Extinction In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms (taxon), normally a species. Causes As long as species have been evolving, species have been going extinct. It is estimated that over 99.9% of all species that ever lived are extinct. Habitat Degradation Habitat degradation is currently the main anthropogenic cause of species extinctions. The main cause of habitat degradation worldwide is agriculture, with urban sprawl, logging, mining and some fishing practices close behind. Climate Change Extinction as a result of climate change has been confirmed by fossil studies.[46] Particularly, the extinction of amphibians during the Carboniferous Rainforest Collapse, 305 million years ago.[46] A 2003 review across 14 biodiversity research centers predicted that, because of climate change, 15–37% of land species would be "committed to extinction" by 2050. Pollution Pollution. Pollution may be a natural or human cause of extinction, and can take many forms. Natural pollution events may result from cataclysmic geographic processes (volcanic eruptions, floods, earthquakes, etc.), or from over-population of ecosystems by specific species (red tide) or other processes. Dodo The dodo (Raphus cucullatus) is an extinct flightless bird that was endemic to the island of Mauritius, east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean.While debated hotly by scientists, the dodo became extinct for three reasons. First, before humans arrived on Mauritius – an island in the Indian Ocean where the dodos had evolved – they had no natural predators and as such were easy to hunt by travellers looking for a food supply. Critically Endangered species A critically endangered (CR) species is one which has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild. It is the highest risk category assigned by the IUCN Red List for wild species. Irrawaddy Dolphin Found in coastal areas in Asia, these animals are known for their bizarrely short beaks and bulging foreheads. Due to overfishing, a recent study found that their numbers were only at a meager 77. Florida Panther Despite it’s name, it’s actually a type of cougar that lives in the swamps and forests of Southern Florida. As cubs, their coats are spotted, but fade over time. Due to poaching and car accidents, it’s believed that there are only about 160 left. Conclusion In conclusion,I will tell you that I believe that animal extinction is man made and that we need to take charge of slowing it down. Things get a little bit tricky when I start talking about how to get in control because there are some things that can not be changed. Society is evolving fast and natural resources are at its core.It is our duty to protect these species from further damage. Protecting them will make the planet a better place to live in Again,this thread is open to any suggestions
I think we should make a big park in which we decide to genetically experiment with bringing back dinosaurs from extinction.
I really love cougars. Only 160 of them left? Also why did dinosaurs go extinct? Last time i read about them was like, 8 years ago when i was in grade 6. All i learned was that there are multiple theories as to why they went extinct, but nothing confirmed. Any news on that?
Well I don't think anyone would be able to confirm it lol. Dinosaurs likely went extinct from a massive asteroid or comet, a lot would of died from the initial impact and the rest would of died from the dust blocking the sun. Or the same would happen with a massive volcanic eruption affecting the climate to the point plants would die resulting in extinction.
Can you please elaborate on a couple of your points. You stated over 99% of all species that existed are now extint, and later you conclude that humans are the cause for animal extinction. Do you have any figures on how many of the >99% went extinct prior to humans, and of the >99% of species are they all considered animals? Please also site your sources
I understood that species was more than just animals but I wanted to make sure you were not interchanging them because you used the species # to show this great # of things that are extinct and later you blame humans for what is probably significantly smaller # when you quantified it as just animals. Either way I am done with my discussion until you come up with something better than wikipedia
Humans aren't the cause of extinction although we do help it along. It would be interesting to see which species would still be around if we didn't exist.
In Jurassic World we should make a cool dinosaur that's better than the other dinosaurs at dinosauring.
I like this Jurassic world idea, creating something stronger than man could control seems like a good idea and I don't see a flaw with it
While we're at it, let's try to genetically alter a human against his will, we'll call it experiment X