The world is in a constant state of upheaval, and it always has been. Continents have split apart, seas have been created, mountains have formed, and so on over hundreds of millions of years. Changes in living things accompany geological change: species, flora, and fauna. Populations and whole lineages vanish, while new ones develop.
As a result, extinction is a natural occurrence. No species has been found in the fossil record. Only 2-4 percent of all organisms that have ever existed have proven immortal. Today, it is thought to have survived. The rest are extinct, with the great majority having died off. Long before humans arrived, they vanished.
Experts believe that the current fast loss of species is between 1000 and 10,000 times more than the “background” or projected natural extinction rate (a highly conservative estimate).
The present extinction phenomenon is the first in geological history for which a single cause can be identified. Our species looks to be nearly entirely to blame. This is a term that is frequently used. But the number of species on the verge of extinction has surpassed 16,928.
The Polar Bear, Hippopotamus, sharks, freshwater fish, and Mediterranean flora all make up their ranks. Marine animals are demonstrating that they are equally as vulnerable as their land-based relatives.
Threats to Environment
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Habitat loss and degradation are major risks to biodiversity.
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Abuse of the system (extraction, hunting, fishing, etc.)
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Environmental pollution
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Illness
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Alien species invasions (e.g. cats and rats on islands)
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Changes in the global climate (changes in migratory species, coral bleaching)
IS IT POSSIBLE TO PREVENT EXTINCTION?
Species may be rescued from extinction, and many have already been (see ‘SUCCESS STORIES’ below). Saving globally vulnerable species typically necessitates a mix of conservation strategies. Research, species-specific activities, site and habitat-based interventions, policy responses, and communication and education are all part of these responses. Protecting habitat before it is destroyed or reintroducing a species is far more successful and cost-efficient than trying to restore it after it has been destroyed.
