Endangered Species

Healthy ecosystems depend on plant and animal species as their foundations. When a species becomes endangered,” it is a sign that the ecosystem is slowly falling apart”. Each species that is lost triggers the loss of other species within its ecosystem. Humans depend on healthy ecosystems to purify our environment.Habitat loss is the primary cause of higher extinction rates. Other causes include habitat changes, over-exploitation of wildlife for commercial purposes, the introduction of harmful nonnative species, pollution, and the spread of disease.This problem is all over the world but it is especially  a problem in Asia and South america. The animals going extinct affect other animals and humans not having as clean of air and ecosystems. The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species, over 26,500 species are in danger of extinction. This includes 40 percent of amphibians, 34 percent of conifers, 33 percent of reef-building corals, 25 percent of mammals and 14 percent of birds.

Vist protected lands like national parks. It provides habitat to many native wildlife, birds, fish and plants. Scientists tell us the best way to protect endangered species is to protect the places where they live.

Just one national park was estimated to make an income of 20.5 billion dollars. From that money 80% goes to that park and the  other 20% to other parks that don’t have an income or don’t charge you to visit that park. These organizations are each a separate source that is used in different ways for example the  one above is to help the elephants. Another thing is they  are trying to have more and more people come to the parks because then they are going to expand and try to have more national parks.

David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

The World Wildlife Fund

Save the Elephants

Defenders of Wildlife

“Here’s Why the Endangered Species Act Was Created in the First Place.” Time, time.com/5345913/endangered-species-act-history/#:~:text=By%20the%20. Accessed 17 Nov. 2022.

MacPhee, Ross D. E., and Alex D. Greenwood. “Infectious Disease, Endangerment, and Extinction.” International Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 16 Jan. 2013, www.hindawi.com/journals/ijeb/2013/571939/.