Endangered Animals

What does “endangered” mean? According to the 1973 US Endangered Species Act, animals are defined as endangered if the species is close to extinction throughout all or most of its environment To threaten with extinction.

What does “threatened” mean? Likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future. having an uncertain chance of continued survival ; specifically : likely to become an endangered species

What does extinct mean? No longer existing or living: an extinct species. No longer in existence; lost or especially having died out leaving no living representatives; "an extinct species of fish“ In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or group

Why are animals endangered? Destruction of Habitat Humans destroy precious habitat when they fill swamps and marshes, dam rivers and cut down trees to build homes, roads and other developments.

Pollution Oil spills, acid rain and water pollution have been devastating for many species of fish and birds.

Due to water pollution, the baiji, a fresh water dolphin species native to China, was declared functionally extinct, meaning it’s unlikely the population can recover. Even noise pollution from human activities can lead to the disruption of animal behavior. Some experts point to Navy sonar testing, which can alter migratory patterns of certain whales, as a possible explanation for groups of whales beaching themselves.

Hunting and Fishing Many animals are over-hunted because their meat, fur and other parts are very valuable.

Passenger Pigeon

Experts believe that in the 1600s the passenger pigeon, an American bird, constituted between 25-40% of the bird population in the United States. Because there were no laws governing how many birds a hunter could kill, millions were hunted for meat over the next 300 years. In 1921, the last passenger pigeon died in captivity; the species’ extinction is believed to be due almost entirely to over-hunting. Commercial whaling led to near extinction of many species of whales before most, but not all, countries agreed to ban this practice. pigeon

Exotic Species When animals or plants arrive into a new habitat from a foreign place they sometimes introduce diseases that the native species can't fight. These "exotic" species can also prey on the native species.

When animals become endangered, the entire food chain can be affected. Even the status of the smallest of animals can have a profound effect. Why is this bad?

For example, in 2008 disease seriously threatened the honeybee, which is largely responsible for pollinating flowering plants, including many fruits and vegetables. Without their pollination, an enormous part of the human diet could be gone.

What can we do to stop species from being endangered?