7 species of animals are at risk of extinction due to human fault. How can it be avoided?

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

The consequences of the extinction of an animal species are just terrible not only for the environment but for humanity as well. Animal extinction brings diseases that can kill humans and plants. Food would be short and the planet would starve to death. What can you do to prevent this global disaster?

If the slaughter of animals continues unchecked and unenforced, one day the bill will come! 

According to Newton's Third Law, “If object A exerts a force on object B, then object B must exert a force of equal magnitude and opposite direction back on object A”, that is, “if you hit something you get the payback now or later”. Simple as that.

This famous law quoted by the English philosopher, alchemist, mathematician, theologian, astronomer, and physicist, Isaac Newton is infallible because the return, good or bad, comes back, sooner or later, no matter what.

Natural causes and unnatural causes of animal extinction

An animal extinction takes place because of several reasons. One of them follows natural order  On the other hand, if an animal extinction is caused by man's hand it turns out to be harmful. Crops may die due to the absence of predators and the number of plagues increases, favoring the spread of disease and food shortage.

There are other reasons for the extinction of an animal species:

  • Natural disasters: the animal can no longer adapt to a new habitat.

  • Climatic variations: due to natural causes or man-made’s.

  • Internal competition: stronger species of the same clan may get food easier.

  • Destroyed habitats: uncontrolled and predatory hunting prematurely extinguishes species or it happens due to deforestation.

  • Phyletic extinction: one species evolves into another species during some amount of geologic time.

  • Involuntary interaction: one species occupies the same niche as another species because it needs the same resources. Hence, weaker species may terminate due to the lack of a new place to go.

  • Mass extinction: due to a cataclysm that eliminates an entire species, such as occurred with the dinosaurs.

  • Reproduction in captivity: a certain species does not adapt to a different environment and becomes sterile, passing on to its species the genetic anomaly. Sometimes this helps in order to avoid certain species extinction.

7 known species in the process of extinction:

1- Polar Bear

It lives in the coldest regions in the north of the planet and is considered the first species that is in real danger. The excess carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere generates the warming that causes the premature melting of the polar ice caps. Unusual flooding reduces habitable areas. With no habitat of their own and few alternatives for foraging, the extinction of the polar bear is only a matter of time.

2- Blue Whale

At the beginning of the 20th century, whales became the target of mercenary hunting by fishermen from the United States, United Kingdom, Norway, and Japan. From the blue whale, especially,  its fins are extracted to be used in the manufacture of women's corsets, brushes, and wax for candle making. Besides overfishing, another cause that could hasten the extinction of the blue whale and other marine animals is the uncontrolled pollution of the planet's oceans.

3- Jaguar

The largest cat in the Americas is another animal that suffers from the destruction of its habitat and illegal hunting for its fur. Even though it is a common species in the Pampa region, one of the six biomes in Brazil, its appearance has been rare. One of the first steps to stop illegal hunting is to protect the forests. Otherwise, the sad extinction of the jaguar could be a matter of time.

4- Golden Lion Tamarin

In the Atlantic Forest, another important biome in Brazil lives the golden lion tamarin. Not so long ago its numbers were high, but lately, it has been rare to see this little monkey in the region. The few remaining are restricted to the (so far intact) forests of the state of Rio de Janeiro. 

5- Asian Elephant

This species of elephant is the best known and is in a dangerous stage of imminent extinction. In fact, elephants have long suffered from poaching for the ivory trade. Not to mention their cruel exploitation for tourism, exhibition in circuses and parks, and as a means of transportation. 

6- Red Wolf

This wolf is an animal native to North America and almost became extinct in the 1980s because of the destruction of its natural habitat and illegal hunting. Therefore, only a few red wolves remain, although the species still resist bravely. Animal protection organizations have recently managed to keep 200 individuals in captivity to keep them from extinction.  

7- Tasmanian Devil

This marsupial native to the Australian island of Tasmania became famous in the world because of a cartoon broadcasted on TV in the 80s. For some experts, its extinction is a matter of time because its illegal hunting continues, besides the lack of natural habitat, destroyed by man's hand.

Probability of animal extinction by species:

Laws and regulations need to be more rigid to prevent the extinction of animals. So it can happen if: 

  1. more efficient and rigorous international laws regarding their sanctions.
  2. inflexible and unstoppable monitoring by local authorities, NGOs, community agents, locals, and public and private entities.
  3. periodic evaluation for immediate corrections if needed - of the results achieved;
  4. environmental education since elementary school (family and school), so that future generations will not make the same mistakes as nowadays.

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