index > Today's Earth, Our Future > 3. All living things are our friends > What's Happening to Wild Animals?

What's Happening to Wild Animals?

The following are the four main reasons why certain species of animals become extinct:

1) Because human beings kill many of the animals.
2) Because the places where they make their homes (habitats) are disappearing.
3) Because their habitats are being polluted.
4) Because they can't protect themselves from other creatures that invade their habitats.

1) Killing living creatures without thinking of what will happen as a result is called "indiscriminant hunting." Asian rhinoceros horns and deer antlers have been made into medicine; American bison have been made into meals; and animals such as the beautiful Chinchilla and European beaver furs have been made into clothing. Because of this indiscriminant hunting of many wild animals, their populations have suddenly dropped.

2) There are lots of wild animals that are near extinction because they don't have a place to live. Over the past 20 years, as humans have cleared the forests to make way for new farmland, 80% of the population of Indonesian orangutans has been lost. What's more, a few years ago, a huge fire destroyed 40% of the remaining forest and so there is a serious concern that, if left alone, orangutans will become extinct.

Building our houses, factories and airports also forced many plants and animals to lose their living places and get closer to extinction.

3) Also, because humans pollute the water they drink and the air they breathe, some animals and plants cannot survive. Not only local pollution but also world-wide environmental problems are a big threat.

For example, if global warming continues, the air temperature will continue to rise. Because of this, many plants and animals that have become suited to a place with a certain temperature range (climatic zone), have to move gradually toward the North or South Pole, (depending on what part of the world a plant or animal lives) in order to stay in a comfortable temperature range that would keep them alive. Every year, climatic zones are moving by about 1.5 to 5.5 kilometers because of global warming. But pine and chestnut trees can only send their seeds at the most 40 to a few hundreds meters by wind. At this rate they cannot keep up with the increase in air temperatures.

With global warming, the sea level will probably rise by about one meter, causing some plants to become extinct, no doubt. In the past few years, coral reefs have been bleached and died out in several areas. The unnatural rise in seawater temperature is thought to be the cause.

4) By bringing in non-native plants and animals to a particular region, humans have added another reason why there is so much extinction. In Lake Victoria, Africa, the fish population was low and so a fish called Nile perch was introduced. But then around 200 types of local fish became food for the new fish who eventually totally wiped them out! What's more, in Okinawa, Japan, mongooses (small furry tropical animals that kill snakes and rats) were introduced in order to lower the population of a certain kind of poisonous snake called "habu," but they have also threatened the population of native animals like the Amami rabbit.

Send your opinion

Please let us know what you think about our website.

Is the information interesting?
Are some words or sentences too difficult for you to understand?
Do you have any ideas to improve the website?

We might share your advice with our volunteers and supporters.
They will be encouraged by your feedback.

Please note in the text box below if you don't want us to share your comments with our staff.

Thanks for your help!