Contemporary Problems Faced by the Endangered Species - Term Paper Example

Outline - Endangered species are those organisms which are at the brink of extinction. - Many organizations have been formed to stop the extinction of these species. - The periods of extinction date back to 250 million years back. -Dinosaurs got extinct because of a period of extinction millions of years back. -The endangered species face problems at the hands of nature. -They also face the problem at the hands of human beings. -Endangered species are important to us as they can provide many benefits. -They also have an effect on the whole environment and mostly concern with the stabilization of the ecological systems. -Many organizations are working together to ensure that these species do not get extinct. Endangered Species As the world is developing it is seen that several conflicts have arisen within the environment itself. These conflicts relate to the loss of natural surroundings such as the rain forests and Arctic ice. Moreover another trend which has been related to the development of the world is related to the extinction of certain species existing in the world. The organisms or species which are at risk of extinction are known as the endangered species. These species are the ones who are believed to get extinct because of the environmental and human factors involved. The species getting extinct are not limited to the developing nations of India and Pakistan but also spread to the developed world. It is for this purpose that many organizations have been formed all over the world to decrease the number of endangered species all over the world. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is one organization dedicated to find solution to decrease the effect of environment on the endangered species. In 2010 the IUCN estimated the figures of the endangered species to be around 33 to 39% of all the species living in the world. This essay would further revolve on the aspects of the endangered species and would put forward the environmental effects that these endangered species pose in the society (IUCN 2011; WWF 2011). Periods of Endangered Species The extinction of the species dates back to many centuries when the dinosaurs and other such species existed. A Permian extinction is noted down to be dated back to around 250 million years when around 70% of the terrestrial animals along with 96% of the marine animals vanished. Similarly the age of dinosaurs came to an end because of the Cretaceous extinction which took place around 65 million years back. And when the experts analyze the current situation of the world it is seen that a great part of the species still remains endangered and this can create an extinction wave to occur all over again. The number of endangered species are increasing everyday because of the environmental and human factors involved at every stage. Earth is being developed at a rapid rate and this is creating difficulties for the species to survive. It is at this point that many states have realized the importance of the endangered species and have created laws to minimize the number of these species (Walsh 2009). Problems faced by the endangered species The endangered species are the most at risk when it comes to the issue of extinction. Extinction of this species can not only affect the habitat of the species but can also affect the ecosystem as a whole. An ecosystem can remain stable if all the species in it remain in a balanced environment. Thus a balanced ecosystem is necessary for the survival of everyone involved within the pyramid of the system. Human beings are involved with the ecosystem and thus they should make sure that the endangered species do not get extinct. Human factors are affecting the endangered species in different forms. Some experts relate the endangered species to the varying environment of the world which includes the climate. Climate change is being witnessed all over the world and this is harming the integrity of the species living in a habitat. However this climate change can be directly linked to the factors contributed by the human beings. Carbon emissions by human sources are directly linked with the increasing temperature of the world. It is these carbon emissions which are harming the integrity of the ecosystem (Walsh 2008). Deforestation is another human factor which is increasing the number of endangered species in the world. Deforestation is being done all over the world and it is affecting the homes of many species which cannot survive without the environment they used to live in (Reiss, M., & Chapman 2000). Benefits of Saving Endangered Species Endangered species have their own benefits on the ecosystem of the world. These species help to create a balance between the ecosystem of the whole world. Biological diversity exists if all the species live in an area and these endangered species should exist to create biological diversity within the ecosystem. Biological diversity proves to be very helpful in all the aspects of human life as can be traced from the history. It is this diversity that helps to create ecotourism and promote social and economical benefits. The plants which are endangered can help in providing agricultural benefits to the mankind if they are grown at a sustainable rate. Cross breeding and other sources can help modern agriculture to create such crops which are useful to the agricultural side. Moreover these plant sources can also prove to be beneficial for the health sciences as they can create such medicines which were previously unknown. These endangered species can help to provide a variety of sources which can help in conserving other resources such as food and shelter. Ensuring an ecosystem balance can also ensure factors such as chemical cycling, flood protection and energy fixation (Wagner 2008; Reiss & Chapman 2000). Effects on environment by the endangered species The endangered species are a great source of help for the whole environment. The environment that all the species live in is only stable because of the diversity that they create. These endangered species are helping to create a diverse environment in the world. If these endangered species get extinct they can bring about many disadvantages for the human population only. The major effect of the extinction of endangered species would be felt on the ecology of the whole world. The species that are feeding on these endangered species would suffer and they would start feeding on something. This can also create diseases because of the different methods that are involved in the transmission of diseases. It can also cause to wreak a havoc for the human world as the species may transmit certain diseases to the human world. Moreover the species that are feeding on the endangered species would start feeding on some animals which are important to the human beings. For example chicken or beef which is mostly eaten by many human beings and thus this can destruct the pyramid of ecology. These endangered species would also be useful for serving the purpose of indicators of certain diseases in the environment. If these endangered species are being harmed by a certain type of bacteria it is possible that this bacteria would also spread on to the human beings. These endangered species have a great effect on the environment because of the diversity that they provide to the different kingdoms (Reiss & Chapman 2000). Solutions to stop extinction of endangered animals It is for this purpose that many organizations have been made all over the world to conserve the habitat of the endangered animals. Scientists are actively taking part in promoting the conservation processes. Cloning is a method through which a specific gene or chromosome can help to create an identical specie and this method is being used to stop the extinction of the endangered animals. In 2000 Scientists used this method on a cow who was able to produce a clone of a wild Ox in Asia. Scientists believe that the process of cloning can be helpful to save these endangered animals if it is applied properly. Cloning is a method which can not only help in saving these endangered species but it can also help to create the diverse environment required for the stability of the ecological systems (BBC News 2000). Organizations such as World Wildlife Fund have been created to look after these endangered species and look after the reason as to why are they getting extinct. Moreover these organizations are also playing a positive role in eliminating the factors which are causing the endangered animals to die. Laws have also been created to serve this purpose and an example of the Endangered Species Act signed in 1973 can be given which was created to serve the rights of the endangered species. This act helped to recover the animals who were becoming dead of the environmental issues of the world. Moreover certain other steps are being taken by the governments to ensure that these animals are not harmed in anyway (Walsh 2008). Conclusion The endangered species have a varying effect on the environment and their habitat should be conserved for important purposes. They serve an important cause for the whole humanity and help in stabilizing the ecological systems. If one of the species from the pyramids die it causes destabilization in the whole ecosystems. Human beings themselves are part of these ecosystems and thus should make sure that the animals are not harmed in anyway. References Top of Form Wagner, V. (2008). Endangered species. Detroit: Greenhaven Press. Top of Form Reiss, M., & Chapman, J. L. (2000). Environmental biology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Bottom of Form International Union for Conservation of Nature 2011. World Wildlife Fund 2011. Bottom of Form Endangered Species: In More Danger. Bryan Walsh 2008. TIME. The New Age of Extinction. Bryan Walsh 2009. TIME. Read More