Threats to Biodiversity and

Endangered animals

Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life. This can refer to genetic variation, ecosystem variation or species variation within an area, biome, or planet. It simply refers to the variety of life forms.

The term Biological diversity was first used by wildlife scientist Raymond F. Dasmann in 1968 .

Importance of Biodiversity

• Ecological Stability: Each species performs a particular functions within an ecosystem. They can capture and store energy, help to cycle water and nutrients throughout the ecosystem and thus maintain ecological stability.

• Economic benefits to humans: For all human beings, biodiversity is first a resource for daily life. Some of the important economic commodities that biodiversity supplies to humankind are food, Medication, industry, tourism and recreation.

Threats to Biodiversity

Natural Threats

Anthropogenic Threats

• Natural Threats Threats that occur naturally in nature. • Anthropogenic Threats Threats that are caused due to human activities.

Natural Threats

There are four natural threats to biodiversity:• Narrow geographical Area• Low population• Low Breeding rate• Natural disasters

Anthropogenic Threats

• Habitat DestructionDestruction and loss of habitat is the largest cause of biodiversity loss. Severe damage has been caused to wetlands considering them to be useless ecosystems

• Habitat FragmentationSometimes loss of habitat is in installments so that the habitat is divided into small and scattered patches and there are many wildlife species such as bears and wild cats that require large territories to subsist.

• Global Climate changeClimate change has seen many claims about potential to affect biodiversity.Increasing atmospheric Carbon dioxide affect plant morpholgy and is acidifying oceans and temperature affects species range.Dr. Lee Hannah said “We need to limit climate change or we wind up with a lot of species in trouble possibly extinct .”

• PollutionAll forms of pollution pose a serious threat to biodiversity, but in particular nutrient loading, primarily of nitrogen and phosphorus, is a major cause of biodiversity loss. In addition, nitrogen compounds can lead to eutrophication of ecosystems. And it is seen that nitrogen deposition results in loss of species richness.

• Over ExploitationOverexploitation means harvesting species from the wild at rates faster than natural populations can recover. This occurs in form of overfishing and overhunting. Currently, about a third of the world's endangered vertebrates are threatened by overexploitation.Two birds that were victims of overhunting are passenger pigeons and great auks.

• Invasive SpeciesAlmost half of the species in the U.S that are at risk of extinction are because of the effects of introduced species alone or because of their impacts combined with other processes. Invasive species threaten biodiversity by causing disease, acting as predators or parasites, acting as competitors, altering habitat, and hybridizing with local species.

• PoachingIt is illegal trade of wildlife products by killing prohibited endangered animals. The trading of such wildlife products is highly profit making for poachers as they are paid in large numbers for smuggling elephant tusks, leopard fur coat, bones etc.

• Genetic PollutionIt is the term in which the genetic information is transferred to the organisms where it is not needed or where it never existed before. This flow of genetic information is undesired and cannot be controlled. There are few possibilities If genetically modified organisms are bred with non genetically modified:i. GM might lead to non GM to extinction.ii. Their genetics will be changed and they will not be able to show their characteristics.iii. There are chances that they may develop resistance towards pesticides and this will be a disaster for farmers

• Human overpopulationMeanwhile, the human population has risen from 6 million 10,000 years ago to 7 BILLION in 2011. Another 8 billion humans may be added to the planet in roughly the next 70 years. By that time, unless action is taken, an estimated 50% of all species that existed on our planet in 1900 will become extinct.

International Union for conservation of nature is an international organization working in the field of nature

conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. It has published Red Data book which maintains a collection of all the

available data on the species threatened with extinction.

WHAT ARE ENDANGERED SPECIES?

• Rare, endangered, or threatened plants and animals are elements of our natural heritage that are declining rapidly or are on the verge of vanishing.

• They are plants and animals that exist in small numbers that may be lost forever if we do not take quick action to stop their decline.

Extinctions took place long before humans, but there are two major differences:

• They are taking place over decades rather than thousands or millions of years Human beings are currently causing the greatestmass extinction of species since the extinction ofthe dinosaurs 65 million years ago.

• We are eliminating many biologically diverse environments (rainforests, reefs, wetlands, estuaries) that in the past served as the evolutionary centre for the 5-10 million year recovery.

Facts and Statistics

There are more than 1000 endangered species worldwide.

137 species are estimated to go extinct each day.

More than 16,000 of the world’s mammals, birds and plants are threatened with extinction.

¼ of the known 5487 wild mammal species on the planet are threatened with extinction. That’s 1372 mammals, almost gone from the face of the Earth.

Most species in the world, will become extinct before they are even known to man.

Asiatic Lion

Endangered Species of India

Bengal Tiger

Red Fox

Red Panda

Python

Nilagiri Langur

Lion tailed

Macaque

Indian Hornbill

Pelican

Desert Cat

Golden Lion

Tamarin

Orchids

Hyena

Green Turtle

Nepenthes

Great Indian

Bustard

Ways You Can Help Endangered Species

• Conserve HabitatsThere they can live without too much interference from humans.

IN-SITU CONSERVATION Conserving the wildlife within the natural protected areas i.e.

National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries and Biosphere Reserves EX-SITU CONSERVATION Conserving the species outside its natural habitat in a carefully

controlled situation such as a botanical garden for plants or a zoological park for animals, preserving germplasm in gene banks

• Make Space For Our WildlifeBuild a birdfeeder and establish a birdbath for the neighborhood birds.Plant a tree and build a birdhouse in your backyard.

• Recycle, Reduce, And Reuse• Plant Native Plants That Are Local To The Area 

If you can, plant native plants instead of non-native or introduced ones in your garden. Controlling these foreign species is an important step in protecting wildlife.

• Join An OrganizationThere are many community groups working on conservation activities. Join an organization in your area and start helping today! 

Conservation of BiodiversityFour main strategies :• Maintain Intact Landscapes• Reverse Declines• Recover Threatened Species• Control emerging threats

Some Government policies National Wildlife Action Plan

The National Wildlife Action Plan is the framework of strategy for conservation of wildlife. The first National Wildlife Action Plan of 1983 has been revised to the new Wildlife Action Plan (2002-2016).

The Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted for protection of plants and animal species. Before 1972, India only had five designated national parks. Among other reforms, the Act established schedules of protected plant and animal species; hunting or harvesting these species was largely outlawed.

National Biodiversity Action Plan Its motive is to develop strategies, plan or programmes for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity or adapt plans. Integrate conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity.

Conclusion

It is of utmost importance for us to develop quick and effective ways to protect species from extinction. If we fail to conserve the species facing extinction now , we are paving the way for easier and faster depletion in the future. We will live in a domesticated world lacking wild Biodiversity, and in the words of the poet and ecologist,we would like to sum up here, ”If the human race …….. Were to survive at the expense of many plants and animal species , it would be no victory.”