| Wild animals are beautiful creatures with varying | | | | more drastic and immediate. People can take out |
| sizes, colors, and habitats. Although some can be | | | | a forest in a matter of days, not giving occupants |
| seen in zoos, the place they are meant to be is in | | | | time to move to a new location in a time frame |
| their own environment. Unfortunately, animals | | | | that is adaptable. To illustrate this point the habitat |
| such as whales, panda bears and sea otters, are | | | | of the giant panda will be examined. A panda eats |
| not always safe in these places and are dying out. | | | | around 40 pounds of bamboo a day. This is due |
| What is causing their threat of extinction? Several | | | | to the low nutrition of the plant and the inability of |
| factors have an influence on this growing problem. | | | | the panda to digest it. Large amounts must be |
| Pollution | | | | consumed to get the necessary nutrients for the |
| Because animals are all intertwined on the food | | | | bear. After a bamboo plant flowers, it dies and |
| chain, contamination of a water source that a | | | | does not regrow for another 10 years or so. If |
| species drinks for example, will not only effect | | | | there is not another species of bamboo in that |
| them, but the animal that eats them as well, | | | | area the Panda then needs to move to another |
| having the ability to cause cancer and other | | | | region which has bamboo still in season. Due to |
| deadly diseases. If a mother drinks toxins, they | | | | human activities such as farming, mining and road |
| become apart of her milk and she passes on | | | | building quickly destroying the plants they eat it is |
| those toxins to her babies. Because the off spring | | | | difficult for the pandas to move to another forest |
| are considerably smaller than the mother, these | | | | to find the bamboo they need quickly. |
| chemicals and toxins will have a greater negative | | | | Hunting, Fishing and Whaling |
| impact on them. Among these problems is a | | | | One of the greatest effects on water animals, |
| shorter life span, directly effecting the time they | | | | such as whales, is exploitation. Exploitation is |
| have to reproduce and multiply their species, not | | | | decreasing a particular species faster than nature |
| to mention the damage the pollutions have | | | | is able to replace the population. Whaling has been |
| already caused on their systems and ability to | | | | a large contributor to the decrease of whales in |
| thrive. | | | | the ocean. This unrestricted hunting or whaling |
| Contamination of water due to oil spills is another | | | | purpose was for their skin, fur, teeth, meat or |
| large problem. Because oil and water do not mix, | | | | other reasons. Although some organizations, such |
| and oil floats to the top and spreads easily and | | | | as the International Whaling Commission (IWC) |
| quickly, it is that much harder to clean up. Oil spills | | | | have been established, as well as laws and |
| may be due to natural disasters, such as | | | | regulations, people do not always follow these |
| hurricanes, or can happen by people who do not | | | | laws and whales are still hunted. Animal parts |
| want to dispose of oil properly and dump it into | | | | make a lot of money and illegal activities pursued |
| the ocean to get rid of it. Birds can be covered | | | | for the money that people can make. In Japan |
| and will not be able to fly because of their | | | | whale is still a popular dish and hunted for |
| feathers being covered. Oil covers sea otters and | | | | consumption. Along with whaling other fishing |
| coats their fur, covering the air bubbles in their fur | | | | takes place. Large nets for fishing can entangle |
| which are there to help them stay warm in | | | | species they are not meant to capture, nor |
| freezing waters. Due to the oil coating these | | | | desired to capture. These lives are lost as a |
| bubbles they die of hypothermia. So many | | | | negative by product of mass commercial fishing |
| different animals dying in mass quantity from oil | | | | efforts. The large commercial fishing takes out so |
| spills also contributes to animal endangerment. | | | | many animals, so quickly that they can not |
| Decrease of Natural Habitat | | | | replace themselves. |
| If there are constant changes in the environment | | | | Human carelessness seems to be the overriding |
| of a species, then there is subsequently constant | | | | influence on all these factors. As people are |
| changes in species habitat. Changes in the | | | | concerned about the impact that their choices and |
| environment, of course, happen naturally. | | | | actions make on wild life, their habitats and |
| However, when this happens animals adapt | | | | environments will be protected. People taking |
| because the changes are small, over a period of | | | | precautions will effect the environment for |
| time. When humans make the changes they are | | | | humans and wild animals alike. |