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Endangered Species
You can probably name quite a few endangered species. Polar bear, blue whale, and black rhino are just a few. But there are many more that don’t get so much attention. There are currently around sixteen and a half thousand animals and plants that are endangered. [paragraph 1]
An endangered species is one that is at a high risk of becoming extinct, which is when there are no longer any members of that species alive. Lots of species are going extinct every single day. Sometimes this is because of natural causes. Extinction is part of evolution after all. But many more because of human activity. In fact, because of humans, the rate of extinction is estimated to be 1,000 to 10,000 times higher than what would occur naturally. This is the highest rate since the extinction of the dinosaurs 65million years ago. [paragraph 2]
Conservation is the act of protecting species against becoming endangered. It’s all about preserving biodiversity. If you want to learn more about biodiversity and why it matters, watch this video [BIODIVERSITY]. You might wonder why it’s such a big deal. [paragraph 3]
Why does it matter if the population of a species decreases so much that it is endangered. Surely if there are a few individuals such as those in zoos, then a species can recover. The problem is that the key to having a healthy population, is genetic variation. Within a population, you need a large variety of different characteristics, so that a species can adapt if there is a change in the environment, and avoid becoming extinct. This can happen, if all the members of the species have similar genes. Also, in a small population, there is a high chance of inbreeding. Where closely related individuals breed. This can increase the risk of offspring having inherited conditions. So large wild populations are important for a species survival. [paragraph 4]
There are many reasons why a species might become endangered. It can happen because of a habitat destruction, climate change, over fishing or hunting, and the introduction of invasive species to habitats which out-compete the native ones. We have an ethical duty to help preserve all the species on earth, and this is done by carrying out conservation. Let’s look at a few methods used. [paragraph 5]
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Firstly endangered animals can be housed in wildlife parks. This protects them, and also captive breeding programs can be used to increase their numbers. They help educate people about conservation, and how we can all help protect endangered species. They also help the general public to form an emotional connection to these endangered species, however there are disadvantages to animals in captivity. The animals do not lead a normal life, and there is risk of inbreeding. [paragraph 6]
A way of protecting animals in their natural habitat, is by creating protected areas like national parks. Trees cannot be cut down, roads and houses can’t be built, and hunting of the animals is illegal. Rangers are employed to make sure this is enforced. It’s not just animals. [paragraph 7]
Plants are also at risk. An amazing 70 percent of plant species are endangered, so it’s vital that we help protect them too. As well as using protected areas, plants that are endangered are preserved by collecting seeds, and storing them in seed banks. If a plant does become extinct, the seeds can be grown to restore their populations. [paragraph 8]
To recap an endangered species is one that is at risk from extinction the main causes of which are human activities. Protecting vulnerable species is called conservation, and there are many methods to do so, including wildlife parks and protected areas. [paragraph 9]
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