Why certain species become endangered or extinct
A species tends to be endangered when few of its kind are left on the planet and are on the verge of becoming extinct. The planet Earth is billions of years old and is continuously changing. This change is highly moderate most of the time, as the expansion of mountains and draining of seas. Over millions of years, these reasonable changes can have a tremendous impact on individual species so that it becomes difficult for them to survive in the new conditions of their changing habitat.
It is scarce that a drastic and sudden change in the environment causes a mass extinction. For example, 65 million years ago, a meteor hit the Earth and killed about 50% of species. Environmental change is also one of the significant reasons why species become endangered, like tigers, giant pandas, blue whales and much more. However, in modern times, the world is changing rapidly, especially due to human activity. Humans have disrupted the biological chain that maintains the delicate balance of nature by consuming most natural resources and species and destroying habitats.
Here are a few reasons why species become endangered or die out altogether.
5 reasons species are becoming endangered
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Climate Change
Climate change poses a threat to all endangered species. Looking back at 11000 years ago, considered the last Ice Age, various megafauna mammals became extinct due to rapid warming temperatures. From this, we all can already predict the long-term threat global warming can cause to modern civilization.
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Loss of Habitat
As the human population is expanding its foot relentlessly into the wild, the space for animals to breed and raise their offspring is growing smaller. Due to this, their species may become extinct as they won’t have any place to live, disrupt their sources of food, and their cycle of life will be hampered, leading to extinction.
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Pollution
Marine animals such as fish, seals, corals, and all the other aquatic animals are susceptible to chemicals thrown inside lakes and oceans, causing drastic changes in oxygen levels caused by industrial pollution that can suffocate and kill the entire marine animals.
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Lack of genetic Diversity
Once the number of species decreases, their genetic diversity also grows smaller. The main reason for the loss of genetic diversity is the loss of habitats. E.g. African cheetahs have considerably low genetic diversity.
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Major Natural Events
Natural disasters or major natural events are another reason that can lead to the extinction of species. The prime example of this is the meteor that struck the Yucatan peninsula (Mexico), which wiped out dinosaurs millions of years ago.
FAQs
What does it mean for a species to be extinct?
Extinction is the death of species. Extinction also plays a vital role in evolution because it opens new doors for new species.
Name three types of extinction?
Natural extinction, mass extinction and anthropogenic extinction.
Which animals went extinct in 2021?
The ivory-billed woodpecker is one of the 22 species that were declared extinct recently.
Is the tiger going extinct?
The tigers come under endangered species, which means their population is low, and they might get extinct in future if the conditions are not brought under control.
What are the significant causes of extinction?
Habitat fragmentation, global changes, natural disaster, poor reproduction, and the decline in population numbers.
