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