According to a recent alarming report, the total number of wild animals living here on Earth will decrease by nearly two-thirds by the year 2020. That is, unless immediate and effective action is taken to prevent it from happening.
In fact, this is a serious situation for every living thing on our planet, as the extinction of animal species slowly destroys the natural world on which humanity depends!
The report closely analyzed the changing abundance of over 14,000 monitored populations of the 3,700 vertebrate species for which sufficient data is available. It discovered that creatures in extreme danger live in various locations around the world. From the mountains and forests, to the rivers and seas. They include already well-known endangered species like elephants and gorillas and several other animals such as vultures and salamanders.
The most comprehensive analysis to date indicates that animal populations shrunk a shocking 58% between 1970 and 2012, with losses set to reach 67% by 2020. Researchers from WWF along with the Zoological Society of London compiled the revealing report from scientific data and found evidence that the destruction of wild habitats, hunting, and pollution were mainly to blame.
Moreover, the biggest cause of the decline in animal population is the destruction of wild areas for farming and logging purposes. A large amount of the earth’s land area has been impacted by humans, with a small fraction being protected for nature. Other affecting factors are poaching and exploitation for food. In addition, due to unsustainable fishing and hunting, over 300 mammal species are slowly but surely being eaten right into extinction.
Pollution is also a major contributing factor to this problem. For example, killer whales and dolphins in European seas are being regularly exposed to hazardous industrial pollutants. Sadly, amphibians have suffered one of the greatest declines of all animals due to a fungal disease and other dangers. Lakes and rivers are the hardest hit habitats, with animal populations down by 81% since 1970. This is mostly caused by excessive water extraction, pollution and manmade dams.
The good news is, some species are actually starting to recover, which suggests that swift action could remedy this dire situation. For instance, tiger numbers are thought to be increasing and the giant panda has recently been removed from the endangered species list. This is proof that not only can the problem be stopped, but even reversed. If you’d like to get involved, here’s some information about what YOU can do to help out.
Remember, humanity is completely dependent on nature for for our own survival. Humans often tend to view wild animals as being deadly or dangerous, when they would probably say the same thing about us, if they could! Wild animals are a big part of keeping the balance in nature, so it only makes perfect sense to protect them and help ensure that all species endure!
