In 2023, 21 species (including the little Mariana fruit bat and the Bachman’s warbler) were declared officially extinct by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Extinction is when a whole species completely dies out. Currently, 44,000 species are severely endangered, and there’s an explosive acceleration in this trend where species are vanishing at the fastest rate in 10 million years. Sad to say, this extinction crisis could not have happened without humans.
Human activities are causing extinctions to happen 1,000 times quicker. The population is continuing to grow, but as we use more and more resources, there are fewer left for the rest of Earth’s wildlife. Likewise, with an endless list of statistics as proof, these are some ways we humans have contributed to species extinction.
Overexploitation
Due to the rise in the human population, markets continue to expand, and the demand for resources increases. Overhunting large predators or overharvesting at a higher rate than the population’s reproductive capacity can lead to a decline in its numbers. This overexploitation of plants and animals will cause biodiversity and habitat loss. For that reason, removing certain species will disturb the balanced ecosystem and create a cascading effect that is detrimental to many other species that are dependent on the one that is targeted.
Urbanisation
100% of Singapore, Hong Kong, and Monaco are urbanised. Turning natural habitats more anthropic for human life has caused fragmentations of ecosystems where there are isolated patches of habitat. This is like blocking the path from your kitchen to your bedroom. This reduced the movement of many species and disrupted their ecological connectivity.Consequently, food became scarce, it was more difficult to adapt to new environments, and all kinds of pollution pouredtheir way. Light, noise, chemical, and water pollution: these harmful substances created toxicity that was difficult for survival. Therefore, small and isolated populations are ultimately more vulnerable to extinction.
Invasive species
The increase in tourism and worldwide trade has led to invasive species being brought to other countries, eitherintentionally or accidentally. When put in a new habitat, they can outcompete native species for food and water. Their population can also rapidly grow as they lack predators and competitors. These invasive species can then harm native habitats, spread diseases, and cause global biodiversity loss. For example, a major reason why dodo birds became extinct was because of the introduction of pigs, cats, and rats by Dutch sailors in the 17th century. These invasive species destroyed the nests and preyed on the flightless birds. To be frank, humans have become an invasive species themselves,taking over the resources and homes of animals all over the world.
In conclusion, these factors are all linked to the loss of habitat and biodiversity when people use more of Earth’s resources. However, are humans always to blame? Most people don’t directly harm these animals, so how responsible are we?
Daniele Silvestro, a researcher, claims, "We find essentially no evidence for climate-driven extinctions during the past 126,000 years. Instead, we find that human impact explains 96% of all mammal extinctions during that time." Well, although natural extinctions may occur without direct human interference, our impact on wildlife is clearly undeniable. By promoting collective effort and awareness, we should craft innovative solutions to ensure a brighter future for all living beings on Earth.
Comentarios