The largest tropical rainforest in the world, the Amazon, is being rapidly destroyed. The reasons are many, and little is being done to prevent this. The use of chemical defoliants and the attempt of building a road through the Amazon has done horrific damage to the rainforest. Logging is a part of the reckless destruction of the beautiful rainforest. Cattle ranching contributes greatly to the demise of the amazonian rainforest.
The IUCN estimates that about two thirds of Africa’s elephant populations are growing and about one third are in decline. Increases in reports of human-elephant conflict suggest the future of the species would be in jeopardy in the absence of serious and sustained conservation efforts. The ban on international trade in ivory is the most effective international conservation measure. However, this ban has been relaxed in recent years. International trade in ivory is governed by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
The Awa people are among some of the people losing their land. Not only are people in these areas losing their homeland, but species of animals are losing their homeland as well. Every year the Amazon loses huge amounts of forest. The Amazon helps stabilize local and global climate. “Over the time period documented, August 2012 to February 2013, the rates [of deforestation] increased an estimated 26.82% and an area of the Amazon larger than the size of the city of London disappeared” (“Deforestation Takes Flight in the Amazon”).
Monitoring of elephant poaching and ivory trade in India and Asia Rapidly diminishing habitat and pressures from human activity has had a dramatic effect on wildlife populations in India over recent years. Not least is the endangered Asian elephant, where it is estimated that there are only about 1,000 remaining male ‘tuskers’ in a population of 25,000 elephants. The rate of poaching has increased to 100 males a year, which, if not checked, would give the species only another ten years before extinction becomes a certainty. Vivek Menon has been, for the past ten years, at the forefront of the fight against organised wildlife crime and poaching in India. He trained in ecology and environment, first focusing on birds and monkeys, and later going on to work with the rhinoceros and the elephant.
Marissa Ojeda Mr. P. Falk Honors Biology Period 1 22 September 2011 Invasive Species Paper In 1935, three thousand cane toads were released in sugar plantations in the northern part of Queensland, Australia. The cane toads were released to control the beetle population that was damaging the sugar cane crops. “Unfortunately, the Cane Toad did not control the insects and went on to become one of Australia’s most highly invasive species, currently occupying over 500,000km² of Australian mainland, with densities reaching up to 2,000 toads per hectare when Cane Toads first colonize a new area”¬(Exotic Animals 1). The government is trying to eradicate the cane toads, which are considered pests, by asking all who find them to collect them and dispose of them. The cane toads should be eradicated because of its negative impacts towards the ecosystem and the food web.
Plants that are pollinated by insects, birds, bats etc. are more vulnerable to being extinct. In contrast, plants that are dispersed by large mammals like elephants are more likely to be extinct. For example the avocado plant used to be dispersed by mammoths a long time ago, but mammoths are now extinct so for the avocado plant to be dispersed it is much harder now. The author talks about several plants that are anachronistic and plants that are not anachronistic and how they are dispersed today.
Moreover, two were killed in China. Also the negative causes for inbreeding cuts the lifespan of Amur Leopards because of constant reproduction, and also according to the same article, “increases vulnerability to
Poaching: A Heavy Burden on Africa Africa is home to the planet’s most iconic and charismatic wildlife, ranging from the enormous gray elephants to the majestic golden lions and the elusive spotted leopards. People around the world know these creatures and have affection for them, but what many ignore is the huge threat that is looming for these animal species. This threat, commonly called poaching, “is the illegal harvesting of animals through capturing, catching, hunting, or killing” (“Poaching”). Over the last decades and especially from 2000 onwards, acts of poaching have skyrocketed, leaving the populations of African wildlife in a critical situation. Much debate has arisen on whether this poaching issue should be tackled through prohibition,
From an environmental perspective the Amazon is negatively affected from the burning of the trees which is polluting the biggest rainforest in the world with Carbon dioxide (Co2). Also, a lot of nutrients are being lost from deforestation and high quality soil is being wasted. Desertification is slowly happening in the Amazon and other rainforests. If deforestation continues the rainforests will start to lose bodies of water, as well as vegetation and wildlife. There are many problems that the rainforest biome encounters.
For instance, people deforest grown trees without planting young trees. Deforestation means the felling and clearing of forest cover or tree plantations in order to accommodate agricultural, industrial or urban use. It involves permanent end of forest cover to make that land available for residential, commercial or industrial purpose. Due to massive trees clearance, various species of animals are lost. They lose their habitat and forced to move to new location; besides, many cannot survive the deforestation that destroys their homes.