Causes of endangered species

Destruction of natural habitats can be a natural process, but this tends to occur gradually, allowing species to adapt to different conditions. However, fast changes means that the species are unable to adapt. Human activity is the biggest culprit of fast habitat change - think of climate change brought about by industrialisation, water pollution threatening fish stocks and deforestation bringing about the endangerment of many different plant and animal species.

The introduction of new species to an area can also have devastating consequences. New species can spread disease to native species that while are well equipped to their particular niche, cannot cope with changes to that niche. In addition, introduced species may actually cause greater competition for food, or even eat the native species. The increase in movement across the globe has increased the rate of introduction of exotic species whether by accident or intentionally. Recent examples include the introduction of cane toads to Australia to control beetles that fed on the sugarcane crops, and the Chinese Mitten crab found off the coast of Ireland. In Australia, the toads eat smaller native species whilst poisoning would-be predators and in Europe, the far-eastern Mitten Crab dominates any niche it can find.

Overexploitation is another major cause of extinction and endangerment, from whales and sharks to rhinos and elephants. Black market trade and commercial greed are a major motivating factor in the exploitation of these and other species.

About the author

Emma is the founder of www.ChangingEarth.org - an initiative to help educate people in how to change Earth for the better, and slow the damaging effects we have on our planet. Get free advertising by submitting your articles to the Changing Earth directory whilst helping to 'do your bit'!

Article Source: http://www.changingearth.org

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