Preservation Of Endangered Species: Causes And Approaches

Causes of Endangerment

Question:

Discuss about the Endangered Species and their Protection.

English assignments are given to the writers for testing their command and fluency over the writing skills. This covers diverse range of topics including business, medical, psychology, environment among others. The focus of this assignment would be on the writing skills of the students regarding the endangered species. Along with this, the assignment would peek into the laws governing the security of these species for preservation of the ecological biodiversity. As a final touch, the assignment would assess the capability of the students to express their thoughts and opinions regarding the life of the endangered species.   

Habitat destruction of the animals can be considered as man-made. With the advent of civilization, the needs, demands and requirements of humans increased. This resulted in the destruction of the abode of animals (ebscohost.com). As a matter of specification, hunting in the areas of Africa, Europe and Asia have resulted in the extinction of some animals like dodo, great auk and passenger pigeon. Therefore, hunting-habitat loss and extinction can be placed side by side. The major drive behind this is the advancement in civilization and altering lifestyle of the people.

Under Species at Risk Act (SARA) (2003), Atlantic Salmon, Woodland and the Peary caribou, Burrowing, Barn, Spotted owls and several whale species have been enlisted at the endangered species. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) has recorded the number of endangered species to be approximately three hundred (Beatley 199). This is seriously a matter of great concern in terms of preserving the ecological balance.

Habitat loss is one of the main reasons for accounting 80% of the species as endangered. The major drive behind this habitat loss is urbanization, agriculture, extraction of the natural resources for fulfilling the human needs and infrastructural development. Countering this, hunting animals for using their skin for trade purposes has adversely tagged tigers and elephants as an endangered species. Along with this, overexploitation of the forest trees and land, intrusion of the non-natives and pollution pose as a threat for preservation of the animals. This compels them to encounter tragic death (Schultz 127).

Figure: Endangered species of Canada

(Source: Pimm 124)

In other words, humans need to be blamed for accounting some of the species as endangered or threatened. This is mainly because the humans have snatched the habitat of the animals. For example, huge amount of trees have been cut for making skyscrapers and buildings, which has resulted in the habitat loss of the birds. This has compelled the birds to go in search for substitute habitats. Incapability of the birds to find appropriate habitats has resulted in their death. Turning the attention to the tragic story of the elephants, tigers, deer and rhinoceros, they are the most vulnerable, as they are hunted for their skin (Lampert 1029).

Laws Governing Protection

The humans, for the satisfaction of their needs, have misutilized Forest trees and lands. The logs of the chopped trees have been used by the traders for supplying them to the carpenters for making furniture of various structures. Along with this, the logs are also used for making cricket bats. Bamboo trees are cut for making papers. All these trade purposes are the live examples of how humans have over-exploited the natural resources for leading a comfortable lifestyle (Weckworth 300). Because of this, the animals are the most affected due to falling prey into being uprooted from the origin.

The growing concern of the endangered species and their being extinct have been effectively managed by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). This is an independent organization, known for preserving the endangered species. This organization has collaborated with the other wildlife agencies for introducing management plans and treaties. Mention can be made of the plans and treatments made for protection of migrating species such as waterfowl (Pimm 126).

Figure: Appeal for protecting endangered species

(Source: Sawchuk 100)

In springs and summer, the trees in Canadian threshold are full of the chirping waterfowls. Along with this, quacking of the ducks, swans and geese reflect the diversity within wildlife. Winter is the time, when these animals migrate to United States and Central America. Low records in the waterfowl population compelled the wildlife agencies of United States and Canada to enter into a treaty regarding the preservation of the habitats for protection of waterfowls. Mexico was the third partner to join this agreement (Schofield 840). The main aim of this agreement was to cease over-hunting.

Convention of Conservation of the Migratory Species of Wild Animals came into force in 1983. Here mention can also be made of Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which was implemented in 1993. Formation of Species at Risk Act (SARA) (2003) actually initiated the process of protection for the endangered species in Canada. The protection of the endangered aquatic species and migratory birds is the responsibility of the government officials of the federal laws, the offices of which are spread all throughout Canada (Sawchuk 102).

Figure: Captive breeding in Canada

(Soure: Weckworth 304)

Egg pulling and captive breeding are some of the modern techniques for preserving the endangered species. Egg pulling proves effective in saving the hatched eggs of the endangered species. For this, research centres are used. In captive breeding, the endangered species are put in captivity for their proper breeding. The environment of this captivity is regulated for yielding positive results. Along with this, gene banks are also productive in terms of chemical reproduction of the endangered plant species (bbc.com). Here, mention can be made of Botanical and Zoological Gardens. The Botanic Gardens conservations International organization provides an estimate of more than 80,000 plant species, who are cultivated. These plant species are either endangered or have lost their habitat in the wildlife. After cultivating these plant species, they are returned to their original habitats.

Approaches for Preservation

Ecosystem approach is one of the other techniques for preserving the endangered species. This technique involves application of saving techniques while the species are in their natural habitats (bbc.com). Typical examples in this direction are the establishment of the wilderness areas, which are legally protected by the wildlife agencies. Canada Wildlife Act (1973) demarcates certain criteria, through which the federal government officials can be entrusted with the responsibility to look after a national wildlife area or migratory bird sanctuary. 

Wildlife management is one of the other approaches towards preservation of the endangered species. After identification of the endangered species, plans are prepared regarding their protection and security. These plans include investigation, landscape coverage, food, shelter and the space, which the species requires (Sawchuk 106). Here, the governing body is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which caters to the act of preserving human health, preservation of the natural environment. This is done after enforcement of the environmental legislations and directives, which the wildlife agencies are expected to abide by for maintaining the ecological balance (Pimm 127).

Figure: Wildlife management

(Soure: Pimm 246)

Conclusion

This assignment emerges successful in providing an insight into the endangered species and the legislations functioning for their protection. In-depth insight into the causes, which tags the species as endangered enhances the clarity of the readers regarding the extent to which wildlife is degrading in their quality and quantity. Delving deep into the aspect, humans have selfishly snatched the habitat from the animals for satisfying their needs, demands and requirements. The need of the hour is awareness regarding conservation of habitats, so that ecological balance is maintained. If this balance is destroyed, survival would be difficult even for the humans. This would end the existence on the planet Earth.  

References

Bbc.com,. Congress strips grey wolf endangered species protection world-us-canada. N.p 2011. Web. 2^nd Dec 2017

Bbc.com,. Judge orders US to keep protecting 'endangered' wolves . N.p.2010. Web. 2^nd Dec 2017

Beatley, Timothy. Habitat conservation planning: endangered species and urban growth. University of Texas Press, 2014.

Ebscohost.com ,. Endangered species- Macewan University. N.p 2017. Web. 2^nd Dec 2017

Lampert, Adam, et al. "Optimal approaches for balancing invasive species eradication and endangered species management." Science 344.6187 (2014): 1028-1031.

Pimm, Stuart L., et al. "The biodiversity of species and their rates of extinction, distribution, and protection." Science344.6187 (2014): 1246752.

Sawchuk, Jennifer Heibult, et al. "Using stakeholder engagement to inform endangered species management and improve conservation." Marine Policy 54 (2015): 98-107.

Schofield, Gail, et al. "Satellite tracking large numbers of individuals to infer population level dispersal and core areas for the protection of an endangered species." Diversity and Distributions 19.7 (2013): 834-844.

Schultz, Jessica A., Emily S. Darling, and Isabelle M. Côté. "What is an endangered species worth? Threshold costs for protecting imperilled fishes in Canada." Marine Policy 42 (2013): 125-132.

Weckworth, Byron V., et al. "Preferred habitat and effective population size drive landscape genetic patterns in an endangered species." Proc. R. Soc. B. Vol. 280. No. 1769. The Royal Society, 2013.