Endangered Species

Earth is a strange and wonderful place. Its neighboring planets are virtually lifeless, but earth's atmosphere makes it an oasis in space. It is rich in habitats that are living places for an incredible variety of plants and animals.

All over the planets, millions of animals from thousands of species are in danger. As humans interfere with the environment, the habitats animals live in are destroyed, and the air and water that they need is polluted. Hunters and trappers are also proving more deadly to some species than their natural predators in the wild. Almost everyday, a species faces extinction somewhere in the world.

Animals of all kinds are struggling to survive as our world changes. Day by day, people require even more space, food, etc., and all these demands put a squeeze on the earth's resources, including its wildlife. The biggest problem for wildlife today is that people destroy and change natural landscapes and animals lose places that they need to live in.

Aqueduct City of Mexico

This Asian arowana has large, protruding barbels

Caribbean sunset

Dams on a river, for example, stop fish from moving up and downstream. Also, too many cattle or sheep put out to pasture in natural grasslands can dangerously thin out our foliage because of grazing and trampling. Pollution is another serious threat to wildlife, especially in areas where lots of people live. The terrible fires and oil spills that started the 1991 Gulf War destroyed countless animals. Many birds migrating across the areas were killed because they were coated with soot from the thick soot. Also, many flew down to the oil lakes, mistaking the gleaming surface for water. It is normal in nature for animals to rise and fall in number. In today's world, however, the threats to wildlife are so great that thousands of species are becoming scarce at the same time. The International...