In recent years we have seen a rise in animal extinction. It is important to act not only from a moral point of view, but also from a more practical one, as the degradation of ecosystems could have a huge negative impact on our future lives. In the following lines, I will discuss why I believe the degradation of ecosystems is the main cause of animal extinction, and propose some solutions to mitigate this problem.
The major cause of animal extinction is climate change. The degradation of ecosystems is directly linked to the extinction of animals living in those ecosystems. One example is the temperature rise in oceans and the subsequent damage to coral reefs. Climate change has risen the temperature of oceans and also has contributed to their acidification. This has had a negative impact not only on corals but also on many other species living in coral reefs. Predictions indicate that, if no effort is made, by 2030 most of coral reefs on Earth will be deserted areas. The main solution to avoid this is to mitigate climate change by changing our ways of life to more sustainable ones. This means reducing our gas emissions, our consumption of plastic, or using public transportation instead of private cars.
Direct human modifications of ecosystems also lead to the extinction of many animal species. By direct modifications, I am referring to things such as deforestation or the introduction of invasive species. Deforestation is harmful to an ecosystem because natural species are replaced by other plants for commercial purposes. This affects not only trees that are cut down, but also other animals, as disturbing one single species can have an impact on the whole ecosystem. The most famous example is perhaps the deforestation of Amazonas rainforest in Brazil, the biggest rainforest on earth. Experts warn that the degradation of this important ecosystem could have a global impact. It is therefore necessary to preserve natural ecosystems, for example by creating protected areas like natural parks and forbidding harmful activities like deforestation.
In conclusion, animal extinction is caused primarily by the degradation of ecosystems. The main solutions would be to mitigate climate change and protect natural areas.