the state of global ecosystems.

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Nature 569 , 171 (2019)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-019-01448-4

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Update 06 May 2019 : This story has been updated with comment from Anne Larigauderie, IPBES executive secretary.

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November 1, 2023

20 min read

Can We Save Every Species from Extinction?

The Endangered Species Act requires that every U.S. plant and animal be saved from extinction, but after 50 years, we have to do much more to prevent a biodiversity crisis

By Robert Kunzig

Snail Darter Percina tanasi. Listed as Endangered: 1975. Status: Delisted in 2022.

© Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark

A Bald Eagle disappeared into the trees on the far bank of the Tennessee River just as the two researchers at the bow of our modest motorboat began hauling in the trawl net. Eagles have rebounded so well that it's unusual not to see one here these days, Warren Stiles of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service told me as the net got closer. On an almost cloudless spring morning in the 50th year of the Endangered Species Act, only a third of a mile downstream from the Tennessee Valley Authority's big Nickajack Dam, we were searching for one of the ESA's more notorious beneficiaries: the Snail Darter. A few months earlier Stiles and the FWS had decided that, like the Bald Eagle, the little fish no longer belonged on the ESA's endangered species list. We were hoping to catch the first nonendangered specimen.

Dave Matthews, a TVA biologist, helped Stiles empty the trawl. Bits of wood and rock spilled onto the deck, along with a Common Logperch maybe six inches long. So did an even smaller fish; a hair over two inches, it had alternating vertical bands of dark and light brown, each flecked with the other color, a pattern that would have made it hard to see against the gravelly river bottom. It was a Snail Darter in its second year, Matthews said, not yet full-grown.

Everybody loves a Bald Eagle. There is much less consensus about the Snail Darter. Yet it epitomizes the main controversy still swirling around the ESA, signed into law on December 28, 1973, by President Richard Nixon: Can we save all the obscure species of this world, and should we even try, if they get in the way of human imperatives? The TVA didn't think so in the 1970s, when the plight of the Snail Darter—an early entry on the endangered species list—temporarily stopped the agency from completing a huge dam. When the U.S. attorney general argued the TVA's case before the Supreme Court with the aim of sidestepping the law, he waved a jar that held a dead, preserved Snail Darter in front of the nine judges in black robes, seeking to convey its insignificance.

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Now I was looking at a living specimen. It darted around the bottom of a white bucket, bonking its nose against the side and delicately fluttering the translucent fins that swept back toward its tail.

“It's kind of cute,” I said.

Matthews laughed and slapped me on the shoulder. “I like this guy!” he said. “Most people are like, ‘Really? That's it?’ ” He took a picture of the fish and clipped a sliver off its tail fin for DNA analysis but left it otherwise unharmed. Then he had me pour it back into the river. The next trawl, a few miles downstream, brought up seven more specimens.

In the late 1970s the Snail Darter seemed confined to a single stretch of a single tributary of the Tennessee River, the Little Tennessee, and to be doomed by the TVA's ill-considered Tellico Dam, which was being built on the tributary. The first step on its twisting path to recovery came in 1978, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled, surprisingly, that the ESA gave the darter priority even over an almost finished dam. “It was when the government stood up and said, ‘Every species matters, and we meant it when we said we're going to protect every species under the Endangered Species Act,’” says Tierra Curry, a senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity.

Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus. Listed as Endangered: 1967. Status: Delisted in 2007. Credit: © Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark

Today the Snail Darter can be found along 400 miles of the river's main stem and multiple tributaries. ESA enforcement has saved dozens of other species from extinction. Bald Eagles, American Alligators and Peregrine Falcons are just a few of the roughly 60 species that had recovered enough to be “delisted” by late 2023.

And yet the U.S., like the planet as a whole, faces a growing biodiversity crisis. Less than 6 percent of the animals and plants ever placed on the list have been delisted; many of the rest have made scant progress toward recovery. What's more, the list is far from complete: roughly a third of all vertebrates and vascular plants in the U.S. are vulnerable to extinction, says Bruce Stein, chief scientist at the National Wildlife Federation. Populations are falling even for species that aren't yet in danger. “There are a third fewer birds flying around now than in the 1970s,” Stein says. We're much less likely to see a White-throated Sparrow or a Red-winged Blackbird, for example, even though neither species is yet endangered.

The U.S. is far emptier of wildlife sights and sounds than it was 50 years ago, primarily because habitat—forests, grasslands, rivers—has been relentlessly appropriated for human purposes. The ESA was never designed to stop that trend, any more than it is equipped to deal with the next massive threat to wildlife: climate change. Nevertheless, its many proponents say, it is a powerful, foresightful law that we could implement more wisely and effectively, perhaps especially to foster stewardship among private landowners. And modest new measures, such as the Recovering America's Wildlife Act—a bill with bipartisan support—could further protect flora and fauna.

That is, if special interests don't flout the law. After the 1978 Supreme Court decision, Congress passed a special exemption to the ESA allowing the TVA to complete the Tellico Dam. The Snail Darter managed to survive because the TVA transplanted some of the fish from the Little Tennessee, because remnant populations turned up elsewhere in the Tennessee Valley, and because local rivers and streams slowly became less polluted following the 1972 Clean Water Act, which helped fish rebound.

Under pressure from people enforcing the ESA, the TVA also changed the way it managed its dams throughout the valley. It started aerating the depths of its reservoirs, in some places by injecting oxygen. It began releasing water from the dams more regularly to maintain a minimum flow that sweeps silt off the river bottom, exposing the clean gravel that Snail Darters need to lay their eggs and feed on snails. The river system “is acting more like a real river,” Matthews says. Basically, the TVA started considering the needs of wildlife, which is really what the ESA requires. “The Endangered Species Act works,” Matthews says. “With just a little bit of help, [wildlife] can recover.”

The trouble is that many animals and plants aren't getting that help—because government resources are too limited, because private landowners are alienated by the ESA instead of engaged with it, and because as a nation the U.S. has never fully committed to the ESA's essence. Instead, for half a century, the law has been one more thing that polarizes people's thinking.

I t may seem impossible today to imagine the political consensus that prevailed on environmental matters in 1973. The U.S. Senate approved the ESA unanimously, and the House passed it by a vote of 390 to 12. “Some people have referred to it as almost a statement of religion coming out of the Congress,” says Gary Frazer, who as assistant director for ecological services at the FWS has been overseeing the act's implementation for nearly 25 years.

Gopher Tortoise Gopherus polyphemus . Listed as Threatened: 1987. Status: Still threatened. Credit: ©Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark

But loss of faith began five years later with the Snail Darter case. Congresspeople who had been thinking of eagles, bears and Whooping Cranes when they passed the ESA, and had not fully appreciated the reach of the sweeping language they had approved, were disabused by the Supreme Court. It found that the legislation had created, “wisely or not ... an absolute duty to preserve all endangered species,” Chief Justice Warren E. Burger said after the Snail Darter case concluded. Even a recently discovered tiny fish had to be saved, “whatever the cost,” he wrote in the decision.

Was that wise? For both environmentalists such as Curry and many nonenvironmentalists, the answer has always been absolutely. The ESA “is the basic Bill of Rights for species other than ourselves,” says National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore, who is building a “photo ark” of every animal visible to the naked eye as a record against extinction. (He has taken studio portraits of 15,000 species so far.) But to critics, the Snail Darter decision always defied common sense. They thought it was “crazy,” says Michael Bean, a leading ESA expert, now retired from the Environmental Defense Fund. “That dichotomy of view has remained with us for the past 45 years.”

According to veteran Washington, D.C., environmental attorney Lowell E. Baier, author of a new history called The Codex of the Endangered Species Act, both the act itself and its early implementation reflected a top-down, federal “command-and-control mentality” that still breeds resentment. FWS field agents in the early days often saw themselves as combat biologists enforcing the act's prohibitions. After the Northern Spotted Owl's listing got tangled up in a bitter 1990s conflict over logging of old-growth forests in the Pacific Northwest, the FWS became more flexible in working out arrangements. “But the dark mythology of the first 20 years continues in the minds of much of America,” Baier says.

Credit: June Minju Kim ( map ); Source: David Matthews, Tennessee Valley Authority ( reference )

The law can impose real burdens on landowners. Before doing anything that might “harass” or “harm” an endangered species, including modifying its habitat, they need to get a permit from the FWS and present a “habitat conservation plan.” Prosecutions aren't common, because evidence can be elusive, but what Bean calls “the cloud of uncertainty” surrounding what landowners can and cannot do can be distressing.

Requirements the ESA places on federal agencies such as the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management—or on the TVA—can have large economic impacts. Section 7 of the act prohibits agencies from taking, permitting or funding any action that is likely to “jeopardize the continued existence” of a listed species. If jeopardy seems possible, the agency must consult with the FWS first (or the National Marine Fisheries Service for marine species) and seek alternative plans.

“When people talk about how the ESA stops projects, they've been talking about section 7,” says conservation biologist Jacob Malcom. The Northern Spotted Owl is a strong example: an economic analysis suggests the logging restrictions eliminated thousands of timber-industry jobs, fueling conservative arguments that the ESA harms humans and economic growth.

In recent decades, however, that view has been based “on anecdote, not evidence,” Malcom claims. At Defenders of Wildlife, where he worked until 2022 (he's now at the U.S. Department of the Interior), he and his colleagues analyzed 88,290 consultations between the FWS and other agencies from 2008 to 2015. “Zero projects were stopped,” Malcom says. His group also found that federal agencies were only rarely taking the active measures to recover a species that section 7 requires—like what the TVA did for the Snail Darter. For many listed species, the FWS does not even have recovery plans.

Endangered species also might not recover because “most species are not receiving protection until they have reached dangerously low population sizes,” according to a 2022 study by Erich K. Eberhard of Columbia University and his colleagues. Most listings occur only after the FWS has been petitioned or sued by an environmental group—often the Center for Biological Diversity, which claims credit for 742 listings. Years may go by between petition and listing, during which time the species' population dwindles. Noah Greenwald, the center's endangered species director, thinks the FWS avoids listings to avoid controversy—that it has internalized opposition to the ESA.

He and other experts also say that work regarding endangered species is drastically underfunded. As more species are listed, the funding per species declines. “Congress hasn't come to grips with the biodiversity crisis,” says Baier, who lobbies lawmakers regularly. “When you talk to them about biodiversity, their eyes glaze over.” Just this year federal lawmakers enacted a special provision exempting the Mountain Valley Pipeline from the ESA and other challenges, much as Congress had exempted the Tellico Dam. Environmentalists say the gas pipeline, running from West Virginia to Virginia, threatens the Candy Darter, a colorful small fish. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 provided a rare bit of good news: it granted the FWS $62.5 million to hire more biologists to prepare recovery plans.

The ESA is often likened to an emergency room for species: overcrowded and understaffed, it has somehow managed to keep patients alive, but it doesn't do much more. The law contains no mandate to restore ecosystems to health even though it recognizes such work as essential for thriving wildlife. “Its goal is to make things better, but its tools are designed to keep things from getting worse,” Bean says. Its ability to do even that will be severely tested in coming decades by threats it was never designed to confront.

T he ESA requires a species to be listed as “threatened” if it might be in danger of extinction in the “foreseeable future.” The foreseeable future will be warmer. Rising average temperatures are a problem, but higher heat extremes are a bigger threat, according to a 2020 study.

Scientists have named climate change as the main cause of only a few extinctions worldwide. But experts expect that number to surge. Climate change has been “a factor in almost every species we've listed in at least the past 15 years,” Frazer says. Yet scientists struggle to forecast whether individual species can “persist in place or shift in space”—as Stein and his co-authors put it in a recent paper—or will be unable to adapt at all and will go extinct. On June 30 the FWS issued a new rule that will make it easier to move species outside their historical range—a practice it once forbade except in extreme circumstances.

Credit: June Minju Kim ( graphic ); Brown Bird Design ( illustrations ); Sources: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Environmental Conservation Online System; U.S. Federal Endangered and Threatened Species by Calendar Year https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/report/species-listings-by-year-totals ( annual data through 2022 ); Listed Species Summary (Boxscore) https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/report/boxscore ( cumulative data up to September 18, 2023, and annual data for coral ); Delisted Species https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp/report/species-delisted ( delisted data through 2022 )

Eventually, though, “climate change is going to swamp the ESA,” says J. B. Ruhl, a law professor at Vanderbilt University, who has been writing about the problem for decades. “As more and more species are threatened, I don't know what the agency does with that.” To offer a practical answer, in a 2008 paper he urged the FWS to aggressively identify the species most at risk and not waste resources on ones that seem sure to expire.

Yet when I asked Frazer which urgent issues were commanding his attention right now, his first thought wasn't climate; it was renewable energy. “Renewable energy is going to leave a big footprint on the planet and on our country,” he says, some of it threatening plants and animals if not implemented well. “The Inflation Reduction Act is going to lead to an explosion of more wind and solar across the landscape.

Long before President Joe Biden signed that landmark law, conflicts were proliferating: Desert Tortoise versus solar farms in the Mojave Desert, Golden Eagles versus wind farms in Wyoming, Tiehm's Buckwheat (a little desert flower) versus lithium mining in Nevada. The mine case is a close parallel to that of Snail Darters versus the Tellico Dam. The flower, listed as endangered just last year, grows on only a few acres of mountainside in western Nevada, right where a mining company wants to extract lithium. The Center for Biological Diversity has led the fight to save it. Elsewhere in Nevada people have used the ESA to stop, for the moment, a proposed geothermal plant that might threaten the two-inch Dixie Valley Toad, discovered in 2017 and also declared endangered last year.

Does an absolute duty to preserve all endangered species make sense in such places? In a recent essay entitled “A Time for Triage,” Columbia law professor Michael Gerrard argues that “the environmental community has trade-off denial. We don't recognize that it's too late to preserve everything we consider precious.” In his view, given the urgency of building the infrastructure to fight climate change, we need to be willing to let a species go after we've done our best to save it. Environmental lawyers adept at challenging fossil-fuel projects, using the ESA and other statutes, should consider holding their fire against renewable installations. “Just because you have bullets doesn't mean you shoot them in every direction,” Gerrard says. “You pick your targets.” In the long run, he and others argue, climate change poses a bigger threat to wildlife than wind turbines and solar farms do.

For now habitat loss remains the overwhelming threat. What's truly needed to preserve the U.S.'s wondrous biodiversity, both Stein and Ruhl say, is a national network of conserved ecosystems. That won't be built with our present politics. But two more practical initiatives might help.

The first is the Recovering America's Wildlife Act, which narrowly missed passage in 2022 and has been reintroduced this year. It builds on the success of the 1937 Pittman-Robertson Act, which funds state wildlife agencies through a federal excise tax on guns and ammunition. That law was adopted to address a decline in game species that had hunters alarmed. The state refuges and other programs it funded are why deer, ducks and Wild Turkeys are no longer scarce.

The recovery act would provide $1.3 billion a year to states and nearly $100 million to Native American tribes to conserve nongame species. It has bipartisan support, in part, Stein says, because it would help arrest the decline of a species before the ESA's “regulatory hammer” falls. Although it would be a large boost to state wildlife budgets, the funding would be a rounding error in federal spending. But last year Congress couldn't agree on how to pay for the measure. Passage “would be a really big deal for nature,” Curry says.

Oyster Mussel. Epioblasma capsaeformis.  Listed as Endangered: 1997. Status: Still endangered. Credit: © Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark

The second initiative that could promote species conservation is already underway: bringing landowners into the fold. Most wildlife habitat east of the Rocky Mountains is on private land. That's also where habitat loss is happening fastest. Some experts say conservation isn't likely to succeed unless the FWS works more collaboratively with landowners, adding carrots to the ESA's regulatory stick. Bean has long promoted the idea, including when he worked at the Interior Department from 2009 to early 2017. The approach started, he says, with the Red-cockaded Woodpecker.

When the ESA was passed, there were fewer than 10,000 Red-cockaded Woodpeckers left of the millions that had once lived in the Southeast. Humans had cut down the old pine trees, chiefly Longleaf Pine, that the birds excavate cavities in for roosting and nesting. An appropriate tree has to be large, at least 60 to 80 years old, and there aren't many like that left. The longleaf forest, which once carpeted up to 90 million acres from Virginia to Texas, has been reduced to less than three million acres of fragments.

In the 1980s the ESA wasn't helping because it provided little incentive to preserve forest on private land. In fact, Bean says, it did the opposite: landowners would sometimes clear-cut potential woodpecker habitat just to avoid the law's constraints. The woodpecker population continued to drop until the 1990s. That's when Bean and his Environmental Defense Fund colleagues persuaded the FWS to adopt “safe-harbor agreements” as a simple solution. An agreement promised landowners that if they let pines grow older or took other woodpecker-friendly measures, they wouldn't be punished; they remained free to decide later to cut the forest back to the baseline condition it had been in when the agreement was signed.

That modest carrot was inducement enough to quiet the chainsaws in some places. “The downward trends have been reversed,” Bean says. “In places like South Carolina, where they have literally hundreds of thousands of acres of privately owned forest enrolled, Red-cockaded Woodpecker numbers have shot up dramatically.”

The woodpecker is still endangered. It still needs help. Because there aren't enough old pines, land managers are inserting lined, artificial cavities into younger trees and sometimes moving birds into them to expand the population. They are also using prescribed fires or power tools to keep the longleaf understory open and grassy, the way fires set by lightning or Indigenous people once kept it and the way the woodpeckers like it. Most of this work is taking place, and most Red-cockaded Woodpeckers are still living, on state or federal land such as military bases. But a lot more longleaf must be restored to get the birds delisted, which means collaborating with private landowners, who own 80 percent of the habitat.

Leo Miranda-Castro, who retired last December as director of the FWS's southeast region, says the collaborative approach took hold at regional headquarters in Atlanta in 2010. The Center for Biological Diversity had dropped a “mega petition” demanding that the FWS consider 404 new species for listing. The volume would have been “overwhelming,” Miranda-Castro says. “That's when we decided, ‘Hey, we cannot do this in the traditional way.’ The fear of listing so many species was a catalyst” to look for cases where conservation work might make a listing unnecessary.

An agreement affecting the Gopher Tortoise shows what is possible. Like the woodpeckers, it is adapted to open-canopied longleaf forests, where it basks in the sun, feeds on herbaceous plants and digs deep burrows in the sandy soil. The tortoise is a keystone species: more than 300 other animals, including snakes, foxes and skunks, shelter in its burrows. But its numbers have been declining for decades.

Urbanization is the main threat to the tortoises, but timberland can be managed in a way that leaves room for them. Eager to keep the species off the list, timber companies, which own 20 million acres in its range, agreed to figure out how to do that—above all by returning fire to the landscape and keeping the canopy open. One timber company, Resource Management Service, said it would restore Longleaf Pine on about 3,700 acres in the Florida panhandle, perhaps expanding to 200,000 acres eventually. It even offered to bring other endangered species onto its land, which delighted Miranda-Castro: “I had never heard about that happening before.” Last fall the FWS announced that the tortoise didn't need to be listed in most of its range.

Miranda-Castro now directs Conservation Without Conflict, an organization that seeks to foster conversation and negotiation in settings where the ESA has more often generated litigation. “For the first 50 years the stick has been used the most,” Miranda-Castro says. “For the next 50 years we're going to be using the carrots way more.” On his own farm outside Fort Moore, Ga., he grows Longleaf Pine—and Gopher Tortoises are benefiting.

Whooping Crane. Grus americana.  Listed as Endangered: 1967. Status: Still endangered. Credit: © Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark

The Center for Biological Diversity doubts that carrots alone will save the reptile. It points out that the FWS's own models show small subpopulations vanishing over the next few decades and the total population falling by nearly a third. In August 2023 it filed suit against the FWS, demanding the Gopher Tortoise be listed.

The FWS itself resorted to the stick this year when it listed the Lesser Prairie-Chicken, a bird whose grassland home in the Southern Plains has long been encroached on by agriculture and the energy industry. The Senate promptly voted to overturn that listing, but President Biden promised to veto that measure if it passes the House.

B ehind the debates over strategy lurks the vexing question: Can we save all species? The answer is no. Extinctions will keep happening. In 2021 the FWS proposed to delist 23 more species—not because they had recovered but because they hadn't been seen in decades and were presumed gone. There is a difference, though, between acknowledging the reality of extinction and deliberately deciding to let a species go. Some people are willing to do the latter; others are not. Bean thinks a person's view has a lot to do with how much they've been exposed to wildlife, especially as a child.

Zygmunt Plater, a professor emeritus at Boston College Law School, was the attorney in the 1978 Snail Darter case, fighting for hundreds of farmers whose land would be submerged by the Tellico Dam. At one point in the proceedings Justice Lewis F. Powell, Jr., asked him, “What purpose is served, if any, by these little darters? Are they used for food?” Plater thinks creatures such as the darter alert us to the threat our actions pose to them and to ourselves. They prompt us to consider alternatives.

The ESA aims to save species, but for that to happen, ecosystems have to be preserved. Protecting the Northern Spotted Owl has saved at least a small fraction of old-growth forest in the Pacific Northwest. Concern about the Red-cockaded Woodpecker and the Gopher Tortoise is aiding the preservation of longleaf forests in the Southeast. The Snail Darter wasn't enough to stop the Tellico Dam, which drowned historic Cherokee sites and 300 farms, mostly for real estate development. But after the controversy, the presence of a couple of endangered mussels did help dissuade the TVA from completing yet another dam, on the Duck River in central Tennessee. That river is now recognized as one of the most biodiverse in North America.

The ESA forced states to take stock of the wildlife they harbored, says Jim Williams, who as a young biologist with the FWS was responsible for listing both the Snail Darter and mussels in the Duck River. Williams grew up in Alabama, where I live. “We didn't know what the hell we had,” he says. “People started looking around and found all sorts of new species.” Many were mussels and little fish. In a 2002 survey, Stein found that Alabama ranked fifth among U.S. states in species diversity. It also ranks second-highest for extinctions; of the 23 extinct species the FWS recently proposed for delisting, eight were mussels, and seven of those were found in Alabama.

One morning this past spring, at a cabin on the banks of Shoal Creek in northern Alabama, I attended a kind of jamboree of local freshwater biologists. At the center of the action, in the shade of a second-floor deck, sat Sartore. He had come to board more species onto his photo ark, and the biologists—most of them from the TVA—were only too glad to help, fanning out to collect critters to be decanted into Sartore's narrow, flood-lit aquarium. He sat hunched before it, a black cloth draped over his head and camera, snapping away like a fashion photographer, occasionally directing whoever was available to prod whatever animal was in the tank into a more artful pose.

As I watched, he photographed a striated darter that didn't yet have a name, a Yellow Bass, an Orangefin Shiner and a giant crayfish discovered in 2011 in the very creek we were at. Sartore's goal is to help people who never meet such creatures feel the weight of extinction—and to have a worthy remembrance of the animals if they do vanish from Earth.

With TVA biologist Todd Amacker, I walked down to the creek and sat on the bank. Amacker is a mussel specialist, following in Williams's footsteps. As his colleagues waded in the shoals with nets, he gave me a quick primer on mussel reproduction. Their peculiar antics made me care even more about their survival.

There are hundreds of freshwater mussel species, Amacker explained, and almost every one tricks a particular species of fish into raising its larvae. The Wavy-rayed Lampmussel, for example, extrudes part of its flesh in the shape of a minnow to lure black bass—and then squirts larvae into the bass's open mouth so they can latch on to its gills and fatten on its blood. Another mussel dangles its larvae at the end of a yard-long fishing line of mucus. The Duck River Darter Snapper—a member of a genus that has already lost most of its species to extinction—lures and then clamps its shell shut on the head of a hapless fish, inoculating it with larvae. “You can't make this up,” Amacker said. Each relationship has evolved over the ages in a particular place.

The small band of biologists who are trying to cultivate the endangered mussels in labs must figure out which fish a particular mussel needs. It's the type of tedious trial-and-error work conservation biologists call “heroic,” the kind that helped to save California Condors and Whooping Cranes. Except these mussels are eyeless, brainless, little brown creatures that few people have ever heard of.

For most mussels, conditions are better now than half a century ago, Amacker said. But some are so rare it's hard to imagine they can be saved. I asked Amacker whether it was worth the effort or whether we just need to accept that we must let some species go. The catch in his voice almost made me regret the question.

“I'm not going to tell you it's not worth the effort,” he said. “It's more that there's no hope for them.” He paused, then collected himself. “Who are we to be the ones responsible for letting a species die?” he went on. “They've been around so long. That's not my answer as a biologist; that's my answer as a human. Who are we to make it happen?”

Robert Kunzig is a freelance writer in Birmingham, Ala., and a former senior editor at National Geographic, Discover and Scientific American .

Environment: Endangered Species Essay

Globally, over 14,000 animal species face a risk of extinction. The reasons for the near extinction include poaching, habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, pollution, diseases, climate change, and low birth rates (IUCN, 2021). Some of the most endangered species include the Javan rhino, African elephants, black rhino, snow leopards, orangutans, the vaquita, Amur leopards, and the eastern lowland gorillas. With the appropriate conservation measure, endangered animals may increase over time.

Captive breeding and reintroduction are among the most effective conservation approaches. They involve capturing, breeding, and rearing endangered animals in wildlife reserves, zoos, or aquariums to help increase their numbers. After a significant number is raised, the animals can then be released back to their natural habitats. For example, in 1982, only 22 California condors existed in the wild; however, captive breeding increased the number to 425 in 2014 (Association of Zoos & Aquarium, n.d). Thus, when threats are reduced, the rare species can improve in numbers.

Habitat protection is critical in ensuring the safety of endangered animals. Protected areas where endangered species can be placed include nature reserves, national parks, and wildlife refuges. There are various marine reserves and protected areas that prohibit fishing, thus safeguarding the marine species. In this case, New Zealand has several marine reserves that protect sea turtles, aquatic mammals, and some fish species such as manta rays and white pointer sharks (Ministry for Primary Industries, n.d). Additionally, some laws and regulations safeguard wildlife at state, national, and global levels to prevent animal extinction. In this case, CITES or the Washington convention significantly regulates the global trade of wild animals. This treaty restricts and controls any trade involving endangered species to ensure they do not become extinct

In conclusion, human activity and climate change continually threaten some wild animals’ survival. Nonetheless, appropriate conservation methods such as captive breeding and habitat protection can ensure the continuous reproduction of these species. The enactment of state, national and global laws that safeguard wild animals also promotes the survival of these species. Human beings have a responsibility to ensure the protection of wild animals and their habitats.

Global warming is one of the biggest threats to animal and plant survival. The accumulation of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, deforestation, and increased agricultural activities are major contributors to this phenomenon. The increased earth temperature associated with global warming has led to climate change resulting in several natural calamities. However, the threat of global warming can be reduced by using renewable energy, recycling, planting more trees, and lowering the emission of greenhouse gases.

Global warming has significant adverse impacts on human beings and the environment. The extreme heat associated with climate change increases complications from underlying respiratory and heart diseases such as renal failure and asthma and may cause other heat-related disorders. Global warming also increases the risk of storms and drought, affecting food supply, which may cause death to both humans and animals (Global Climate Change, 2021). It has also been linked to ocean acidification, increased ocean temperature, and rising sea levels. Such occurrences have led to the death of a significant number of marine life.

Rather than human actions, global warming may result from natural forces. Human activities such as deforestation, industrial processes, and agricultural activities have long been attributed to climate change. However, there are claims that complex gravitational interactions, particularly alterations in the earth’s orbit, torque, and axial tilt, may also influence climate change resulting in increased temperature (Neaves, 2017). Gradual shifts in the earth’s orbit combined with its axial tilt places the south and north poles more directly to the sun resulting in temperature extremes.

In conclusion, global warming has adverse effects on humans and nature. It exposes humans to heat-related diseases and increases complications of respiratory illnesses such as asthma. Climate change depletes vegetation causing food shortage and death to humans and animals. Similarly, it causes ocean warming and acidification, which destroys marine life. Although some natural forces such as shifts in the earth’s orbit and axis may trigger temperature changes, human activities are the greatest contributors to global warming.

Association of Zoos & Aquarium (n.d). Reintroduction programs . Web.

Ministry for Primary Industries. (n.d). Protecting marine life . Web.

Neaves, T., T. (2017). The climate is changing, but not just because of humans. Here’s why that matters . NBC News . Web.

International Union for Conservation of Nature. (2021). African elephant species now endangered and critically endangered – IUCN Red List . Web.

Global Climate Change. (2021). The effects of climate change . Web.

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Home — Essay Samples — Environment — Endangered Species — Endangered Animals: The Causes And How To Protect

Endangered Animals: The Causes and How to Protect

• Categories: Endangered Species

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Words: 541 |

Published: Dec 16, 2021

Words: 541 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Works Cited:

• Baumeister, R. F., Gailliot, M., DeWall, C. N., & Oaten, M. (2006). Self-regulation and personality: How interventions increase regulatory success, and how depletion moderates the effects of traits on behavior. Journal of Personality, 74(6), 1773–1801.
• Duckworth, A. L., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2005). Self-discipline outdoes IQ in predicting academic performance of adolescents. Psychological Science, 16(12), 939–944.
• Emerson, R. W. (1841). Self-Reliance. Essays: First Series. https://www.emersoncentral.com/selfreliance.htm
• Goleman, D. (2013). Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence. HarperCollins Publishers.
• Hagger, M. S., Wood, C., Stiff, C., & Chatzisarantis, N. L. D. (2010). Ego depletion and the strength model of self-control: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 136(4), 495–525.
• Hofmann, W., Baumeister, R. F., Förster, G., & Vohs, K. D. (2012). Everyday temptations: An experience sampling study of desire, conflict, and self-control. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 102(6), 1318–1335.
• McGonigal, K. (2012). The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It. Avery.
• Mischel, W., Shoda, Y., & Rodriguez, M. L. (1989). Delay of gratification in children. Science, 244(4907), 933–938.
• Tangney, J. P., Baumeister, R. F., & Boone, A. L. (2004). High self‐control predicts good adjustment, less pathology, better grades, and interpersonal success. Journal of Personality, 72(2), 271–322.
• Vohs, K. D., Baumeister, R. F., & Schmeichel, B. J. (2012). Motivation, personal beliefs, and limited resources all contribute to self-control. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 48(4), 943–947.

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Accelerating extinction rate triggers domino effect of biodiversity loss

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While nearly one million species are currently at risk of extinction, the United Nations University (UNU) in Bonn is drawing attention to “co-extinctions”: the chain reaction occurring when the complete disappearance of one species affects another.  

The issue is in the spotlight ahead of the  International Day for Biological Diversity , observed annually on 22 May, and covered in the most recent edition of UNU’s Interconnected Disaster Risks report.

Among the animals at risk is the gopher tortoise, one of the oldest living species on the planet. This tragic story of biodiversity loss is unfolding at the heart of the coastal plains of the southern United States. 

Ecosystem ‘architect’ 

Their reduced number is not just problematic for the survival of the tortoise as a species, however, as these charismatic creatures also play a vital role in preserving the delicate balance of their coastal realm.  

Gopher tortoises are not merely occupants of their habitat; they are architects, sculpting ecosystems and providing sanctuaries for over 350 other species. With their front legs functioning like shovels, they dig burrows that range in size from 20 to 30 feet (6 to 9 metres) long and from 6 to 8 feet (1.8 to 2.5 metres) deep.  

From small insects to larger amphibians, each organism plays a vital role in the ecosystem's intricate web of life these burrows provide. For some, the burrows of the gopher tortoise are a safe haven for breeding and nurturing offspring, while for others, they offer respite from predators and the elements.

Should the gopher tortoise vanish, it is likely a domino effect would be felt throughout the ecosystem.  

Among the most vulnerable is the critically endangered dusky gopher frog, a species already teetering on the brink of extinction. Reliant on the tortoise's burrows for shelter and survival, the disappearance of the tortoise would most likely put the frog’s survival at risk too. 

The role of humans 

In shedding more light on co-extinctions, UNU said that intense human activities, such as land-use change, overexploitation, climate change, pollution and the introduction of invasive species, is causing an extinction acceleration that is at least tens to hundreds of times faster than the natural process of extinctions.  

In the last 100 years, over 400 vertebrate species were lost, for example. The report therefore includes accelerated extinctions among its six interconnected ‘risk tipping points’.  

Such points are reached when the systems that humanity relies on cannot buffer risks and stop functioning like expected – mainly as a result of human actions.  

Extinction breeds extinction 

Ecosystems are built on intricate networks of connections between different species, as the gopher tortoise-dusky gopher frog example indicates.  

The domino effect could lead to more species going extinct and eventually even to the collapse of entire ecosystems.  

With nearly one million plant and animal species currently under threat, the ripple effect of the extinction of a single species can affect countless others, disrupting vital ecological functions. 

The endangered sea otter provides another example of intricate dependencies within ecosystems. Calling the Pacific kelp forests their home, they were once plentiful, but are now locally endangered due to being relentlessly hunted for their fur in the past.  

In a finely tuned ecological dance, sea otters prey on sea urchins, halting the unrestrained growth of sea urchin populations. Without the presence of otters, these spiky grazers run rampant, transforming lush kelp forests into desolate ‘urchin barrens’.  

But the demise of sea otters would have impacts that extend far beyond the disappearance of kelp alone, UNU said. Over1,000 species– including sharks, turtles, seals, whales, birds, and a multitude of fish– rely on these underwater havens for their very existence.  

Creating the future we want  

Addressing the biodiversity crisis demands a multifaceted approach that recognizes the interconnectedness of risks and solutions.  

The theme of the International Day for Biological Diversity  calls for everyone to support implementation of  the Biodiversity Plan , adopted in 2022, which sets goals and concrete measures to stop and reverse the loss of nature by 2050. 

One of the goals includes reducing the extinction rate of all species tenfold by mid-century and increasing the abundance of native wild species to healthy and resilient levels, said Zita Sebesvari, Deputy Director of UNU’s Institute for Environment and Human Security and lead author of the  Interconnected Disaster Risks report.  

“While adaptation strategies, such as restoring and protecting green corridors between animal habitats offer some respite, tackling underlying drivers of extinction remains crucial, because this goal cannot be reached as long as we risk accelerating extinctions,” she explained. 

In the long term, avoiding extinctions and co-extinctions will be the only realistic solution to halt biodiversity loss, which requires a shift of mindsets.  

“Conservation efforts must extend beyond individual species to encompass entire ecosystems”, Ms. Sebesvari said.  

“Urgent and decisive action is needed to preserve the resilience of ecosystems and ensure the survival of our planet’s diverse web of life. Embracing nature as an integral part of our culture is essential to secure a sustainable future, recognizing that our fate is inevitably intertwined with the fate of the natural world.” 

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Sample environmental science essay: animals most in danger of extinction.

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The Earth is home to billions of species. While scientists have admitted that we have yet to discover all that is out there, they have also confirmed that the earth’s species is going extinct at a rate of 0.01%/year, meaning that a minimum of two thousand species go extinct every year (“How many species are we losing?”). Animals that are in the most danger of extinction are classified as "critically endangered," meaning they face the highest risk of extinction in the wild. The animals listed  in this provided sample essay by Ultius are in the highest danger of becoming extinct than any other animal species on earth.

Which animals are the most endangered?

The amur leopard.

The Amur leopard is the number one most critically endangered animal in the world. When people think of leopards, they usually think of a great, spotted animal stalked the savannas of Africa. The Amur leopard, though, resides in the Russian Far East and has adapted to the temperate forests of the species northern territory. Like other leopards, the Amur leopard can sprint as fast as almost forty miles per hour and can leap more than ten feet vertically into the air and nineteen feet horizontally (“Amur Leopard”). The Amur leopard lives in temperate broadleaf and mixed forests in a mountainous region. They are strong, nimble, and clever animals that carry their unfinished kills away and hide them away from other predators. Amur leopards are solitary animals, though it has been reported that males remain with females after mating and sometimes help with the rearing of their young. Several males will sometimes follow and fight over one specific female. The leopards will live between ten and fifteen years in the wild and can live up to twenty years in captivity (“Amur Leopard”). Other names for the Amur leopard include the Korean leopard, the Far East leopard, and the Manchurian leopard.

Threats facing the Amur leopard are illegal wildlife trade and prey scarcity. The leopard is poached for its beautiful, high-value fur. One illegal Amur leopard skin sells for more than one thousand dollars (“Amur Leopard”). Their habitat is rather accessible to humans, as it is surrounded by villages and agricultural fields. This close proximity with humans makes poaching a serious problem for the Amur leopard. The lack of prey also takes a serious toll on the Amur population. Its former range of China no longer has the prey to support large cats due to forest reduction for logging. If the Amur leopard hopes to survive, it needs to be able to repopulate its old range, but the availability of prey needs to increase first.

There are approximately sixty Amur leopards left in the wild. This is more than double their population in 2007 , when there were less than thirty Amur leopards left (“Amur Leopard- World’s Rarest Cat- Doubles in Population”). Recently, an additional eight to twelve were counted in China but have not yet been confirmed. In order to find these numbers, cameras were hidden over more than nine hundred thousand acres of land that is known leopard habitat. Thousands of images were reviewed and approximately sixty different animals were identified by unique spot patterns in their fur. Barney Long, Director of Species Protection and Asian Species Conservation for the World Wildlife Fund , said that,

“Such a strong rebound in Amur leopard numbers is further proof that even the most critically endangered big cats can recover if we protect their habitat and work together on conservation efforts.” (“Amur Leopard- World’s Rarest Cat- Doubles in Population”).

Researchers are now focusing on counting leopard populations in China in order to get more accurate numbers.

Related Content: Learn more about illegal poaching and the ivory trade .

The Javan rhino

The second most critically endangered animal in the world is the Javan rhino. Like the Amur leopard, the Javan rhino’s population is dwindling at slightly more than sixty. The entire population lives in Ujung Kulon National Park in Java, Indonesia (“Javan Rhino”). Their grey coloring enhances the appearance of armor created by the loose folds of their skin, which resembles plating. Their horns grow to approximately ten inches and their habitat consists of tropical forests. 

There are a number of threats facing the Javan rhino. The  most pressing is the illegal wildlife trade . During colonial times, they were killed by trophy hunters, for their prized horns which are used for traditional Asian medicines, and as agricultural pests. In 2010, poaching completely eliminated the entire population of a Javan rhino subspecies in Vietnam (“Javan Rhino”). Other threats include reduced genetic diversity, which can make it hard for the remaining population to reproduce, and disease caused by wild cattle in the park. The species is also threatened by natural disasters that are common in Ujung Kulon National Park and invasive species that wiped out the rhinos’ food source in almost half the park (“Javan Rhino”). 

The saola is a large mammal that resembles a squat antelope, though they are more closely related to cattle. Both males and females have two parallel horns that can reach twenty inches in length. They are a warm brown color with white markings on their faces. Saola are found exclusively in the Annamite Mountains in Laos and Vietnam (“Saola”). They were not discovered until 1992 when a joint survey conducted by the World Wildlife Foundation and the Ministry of Forestry in Vietnam. The research team uncovered a skull that had unusually long horns. It was the first new large mammal science if over half a century and is considered one of the biggest zoological discoveries of the 20th centuries (“Saola”).

Despite only being recently discovered, there are only between a few dozen and a few hundred saola left in the wild. Threats to the population include habitat loss and hunting. Their native habitat is constantly being reduced for industry and agriculture, pushing the animals into a smaller and smaller space. Their habitat has become fragmented, making it easier for hunters to access them and affecting the population’s genetic diversity (“Saola”). Saola are often caught in traps set for other animals like boar and deer. There is also an increase in hunting to supply the illegal trade and meet the traditional medicine demand in eastern medicine.

The Cross River gorilla

Cross River gorillas are very similar in appearance to other gorillas, but differ in their tooth and skull dimensions. They can grow to be between four and five and a half feet tall and weigh more than four hundred pounds (“Cross River Gorilla”). Until very recently, scientists have been unable to get an accurate count of the Cross River gorilla population because the animals are wary of humans and prefer a more rugged territory that is harder to access. Researchers instead have to use indirect sings like estimated range sizes and nest counts to determine that there are approximately two to three hundred Cross River gorillas (“Cross River Gorilla”). They live an at least eleven family groups in an area of three thousand square miles across the lowlands forests of Nigeria and Cameroon.

The main threats facing Cross River gorillas are inbreeding and hunting. Because of the small population, there is a risk for a decrease in genetic diversity that can make it difficult for the species to healthily reproduce. They tend to keep to their own groups and hardly interact with the others at all. While hunting and killing gorillas is illegal in their native territory, it is not uncommon for these laws to go unenforced. Conservation efforts have caused the hunting to decline, though. Still, because there is such a small population, the killing of even one gorilla can be detrimental to the species (“Cross River Gorilla”). The World Wildlife Foundation, along with the governments of Nigeria and Cameroon, has focused their efforts on securing a safe habitat for the gorillas and created a protected area across the two countries for the gorillas to live safely.

The Mountain gorilla

Like their Cross River cousins, the Mountain gorilla can grow to between four and five and a half feet tall and more than four hundred pounds. They live in the forested area high in the mountains at elevations between eight thousand and twelve thousand feet. They have more hair that is fuller and thicker than the hair of other apes, helping them survive in temperatures below freezing , which are not uncommon for their habitat (“Mountain Gorilla”). Humans continue to breach the Mountain gorilla’s territory, pushing them further and further up the mountains where conditions are dangerous and often deadly.

There are several factors that contribute to the dwindling Mountain gorilla population. The war in Rwanada in the early 1990s along with the Democratic Republic of Congo’s civil unrest sent refugees into the mountains in huge numbers, which contributed to poaching and loss of habitat (“Mountain Gorilla”). Parts of the gorillas’ environment have been overtaken by rebel forces, making it dangerous and difficult to conduct surveys of the population or continue with conservation efforts. Further disrupting the gorillas’ habitat is the harvesting of charcoal for fuel, which is quickly destroying the land. In 2004, almost four thousand acres of gorilla habitat were cleared or devastated (“Mountain Gorilla”). Another threat facing the population is disease. The more they come into contact with humans, the more diseases gorillas contract in severe forms. Mountain gorillas can even die from the common cold (“Mountain Gorilla”). However, increased veterinary care has caused their survival rate to rise.

The Black rhino

There are about five thousand black rhinos left in the world today. European hunters are responsible for the massive population decline when it was not uncommon for five or six rhinos to be killed every day for amusement or food (“Black Rhino”). The majority of rhinoceros slaughter took place in the early twentieth century by settlers. Black rhinos can grow up to just above five feet tall and weigh between seventeen hundred pounds to over three thousand. They live in subtropical and tropical grasslands, deserts, savannas, and shrublands.

The main threats to their population are habitat loss and the illegal wildlife trade. (Discover  how habitat loss impacts species ). The changes in habitat have mainly been due to an over-flooding of landless people. This decreases the amount of safe habitat for the rhinos and puts them at risk for poaching. Black rhinos have two horns, sometimes three, making them desirable candidates for poachers. Between 1970 and 1992, ninety six percent of the black rhinos in Africa were killed (“Black Rhino”). War and political instability have made conservation efforts difficult and recent rises in poaching incidents has nearly reversed efforts that have already been made. 

A precarious fate

The most critically endangered animals in the world are in desperate need of help before they are wiped off the earth forever. The main causes of their rapid population decline are habitat loss because of humans or illegal hunting and poaching by humans and if something is not done soon, their fate is certainly less than promising. With thousands of species going extinct every year, these animals could be next.

If you liked this read and need help with your writing, consider checking out our extensive essay help section .

Works Cited

“Amur Leopard.” WWF . World Wildlife Fund, 2016. Web. 30 May 2016. https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/amur-leopard.

“Amur Leopard- World’s Rarest Cat- Doubles in Population.” WWF . World Wildlife Fund, 23 Feb. 2015. Web. 30 May 2016. https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/amur-leopard-world-s-rarest-cat-doubles-in-population.

“Black Rhino.” Bagheera: An Education Website About Endangered Species and the Efforts to Save Them . Quattro Theme, 2016. Web. 31 May 2016. http://www.bagheera.com/inthewild/van_anim_rhino.htm.

“Cross River Gorilla.” WWF . World Wildlife Fund, 2016. Web. 30 May 2016. https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/cross-river-gorilla.

“Javan Rhino.” Edge of Existence . The Zoological Society of London, n.d. 31 May 2016. http://www.edgeofexistence.org/mammals/species_info.php?id=11. 

“Mountain Gorilla.” WWF . World Wildlife Fund, 2016. Web. 30 May 2016. https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/mountain-gorilla.  

“Saola.” WWF . World Wildlife Fund, 2016. Web. 30 Jun. 2016. https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/saola.

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Animals are in danger of extinction. Some people say we should protect only those animals which are useful to humans. Do you agree or disagree? v.1

Ielts essay animals are in danger of extinction. some people say we should protect only those animals which are useful to humans. v. 1.

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• 7.5 band Animals are in danger of extinctions. Some people say we should protect only those animal which are useful to humans. v. 1 Many animals are indeed threatened by the risk of extinction. Some hold a belief that humans only need to safeguard certain species that benefit us. I personally disagree with this point of view because I believe that making efforts on animal conservation should not put people’s needs into considera ...
• 8 band Animals are in danger of extinctions. Some people say we should protect only those animals, which are useful to humans. v. 2 In the modern world, although many people concern about reducing the number of wild animals, others feel that the humankind only need a few types of animals for their purposes. In this reason, they are not willing to assist some types of them. However, personally, I believe that individuals should a ...
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• 8 band Animals are in danger of extinction. Some people say that we should protect only those animals, which are useful to humans. v. 3 From our early existence on the Earth, animals have been human companions. However, the animal kingdom is on the edge of being completely extinct. Some people, therefore, may believe that it would be better to conserve the fauna that brings benefits to humans. I am not going along with this opinion, ...
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The Unusual Evolutionary Journey of the Baobab Tree

New research shows the “upside-down trees” originated in Madagascar and then caught a ride on ocean currents to reach mainland Africa and Australia.

By Rachel Nuwer

Baobabs are one of the most charismatic trees on Earth, thanks in part to their unusual appearance. Their cartoonishly thick trunks are conspicuously oversized relative to their diminutive crowns, earning them the nickname “upside-down trees.” They can also live for thousands of years , contributing to their prominent place in cultural traditions and works of art.

For all the tales told about baobabs, though, their origin story has remained a mystery.

Scientists have debated for years how baobabs wound up in the places where they grow. Eight species exist around the world, and their distribution, like the trees themselves, is unusual: One species occurs across much of mainland Africa, while six are in Madagascar. The last is found faraway, in northwestern Australia.

Most researchers have hypothesized that the trees originated on mainland Africa. But findings published Wednesday in the journal Nature tell a different story. Baobabs instead most likely first evolved in Madagascar , where they diversified into different species. Two then embarked on long-distance oceanic journeys to distant continents.

“Madagascar is this wonderful natural laboratory,” said Tao Wan, a botanist at the Wuhan Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and an author of the new study. He added, “In the case of baobabs, some very special geographical history on the island contributed to the species’ diversity.”

Dr. Wan and his colleagues sequenced the genomes of all eight baobab species and then used those data to understand how the trees evolved. They also investigated ecological factors that influenced the distribution of baobabs around Madagascar.

Their results indicate that baobabs’ common ancestor most likely arose in Madagascar around 21 million years ago. Competition with other plant life and factors like altitude, temperature, precipitation and volcanic activity caused new baobab species to emerge across Madagascar, as did fluctuating sea levels during various ice ages.

Baobabs probably also evolved a mutualistic relationship with lemurs that served as pollinators. Other relatively large animals, including fruit-eating bats and bush babies in Africa, began visiting baobabs’ nocturnal flowers for nectar. “One of the evolutionary innovations of baobabs was to exploit large, sugar-eating animals,” said Andrew Leitch, a plant geneticist at Queen Mary University of London, and an author of the study. “That’s an unusual thing for a plant to do.”

At some point, most likely around 12 million years ago, two species of Malagasy baobabs found their way to mainland Africa and Australia, where they evolved into the unique trees that grow there today. Most likely, multiple baobab seeds hitched rides as vegetation was transported by the Indian Ocean gyre, a current that circulates counterclockwise between Australia, South Asia and the eastern coast of Africa — exemplifying the species’ “fascinating and extraordinary long-distance dispersal patterns,” Dr. Leitch said.

“Baobabs are amazing trees, so I was excited to see this paper,” said Pamela Soltis, a botanist at the University of Florida who was not involved in the work. She added that the research offered new perspectives on baobab evolution.

In addition to filling in missing pieces of the evolutionary puzzle, the authors’ findings also raise conservation concerns. Two of the Malagasy species have alarmingly low genetic diversity, indicating that they might lack the resilience needed to adapt to climate change. A third species is also at risk of disappearing because of interbreeding with a more widespread cousin.

These three species are already listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List as being in danger of extinction. The new genetic findings suggest that their conservation statuses should be re-evaluated and potentially upgraded to even higher threat levels, said Ilia Leitch, a plant geneticist at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew and an author of the paper.

All six of the Malagasy baobab species are also being affected by an ongoing wave of extinctions that has been occurring in Madagascar for the past 2,500 years and that researchers say is mostly being driven by human activity. Several species of giant lemurs — some of which grew to gorilla-size proportions, and all of which probably served as key seed dispersers for baobabs — were hunted to extinction around 1,000 years ago. Virtually all of the forested understory that surrounded Madagascar’s baobabs has also been lost to recent development.

While species naturally come and go across evolutionary history, “that process is being exacerbated by human intervention,” Dr. Ilia Leitch said.

The sixth extinction is underway, study finds. But here's why all hope is not lost.

Global population trends among 71,000 animal species show nearly half are "sliding toward extinction," some of them at alarming rates, a new study warns .

Researchers found 48% of the species in the analysis were declining, while only 3% were increasing and 49% remain stable, according to the study published Tuesday in the journal "Biological Reviews ."

The disparity between the declining number of species and the increasing number shows "a net loss of biodiversity that is quite alarming," said Daniel Pincheira-Donoso, a study co-author and an associate professor in evolutionary biology and macroecology at Queen’s University Belfast in the United Kingdom. 

The rapidly increasing imbalance signals a looming "sixth extinction," the authors said in the study, titled "More losers than winners: investigating Anthropocene defaunation through the diversity of population trends."

Although the declining species are cause for concern, Stuart Pimm, a conservation scientist for nearly 50 years who is not associated with the study, said its other findings represent good news for many species.

The study “gets past the simplistic view that everything is going to hell,” said Pimm, Doris Duke chair of conservation ecology at Duke University. "Many species − and many important species − and doing OK, or even better."

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What were the study’s findings?

Population trends were analyzed in the world's mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and insects. The study found "animal populations and whole species are declining across the tree of life."

Among its other findings:

• Biodiversity is under increasing threat from habitat destruction, invasive species, and other factors.
• The scale of decline among the animals represents "one of the most alarming consequences" of humans' impacts on the planet.
• The number of populations collapsing "is far higher than the species adaptively 'catching up.'"
• Population trends are unknown for large numbers of species, particularly in the tropics, where other species are in trouble.
• Reptiles and fish have more stable groups than some other species, but they also have a larger number of species for which population trends are unknown.
• Amphibians are seeing some of the greatest decreases in population losses: 63% of the species examined are declining.
• Of the species classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list as "non-threatened," 33% are declining.

"Now is the pivotal time to protect the future integrity of biodiversity, and thereby the persistence of humanity," the authors concluded.

Not all bad news

The findings are "interestingly and importantly mixed," said Pimm, who is in Africa studying elephants this summer. 

"Some species are in deep trouble, but we ought not to forget that we are making a lot of successes with a lot of endangered species," he said. "There are some places where things are really pretty grim but others where things are an awful lot better.

"If you’re a skylark, an iconic bird of the English countryside, you’re in trouble" because of intensive agriculture, insecticides and herbicides, Pimm said. But success stories are found among elephants in southern Africa and bald eagles, peregrine falcons and many ducks in the U.S. 

"A lot of things are going better because we made it that way," and the success illustrates further strides can be made, he said. He pointed to the United Nations' goal of conserving 30% of the world's land and oceans by 2030.

Why should we care about vanishing species?

Extinctions are an "environmental global catastrophe" that will sooner or later impact our own lives, Pincheira-Donoso said. He compared the importance of biodiversity to a car's engine. 

"An engine is made of very big critical bits and very small bits like screws, but all of those elements are in that engine because together they make the engine work," he said. "If you start taking small bits from it, or certainly if you take a big bit, you know your engine will fail and will end up collapsing." 

The same complex interaction happens in natural ecosystems, he said. "If you start removing species from an ecosystem, it’s the equivalent to removing screws from random bits of your engine. You know it’s going to collapse because every species plays a role." 

Amphibians, for example, play large roles in ecosystems, but they are declining more than any other organisms, Pincheira-Donosa said. 

"The rate of extinction of amphibians is truly alarming … more than all the other vertebrates combined," he said. "In every ecosystem where you see a massive decline of amphibians, you are basically taking a lot of random screws from your engine, and that is causing a collapse."

What were the five mass extinctions?

Using the fossil record, scientists have found five periods in Earth’s geological history when many species died. According to the American Museum of Natural History, the periods and the extinctions were:

• Ordovician-silurian: 440 million years ago. Small marine organisms.
• Devonian: 365 million years ago. Many tropical marine species.
• Permian-triassic: 250 million years ago. A range of species, including many vertebrates.
• Triassic-jurassic: 210 million years ago. Vertebrate species on land.
• Cretaceous-tertiary Extinction: 65 million years ago. An estimated 50% of Earth’s plants and animals.

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Silent species face extinction: Study highlights bias in conservation research

by James Cook University

A new study warns bias towards popular animals in conservation research might see some important, but less spectacular, species suffer "silent extinctions" as their plight goes unrecognized.

Jean-Paul Hobbs, a senior research fellow at James Cook University and co-lead on the study, said despite a 35-fold increase in the number of published research articles , conservation biology research still appeared to be biased toward popular species and ecosystems and there was seemingly little attention paid to within-species (genetic) diversity.

'"It's important that we know why this is occurring because with significant biases remaining in conservation research, there is potential for critical gaps in our understanding of how to best conserve biodiversity across global ecosystems,"' Dr. Hobbs said.

The team analyzed trends over the past four decades in more than 17,500 research articles published in four leading conservation-focused journals. Their work has culminated in a new study titled "Global trends and biases in biodiversity conservation research" published in Cell Reports Sustainability that examines how research efforts have evolved.

JCU Adjunct Senior Research Fellow Dr. Iain Caldwell, who co-led the study said the team found biases in conservation biology research remain entrenched with research efforts increasingly concentrated on the same species, with many of the most-studied species having low conservation risk.

"We also found animals are generally heavily overrepresented while plants, fungi, and freshwater ecosystems are underrepresented in research, and in terms of scale, genetic diversity within species receives the least overall attention,"' Dr. Caldwell said.

'"Findings also showed research is focusing on terrestrial systems and underrepresenting marine and freshwater ecosystems."'

Dr. Hobbs said an increasing bias in genetic studies toward non- threatened species means resources are deflected from species in most need of genetic research.

The study also examined trends in genetic research, finding that although the proportion of genetic studies in conservation journals increased significantly from the 1980s to 1996, it has declined since then.

"Threatened species are most vulnerable to reductions in genetic diversity, which forms the basis for adapting to future challenges,"' Dr. Hobbs said.

"Bias in research priorities is likely to contribute to bias in extinction patterns. It could also mean population declines in understudied species go completely unnoticed, leading to silent extinctions, possibly even before species are discovered."'

Corresponding author on the study and Population Geneticist Dr. Áki Jarl Láruson from the Hafrannsóknastofnun–Marine & Freshwater Research Institute in Iceland said while efforts to conserve biodiversity are increasing, within-species diversity appears to be receiving the least overall attention.

'"This shift in research priorities can have critical implications for the long-term adaptive potential of vulnerable systems."

Both Dr. Hobbs and Dr. Caldwell emphasized the need for a shift in research priorities.

"Our findings suggest that biases in conservation research are deep-rooted and could lead to an uneven loss of biodiversity and a limited understanding of ecosystem dynamics,"' Dr. Caldwell said.

'"Addressing this imbalance could result in more comprehensive conservation strategies that account for all levels of biodiversity."

Dr. Hobbs said biases may be re-enforced by funding. When funding is limited, researchers may seek to maximize impact by returning to ongoing conservation efforts or focusing on high-profile species.

"Deliberate funding and targeted efforts are needed to investigate both understudied species and ecosystems.

"A broader, more inclusive approach will ensure more effective and equitable conservation efforts across multiple levels of biodiversity, alleviate impediments to biodiversity targets, and ultimately prevent further extinctions."

Provided by James Cook University

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‘It is a machine of destruction’: The wels catfish threatens Spain’s river ecosystems

The invasive species, native to the rivers of central europe, is already found in a large part of the main basins of the iberian peninsula and is a danger to native fauna.

“The fish is not to blame; those responsible are the people who have brought it here,” says fisherman José Manuel García while examining a huge wels catfish measuring 1.6 meters and weighing 25 kilos that he has just caught in the Iznájar reservoir in the Guadalquivir basin in southern Spain, where the species first appeared in 2011. “There are bigger ones,” he says before killing it, as required by law as it is an invasive exotic species . The wels catfish — the largest freshwater fish in Europe, which can reach a length of 2.5 meters and weigh over 120 kilos — has not stopped multiplying and wreaking environmental havoc since the German biologist Roland Lorkowsky introduced 32 fry from the Danube into the Segre river, in the Ebro basin, in 1974.

Since then, the species, which originates from central Europe, has colonized most of the main basins of the Iberian Peninsula. This expansion has been made possible due to fishing enthusiasts transporting it from one place to another illegally and without taking into account the environmental consequences. Other fishermen like García, president of the Environmental Association of Fishermen of the Iznájar reservoir (Amapila), are trying to stop these practices and convince their colleagues of the devastating effects they cause in Spain’s rivers.

In Iznájar, native species such as the common barbel and bogue are becoming increasingly scarce, while others, such as carp and black bass, have been introduced. “It is a machine of destruction that eats between 2% and 4% of its body weight every day. It has even been detected that it can catch ducks and geese and other birds such as cormorants, of which we have found remains in its stomach”, says Carlos Fernández, professor of zoology at the University of Córdoba and head of the Stop Catfish program, on the shore of the reservoir. This research, promoted by the Ministry for Ecological Transition, aims to determine the distribution area of the species in the Lower Guadalquivir and to develop a management plan.

Despite the damage they cause, some fishermen have continued to transport catfish to other areas, despite regulations stating that their capture is only allowed in areas where they were found before the 2007 natural heritage law came into force, such as in the Mequinenza reservoir, in the province of Zaragoza, where a lucrative business has developed around sport fishing for the species. “They want to have [the fish] close to where they live,” says the president of Amapila.

“There are people who think that the introduction of species increases diversity and local wealth, but what is produced is a global loss ,” explains biologist and University of Girona professor Emili García-Berthou, an expert in inland fish. These new inhabitants — in this case the catfish — cause the disappearance of native communities and fauna and flora to become increasingly similar between countries.

Amapila fishermen are aware of this loss of diversity. “We miss the times when we used to catch 20 or 30 barbel. Now, if we catch one, we are happy,” says García, while measuring the catfish he has just pulled out of the water in Iznájar. When they catch a specimen, they collect all the information available to them: size, diet, whether it is male or female, which they then send to the researcher Carlos Fernández.

The Amapila association has the permission of the Andalusia regional government to extract catfish from the marsh and thus help to contain them, with similar agreements in place with the Association for Fish and Aquatic Ecosystem Conservation (Acpes). However, the fishermen who are trying to solve the problem created by others complain that they are doing it with their own means. “The only thing we have received from an administration were some mortuary bags that the city council of Rute gave us, but two catfish fill them up and you can’t put them in the car; you’d never get rid of the smell,” says García.

As he speaks, the catfish, with its head, wide and flattened, small eyes, two large whiskers and mucous-covered skin, lies still on the ground. “What a useless death. The fishermen who allowed them to expand should see it,” says another Amapila member. Catfish can modify the ecology of an area, warns Fernández. In the Guadalquivir, it threatens the breeding and fattening area of numerous species of commercial interest ( anchovies , sea bass, corvinas, red crab) that are exploited in the Gulf of Cádiz, according to the research carried out by Stop Catfish.

Stopping the advance of the catfish, an almost impossible mission

“The only solution is to eradicate the species in time,” says Fernández, something that was not achieved in Iznájar and many other places in Spain. “It is impossible to stop the advance of an invasive species like the catfish only with what fishermen can catch, without any scientific method or planning,” he adds. In the Guadalquivir basin, the scenario became more complicated in 2017, when two specimens appeared in the Rivera de Huelva river, a tributary of the Guadalquivir. Someone had released them into the waterway. “After collecting data, we have found that the problem is everywhere,” says Fernández. “Maybe some habitats are not suitable for the species and it will die, but in the meantime it will be eating and damaging the ecosystem.”

Amapila fishermen say it is not even an attractive animal to catch. “All you do is pull, pull, pull, as if you were taking the plug out of the marsh. It’s not like the barbel or black bass, which pulls, loosens, you give it reel, it makes its runs...” There are other enthusiasts, however, who enjoy the struggle of catching the huge fish and even travel from other European countries to do so in the few places where it is allowed. However, there is also poaching and illegal trafficking. In 2019, the Spanish Civil Guard arrested 23 people for the illegal fishing of 13 tons of catfish and carp in the Ebro, whose destination was Romania and other eastern European countries.

Disaster for sport fishing

“The Tagus has been greatly affected. Extremadura is a paradise for freshwater fishing, there are trout, cyprinids, native fish of all kinds and the catfish does a lot of damage,” says Miguel Bonifacio, president of the Extremadura Fishing Federation. “You realize that you are no longer catching native fish and that is a disaster for sport fishing, because the places where we can hold competitions, which bring money to the towns, are fewer and fewer,” he says.

For Bonifacio, there is no solution once the species has a foothold. “It is necessary to police the people who catch them to move them somewhere else, it is ignorant behavior.” He asks the administrations not to look the other way. “The hot spots where people go to catch them are perfectly well known. As soon as they start handing out fines, the story is over,” he concludes.

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Proposed Reclassification of the Humpback Chub from Endangered to Threatened

DENVER —  Things are looking up fora rare Colorado River fish, the endangered humpback chub.  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) recently completed a species status assessment (SSA) and a 5-year status review that concluded the current risk of extinction is low, such that the species is not in danger of extinction throughout all of its range. The SSA explained that the largest population of humpback chub, which is found in the Colorado and Little Colorado rivers in the Grand Canyon of Arizona, is a stable population of about 12,000 adults.

Our SSA also explained that four smaller populations in the Green and Colorado rivers of the upper Colorado River basin have persisted and do not appear to be in immediate danger of extinction.  All five populations are wild, persisting without the need for hatchery stocking.  These population-monitoring results, when coupled with ongoing flow management and nonnative predatory fish control, mean that the humpback chub will be considered for reclassification from endangered to threatened in the next year.

Although this unique fish is making a big step toward recovery it still needs help.  Conservation work by a diverse group of stakeholders has been one of the key contributions in recovering this native fish. State, tribal, federal, and private stakeholders collaborate via the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program (established in 1988) and the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program (established in 1997) to continue the monitoring programs and to reduce threats to this species’ recovery.  “Endangered species recovery in altered and heavily managed ecosystems like the Colorado River is a complicated endeavor,” said Service Mountain-Prairie Regional Director Noreen Walsh.  “Our best chance for continued success rests in the power of these collaborative partnerships.”

The humpback chub, which was first described as a unique species from collections in the Grand Canyon in the 1940’s, was not discovered in the upper Colorado River basin until the 1970’s.  It was placed on the original list of endangered species in 1967. Humpback chub prefer canyon-bound reaches of river where they complete their life cycle in swift, turbulent currents. The species gets its name from the fleshy hump behind its head.  That adaptation coupled with large, curved fins allows the species to maintain position in the turbulent flows. Habitat alterations (from changes in river flows and inundation of canyon reaches), and competition and predation from invasive species invasive species An invasive species is any plant or animal that has spread or been introduced into a new area where they are, or could, cause harm to the environment, economy, or human, animal, or plant health. Their unwelcome presence can destroy ecosystems and cost millions of dollars. Learn more about invasive species are the greatest threats to the humpback chub.

In the 5-year review, the Service also recommends that the species recovery plan be revised to incorporate the best available scientific information on the species needs and actions that will be necessary to eventually delist humpback chub.  Efforts to propose reclassification and to revise the recovery plan will be ongoing in the coming year.  The proposed reclassification rule and the revised recovery plan will be made available for public comment in the future.

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen in the West, connect with us through any of these social media channels:  Facebook ,  Twitter ,  Flickr ,  YouTube , and  Instagram .

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parents should spend more time helping their children with homework. do you agree or disagree? give reasons for your answer

Some people say that in the modern world, getting old is entirely bad. others, however, say that life for the elderly nowadays is much better than it was in the past. discuss both views and give your own opinion., many parents today do not spend much time with their children. why is this does this affect parents or children more, global warming is one of the most serious issues that the world facing today. what are the causes of global warming and what measures can government and individuals take to tackle the issue., many people drive personal vehicles to school and work. what are the advantages and disadvantages of this type of transportation discuss both and give your own opinion..