A habitat is the natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism.

Habitat destruction is the process by which natural habitat is damaged or destroyed to such an extent that it no longer is capable of supporting the species and ecological communities that naturally occur there.

Here are some major causes of habitat destruction: Logging People are cutting down the forests and rain forests for wood and wood products. Agriculture Wild lands are being cleared for crops and domestic animals. Building Roads and Cities Humans are clearing trees and wild lands to make room for roads and cities. Forest Fires: Forest fires destroy or damage between 15 and 36 million acres of tropical forest every year.

Habitat destruction is happening all over the world and closer to your home than you might think. Tropical rain forests in Central and South America and in Southeast Asia and Oceania are being threatened.

Direct harvesting is the destruction or removal of species from their habit.

Direct harvesting can lead to extinction of a species For example: * Animals taken out of their native habitats and sold usually die in the process. * Species that are killed a specific body part like seals and elephants. *with excessive hunting the passenger pigeons have gone extinct

Both habitat destruction and direct harvesting lead to the extinction of species. If a species habitat is destroyed the entire species may become extinct, an example of this would be pandas who are endangered today due to the reduced size of their habitats. Direct harvesting causes extinction because animals are taken out of their native habitat and sold to people who want them as pets or house and garden plants. Many species die in the process. Some organisms are killed for specific body parts like elephants and seals.

We can stop habitat destruction and direct harvesting by: *Plant trees *Stop cutting down forests * Reduce polluting *Recycle

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