| Wild animals are beautiful creatures with varying | | | | immediate. People can take out a forest in a matter |
| sizes, colors, and habitats. Although some can be | | | | of days, not giving occupants time to move to a |
| seen in zoos, the place they are meant to be is in | | | | new location in a time frame that is adaptable. To |
| their own environment. Unfortunately, animals such as | | | | illustrate this point the habitat of the giant panda will |
| whales, panda bears and sea otters, are not always | | | | be examined. A panda eats around 40 pounds of |
| safe in these places and are dying out. What is | | | | bamboo a day. This is due to the low nutrition of the |
| causing their threat of extinction? Several factors | | | | plant and the inability of the panda to digest it. Large |
| have an influence on this growing problem. | | | | amounts must be consumed to get the necessary |
| Pollution | | | | nutrients for the bear. After a bamboo plant flowers, |
| Because animals are all intertwined on the food chain, | | | | it dies and does not regrow for another 10 years or |
| contamination of a water source that a species | | | | so. If there is not another species of bamboo in that |
| drinks for example, will not only effect them, but the | | | | area the Panda then needs to move to another |
| animal that eats them as well, having the ability to | | | | region which has bamboo still in season. Due to |
| cause cancer and other deadly diseases. If a mother | | | | human activities such as farming, mining and road |
| drinks toxins, they become apart of her milk and she | | | | building quickly destroying the plants they eat it is |
| passes on those toxins to her babies. Because the | | | | difficult for the pandas to move to another forest to |
| off spring are considerably smaller than the mother, | | | | find the bamboo they need quickly. |
| these chemicals and toxins will have a greater | | | | Hunting, Fishing and Whaling |
| negative impact on them. Among these problems is a | | | | One of the greatest effects on water animals, such |
| shorter life span, directly effecting the time they | | | | as whales, is exploitation. Exploitation is decreasing a |
| have to reproduce and multiply their species, not to | | | | particular species faster than nature is able to replace |
| mention the damage the pollutions have already | | | | the population. Whaling has been a large contributor |
| caused on their systems and ability to thrive. | | | | to the decrease of whales in the ocean. This |
| Contamination of water due to oil spills is another | | | | unrestricted hunting or whaling purpose was for their |
| large problem. Because oil and water do not mix, and | | | | skin, fur, teeth, meat or other reasons. Although |
| oil floats to the top and spreads easily and quickly, it | | | | some organizations, such as the International Whaling |
| is that much harder to clean up. Oil spills may be due | | | | Commission (IWC) have been established, as well as |
| to natural disasters, such as hurricanes, or can | | | | laws and regulations, people do not always follow |
| happen by people who do not want to dispose of oil | | | | these laws and whales are still hunted. Animal parts |
| properly and dump it into the ocean to get rid of it. | | | | make a lot of money and illegal activities pursued for |
| Birds can be covered and will not be able to fly | | | | the money that people can make. In Japan whale is |
| because of their feathers being covered. Oil covers | | | | still a popular dish and hunted for consumption. Along |
| sea otters and coats their fur, covering the air | | | | with whaling other fishing takes place. Large nets for |
| bubbles in their fur which are there to help them stay | | | | fishing can entangle species they are not meant to |
| warm in freezing waters. Due to the oil coating these | | | | capture, nor desired to capture. These lives are lost |
| bubbles they die of hypothermia. So many different | | | | as a negative by product of mass commercial fishing |
| animals dying in mass quantity from oil spills also | | | | efforts. The large commercial fishing takes out so |
| contributes to animal endangerment. | | | | many animals, so quickly that they can not replace |
| Decrease of Natural Habitat | | | | themselves. |
| If there are constant changes in the environment of | | | | Human carelessness seems to be the overriding |
| a species, then there is subsequently constant | | | | influence on all these factors. As people are |
| changes in species habitat. Changes in the | | | | concerned about the impact that their choices and |
| environment, of course, happen naturally. However, | | | | actions make on wild life, their habitats and |
| when this happens animals adapt because the | | | | environments will be protected. People taking |
| changes are small, over a period of time. When | | | | precautions will effect the environment for humans |
| humans make the changes they are more drastic and | | | | and wild animals alike. |