Some people may still think we are doing OK right now.
That can be true from your perspective, but not from that of the Earth’s wildlife. Species are now diminishing. You see it every time you turn on the TV or turn on your lamp and start reading “I Am America (And So Can You)” by Stephen Colbert.
The reality is animals that you may or may not know of won’t be around any longer. Endangered species deep within the earth’s exotic regions are now at risk.
Endangered species aren’t the only list of organisms at risk.
There are also the threatened species, which are defined as likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future. Endangered species are likely to go in all or a significant portion of their range within the near future.
Madagascar, Southeast Asia and Alaska are three major diversity regions where hazardous emissions, crime and destruction of habitats are causing harm not only to us but to the wildlife that roam in these regions.
Foremost, Madagascar is well known for its biodiversity of organisms. It’s also known for being the world’s 34th biodiversity hot spot.
The island has nearly 550 threatened species, one of which is the well known Golden Bamboo Lemur in Madagascar.
The Golden Bamboo Lemur is small like a house cat, with golden brown coloration on its face and underbelly.
The Golden Bamboo Lemur is one of the world’s rarest mammals. This unfortunate creature is found in mid-altitude rainforest associated with bamboo.
The Golden Bamboo Lemur is threatened by the continued loss of its forest habitat due to slash-and-burn of agricultural land. This is the process of cutting down rainforest and the burning it.
These stricken creatures have been endangered since 1996; the Golden Bamboo Lemur is one of three other lemurs who are also facing extinction. Madagascar’s scientist and government say there is a possibility to restore Madagascar.
Although Madagascar may have its environment endangered, Southeast Asia is the center of the black market. The black market in Southeast Asia is known for its illegal animal trade.
The black market in Bangkok, Thailand has a multibillion dollar business.
Some animals are sold alive; some are killed and their parts sold.
Tourists and locals can purchase exotic birds and other animals openly in markets. One highly known animal that is sold are baby elephants. They are credulous to people and a very social animal; hunters and poachers take advantage of their naive character to capture them.
Police have failed to stop this. It has become an illegal law to raid in a closed store.
In Vietnam, police found two tigers in an apartment along with two soup kettles filled with animal bones.
The 40-year-old woman confessed that she had hired three experts to cook tiger bones to make traditional medicine, $500 per 100 grams. Skins are sold as rugs and cloaks on the black market, where a single skin can fetch as much as $12,000.
Tiger meat is marketed as “strength” and bones are grounded into powder or vast wine.
This creates “tiger bone wine” tonics for the traditional Chinese medicine market. China and Vietnam are currently taking steps to stop the illegal hunting of endangered species. Three of the world’s 9 tiger’s sub-species fell extinct last century.
Many scientists believe a fourth species of tiger in south China is already extinct. On the bright side, there is a sanctuary in Cambodia where workers help rescued animals. They rescue animals and rehabilitate them. In the end, they try to set them free into a region where no poachers can trespass.
Lastly, everyone is familiar with global warming. In Alaska, USA, and across the Arctic, the sea ice is melting away, making floods occur. Alaska is twice the size of Texas and its temperature has increased by 3 degrees in the past 50 years.
“Scientists say what happens in the one-third of the planet which lies within the Arctic Circle is a harbinger of what might occur in the contiguous U.S.,” according to CNN.com.
These floods do harm humans but also the indigenous polar bears. Polar bears do their hunting and living on the sea ice. Scientists had proposed to enlist polar bears in the endangered species list. This was first published in January 4, 2007.
This primary threat is the decrease of sea ice. Any significant change in the distribution or existence of sea ice will change the behavior of animals and their prey.
The Center for Biological Diversity listed this form of petition dated back on February 16, 2005. This service published in the Federal Register on October 5, 2007. There is a notice extending the public’s comment period until October 22, 2007. On September 20, 2007 a 15-day extended notice from Federal Register stated the previous, indicating this is a real issue we have to be aware about. Fourteen individuals from fields of polar bear/ marine mammal biology, climatology, sea ice behavior and traditional ecological knowledge reviewed the situation facing polar bears. In conclusion, many species are endangered.
The ecosystem is diminishing by the hour. What will be said of us in the near future? Stirring up wars won’t help in the recreation of the world.
What we are doing is not helping us.
We need to find a leader who will fight for a cause and not for a war that will ruin us. Overall, we need to be untied so we can struggle together as brothers and sisters or perish as fools.
Through this we can accomplish anything we set our minds to.