Increasing Threats to Biodiversity
"We do not inherit this Earth from our parents
We only borrow it for our children"
Biodiversity means the variety of bacteria, plants and animals that live on our planet Earth. This includes the unique behavioral patterns and activities of each species. The specie Homo sapiens is unprecedented and unique among all the life on Earth, Human sentience and intelligence far surpass those of other creatures. These gifts have allowed human beings to populate the Earth, construct industry, and affect the environment in a way no other specie can. This great power comes with great responsibility, and we should avoid abusing the Earth, lest we cause irreparable damage, damage like extinction of species and the consequence reduction in biodiversity caused by deforestation, over fishing, hunting, poaching, the illegal trade in ivory and other species.
In African Ecology, the Elephant is regarded as a keystone species. In a period of 60 years since 1930, the number of Elephants from 10 million has fallen down to 600,000 only due to habitat loss or a competition between humans and elephants for space , trees and grazing leading to loss and fragmentation of the Elephant habitat, or hunting and poaching for trophies, ivory, protection of villages and for bash meat.
Species critically endangered also includes Orangutans. The largest remaining population is found in the forest around Sabangan River, but this environment is at risk. No wonder, how? It’s due to human caused reasons such as logging, mining and forest fires. Another major factor is the conversion of vast areas of tropical forest into oil palm plantations due to increase in usage demand. Some United Nations (UN) Scientists believe that these plantations could lead to irretrievable damage to Orangutan habitat by the year 2012.
Protecting endangered species is an extension of our existing system of ethics; just as modern civilization protects it’s weaker and less able...