The environment is such a sensitive thing, even the smallest change sparks a chain of events that alter nature’s course forever. Humans have evoked havoc on the environment with pollution, overexploitation, overuse, mass waste, industrialization and so much more. So many of the decisions made are for the advancement and benefit of humans, but at what cost to the environment?

With all this in mind, I want to dive into the issue of extinction and endangered species. With so many other pressing issues out there, the endangered, critically endangered and soon to be extinct species are often looked passed. However, each time a species falls, nature changes drastically and soon, this could impact human life.

A huge success for endangered species was the institution of The Endangered Species Act of 1973. This act is believed to have saved 227 endangered species since is was instituted, including the bald eagle and the giant panda (National Geographic). However, things seem to be going in the wrong direction now, which is why this is a growing civic issue.

During Trump’s presidency, there was a huge push to weaken The Endangered Species Act of 1973. This push was successful in being passed which weakened the criteria to be on the endangered species list and the protection of endangered species.

The push to weaken the act stems from economic burdens. The act causes regulatory burdens on companies and landowners which decreases economic growth. In addition, many claim to not see much impact from the law itself. There seems to be more species landing on the list than are removed (Friedman).

Taking a look at IUCN Red List, you can see the list of species and their population status, ranging from least concern to critically endangered up to extinct. Looking at the graph above from IUCN Red List, the red line represents threatened species. The trend is increasing year to year and the leading threats are hunting, commercial/residential development and agriculture.

This increasing trend can be seen as many species have become extinct in just the last two years including the Indian cheetah, Spix’s Macaw, Yangtze giant soft shell turtle, Sumartran turtle and several other species went. Most of us probably didn’t hear or realize this happened with everything else flooding the news – the pandemic, election etc. These species all held a vital role in their ecosystem, but now they are just gone.

Once extinct, always extinct. They will not come back (unless cloning is pursued) and their disappearance will have a long-lasting impact on their ecosystem. The issue of endangerment of species has slowly moved out of the public eye and things are taking a turn for the worse. This unfortunate trend needs to be acknowledged and addressed by the public before things become irreversible.

The growing importance of concern for endangered species is inevitable, but why does this matter? An ecosystem is similar to a human when it is “sick”. When humans are sick, we have symptoms such as a fever, cough or headache. When an ecosystem is “sick” the population of certain species will start to decline. This is a key indicator that the ecosystem is not doing well.

When one ecosystem isn’t doing well, that translates to humans because every ecosystem helps purify the environment. Forests produce the oxygen we breathe, streams provide us water to drink, the soil provides the land to grow food. So much of humans necessities depend on the environment and without it, humans will not survive (Endangered Species Coalition).

In addition, a lot of the medicines used to cure illnesses and diseases stem from plants found in the ecosystems that are falling apart. Only about 5% of known plant species have been tested, and if the ecosystem falls that percent will remain the same (Endangered Species Coalition).

However, while many acknowledge the benefits of conserving species, they are concerned it is too late or will cost far too much money to be saved. This creates a divide on whether saving the endangered species and their respective ecosystem is worth the effort.

Tara Martin, a conservation professor, along with many other scientists do not believe it is too late. If we act now, there is a high chance we can save the myriad of species on the list (Science Daily) One big way is to push your government to enact laws/changes to support conservation. This includes knowing what the person you are supporting plans to do for the environment.

Another way is to get directly involved with a local conservation project. Being  a volunteer provides hands-on experience while doing good for the environment. If there isn’t a conservation project nearby, one can volunteer at a wildlife refuge or nature center. These places help save and protect species that are on the list or prevent them from being added to the list.

You can also make changes in your daily life to help the cause. Driving slower to prevent hitting wildlife, or even walking, biking or using public transportation to prevent pollution. In addition, using sustainable products and recycling as much as possible will help reduce your personal carbon footprint (Endangered Species Coalition).

These changes may seem small and you may think this won’t change anything, but if everyone just did the little things, the endangered species will be able to prosper again.

In my next blogs, I will be exploring different habitats and the major reasons for species landing on the extinction list. I will also highlight which species we should keep an eye on to prevent future extinctions.

Desk, India Today Web. “World Wildlife Day 2020: 7 Animals That Went Extinct in 2019.” India Today, 3 Mar. 2020, www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/world-wildlife-day-2020-here-are-7-significant-wildlife-species-that-went-extinct-in-2019-1652013-2020-03-03.

“Endangered Species, Explained.” Animals, 25 Jan. 2019, www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reference/endangered-species/.

Friedman, Lisa. “U.S. Significantly Weakens Endangered Species Act.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 12 Aug. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/08/12/climate/endangered-species-act-changes.html.

“Importance of the Endangered Species Act.” Endangered Species Coalition, www.endangered.org/importance-of-the-endangered-species-act/#:~:text=Healthy%20ecosystems%20depend%20on%20plant,ecosystems%20to%20purify%20our%20environment.

“It’s Not Too Late to Save 102 Species at Risk of Extinction.” ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, 30 Nov. 2020, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201130101254.htm#:~:text=risk%20of%20extinction.-,A%20new%20study%20says%20it’s%20not%20too%20late%20to%20save,overarching%20plan%20to%20save%20them.

“The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.” IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, www.iucnredlist.org/resources/summary-statistics.