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Essays on Endangered Species

Endangered species essay topics and outline examples, essay title 1: vanishing wonders: the plight of endangered species and conservation efforts.

Thesis Statement: This essay explores the critical issue of endangered species, delving into the causes of endangerment, the ecological significance of these species, and the conservation strategies aimed at preserving them for future generations.

• Introduction
• Understanding Endangered Species: Definitions and Criteria
• Causes of Endangerment: Habitat Loss, Climate Change, Poaching, and Pollution
• Ecological Significance: The Role of Endangered Species in Ecosystems
• Conservation Strategies: Protected Areas, Breeding Programs, and Legal Protections
• Success Stories: Examples of Species Recovery and Reintroduction
• Ongoing Challenges: Balancing Conservation with Human Needs
• Conclusion: The Urgent Need for Global Action in Protecting Endangered Species

Essay Title 2: Beyond the Numbers: The Ethical and Moral Imperatives of Endangered Species Preservation

Thesis Statement: This essay examines the ethical dimensions of endangered species preservation, addressing questions of human responsibility, intrinsic value, and the moral imperative to protect and restore these species.

• The Ethical Dilemma: Balancing Human Needs and Species Preservation
• Intrinsic Value: Recognizing the Inherent Worth of All Species
• Interconnectedness: Understanding the Ripple Effects of Species Loss
• Human Responsibility: The Moral Imperative to Protect Endangered Species
• Conservation Ethics: Ethical Frameworks and Philosophical Perspectives
• Legislation and International Agreements: Legal Approaches to Ethical Conservation
• Conclusion: Embracing Our Role as Stewards of Biodiversity

Essay Title 3: The Economic Value of Biodiversity: Endangered Species and Sustainable Development

Thesis Statement: This essay explores the economic aspects of endangered species conservation, highlighting the potential economic benefits of preserving biodiversity, sustainable ecotourism, and the long-term economic consequences of species loss.

• Economic Importance of Biodiversity: Ecosystem Services and Human Well-being
• Sustainable Ecotourism: How Endangered Species Can Drive Local Economies
• Case Studies: Success Stories of Economic Benefits from Species Conservation
• The Costs of Inaction: Economic Consequences of Species Extinction
• Corporate Responsibility: Businesses and Conservation Partnerships
• Balancing Economic Growth with Conservation: The Path to Sustainable Development
• Conclusion: The Interplay Between Biodiversity, Economics, and a Sustainable Future

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Endangered Species: The African Elephant

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Endangered Species in Vietnam: South China Tiger and Asian Elephant

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De-extinction Can Help to Protect Endangered Species

Protection of endangered species can help us to survive, the way zoos helps to protect endangered species, ways of protection endangered species, sharks demand protection just like endangered species, the reasons why the koala species is endangered, the issue of philippine eagle endangerment, the issue of conserving endangered animals in the jungles of southeast asia, primates research project: the bushmeat crisis, the negative impact of the food culture on the environment and jani actman article that fish on your dinner plate may be an endangered species, nesting and population ecology of western chimpanzee in bia conservation area, human impact on red panda populations , the impact of climate change on the antarctic region, the ethics of bengal tigers, poaching and the illegal trade.

Endangered species are living organisms that face a high risk of extinction in the near future. They are characterized by dwindling population numbers and a significant decline in their natural habitats. These species are vulnerable to various factors, including habitat destruction, pollution, climate change, overexploitation, and invasive species, which disrupt their ecological balance and threaten their survival.

The early stages of human civilization witnessed a relatively harmonious coexistence with the natural world. Indigenous cultures across the globe held deep reverence for the interconnectedness of all living beings, fostering a sense of stewardship and respect for the environment. Nevertheless, with the rise of industrialization and modernization, the exploitation of natural resources escalated at an unprecedented pace. The late 19th and early 20th centuries marked a turning point, as rapid urbanization, deforestation, pollution, and overhunting posed significant threats to numerous species. The dawn of globalization further accelerated these challenges, as international trade in exotic species intensified and habitats faced relentless encroachment. In response to this growing concern, conservation movements emerged worldwide. Influential figures such as John Muir, Rachel Carson, and Aldo Leopold championed the cause of environmental preservation, raising awareness about the fragility of ecosystems and the need for proactive measures. International conventions and treaties, such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), were established to regulate and monitor the trade of endangered species across borders. As our understanding of ecological dynamics deepened, scientific advancements and conservation efforts gained momentum. Endangered species recovery programs, habitat restoration initiatives, and the establishment of protected areas have all played a vital role in safeguarding vulnerable populations. However, the struggle to protect endangered species continues in the face of ongoing challenges. Climate change, habitat destruction, poaching, and illegal wildlife trade persist as formidable threats. Efforts to conserve endangered species require a multi-faceted approach, encompassing scientific research, policy development, sustainable practices, and international collaboration.

Leonardo DiCaprio: An acclaimed actor and environmental activist, DiCaprio has been an outspoken advocate for wildlife conservation. Through the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, he has supported various initiatives aimed at protecting endangered species and their habitats. Sigourney Weaver: Besides her notable acting career, Sigourney Weaver has been a passionate environmental activist. She has advocated for the protection of endangered species, particularly in her role as an honorary co-chair of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. Prince William: The Duke of Cambridge, Prince William, has shown a deep commitment to wildlife conservation. He has actively supported initiatives such as United for Wildlife, which aims to combat the illegal wildlife trade and protect endangered species. Edward Norton: Actor and environmental activist Edward Norton has been actively involved in various conservation efforts. He co-founded the Conservation International's Marine Program and has been vocal about the need to protect endangered species and their habitats.

Amur Leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii) Javan Rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus) Vaquita (Phocoena sinus) Cross River Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli) Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) Yangtze River Dolphin (Lipotes vexillifer) Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) Sumatran Tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) African Elephant (Loxodonta africana)

1. Habitat Loss and Fragmentation 2. Climate Change 3. Pollution 4. Overexploitation and Illegal Wildlife Trade 5. Invasive Species 6. Disease and Pathogens 7. Lack of Conservation Efforts and Awareness 8. Genetic Issues 9. Natural Factors

The majority of the public recognizes the significance of conserving endangered species. Many people believe that it is our moral obligation to protect and preserve the Earth's diverse wildlife. They understand that losing species not only disrupts ecosystems but also deprives future generations of the natural beauty and ecological services they provide. Some individuals view endangered species conservation through an economic lens. They understand that wildlife and ecosystems contribute to tourism, provide ecosystem services like clean water and air, and support local economies. These economic arguments often align with conservation efforts, highlighting the potential benefits of protecting endangered species. Additionally, public opinion on endangered species is often shaped by awareness campaigns, education initiatives, and media coverage. Increased access to information about the threats faced by endangered species and the consequences of their decline has resulted in a greater understanding and concern among the public. Many people support the implementation and enforcement of laws and regulations aimed at protecting endangered species. They believe that legal frameworks are essential for ensuring the survival of vulnerable species and holding individuals and industries accountable for actions that harm wildlife. Moreover, individuals increasingly feel a sense of personal responsibility in addressing the issue of endangered species. This includes making conscious choices about consumption, supporting sustainable practices, and engaging in activities that contribute to conservation efforts, such as volunteering or donating to wildlife organizations. Public opinion can vary when it comes to instances where the protection of endangered species conflicts with human interests, such as land use, agriculture, or development projects. These situations can lead to debates and differing perspectives on how to balance conservation needs with other societal needs.

"Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson: Published in 1962, this influential book is credited with launching the modern environmental movement. Carson's seminal work highlighted the devastating impacts of pesticides, including their effects on wildlife and the environment. It drew attention to the need for conservation and sparked widespread concern for endangered species. "Gorillas in the Mist" by Dian Fossey: Fossey's book, published in 1983, chronicled her experiences studying and protecting mountain gorillas in Rwanda. It shed light on the challenges faced by these endangered primates and brought their conservation needs to the forefront of public consciousness. "March of the Penguins" (2005): This acclaimed documentary film depicted the annual journey of emperor penguins in Antarctica. By showcasing the hardships and perils these penguins face, the film garnered widespread attention and empathy for these remarkable creatures, raising awareness about their vulnerability and the impacts of climate change. "The Cove" (2009): This documentary exposed the brutal practice of dolphin hunting in Taiji, Japan. It not only brought attention to the mistreatment of dolphins but also highlighted the interconnectedness of species and the urgent need for their protection. "Racing Extinction" (2015): This documentary film by the Oceanic Preservation Society addressed the issue of mass species extinction and the human-driven factors contributing to it. It aimed to inspire viewers to take action and make positive changes to protect endangered species and their habitats.

1. It is estimated that around 26,000 species are currently threatened with extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). 2. The illegal wildlife trade is the fourth largest illegal trade globally, following drugs, counterfeiting, and human trafficking. It is a significant contributor to species endangerment. 3. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) reports that since 1970, global wildlife populations have declined by an average of 68%. 4. Habitat loss is the primary cause of species endangerment, with deforestation alone accounting for the loss of around 18.7 million acres of forest annually. 5. The poaching crisis has pushed some iconic species to the brink of extinction. For example, it is estimated that only about 3,900 tigers remain in the wild. 6. The Hawaiian Islands are considered the endangered species capital of the world, with more than 500 endangered or threatened species due to habitat loss and invasive species. 7. Coral reefs, one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet, are under significant threat. It is estimated that 75% of the world's coral reefs are currently threatened, primarily due to climate change, pollution, and overfishing. 8. The illegal pet trade is a significant threat to many species. It is estimated that for every live animal captured for the pet trade, several die during capture or transport. 9. The IUCN Red List, a comprehensive inventory of the conservation status of species, currently includes more than 38,000 species, with approximately 28% of them classified as threatened with extinction.

The topic of endangered species holds immense importance for writing an essay due to several compelling reasons. Firstly, endangered species represent a vital component of the Earth's biodiversity, playing crucial roles in maintaining ecosystem balance and functioning. Exploring this topic allows us to understand the interconnectedness of species and their habitats, emphasizing the intricate web of life on our planet. Secondly, the issue of endangered species is a direct reflection of human impacts on the environment. It brings attention to the consequences of habitat destruction, climate change, pollution, and unsustainable practices. By studying this topic, we can delve into the root causes of species endangerment and contemplate the ethical and moral dimensions of our responsibility towards other living beings. Moreover, the plight of endangered species evokes strong emotional responses, prompting discussions on the intrinsic value of nature and our duty to conserve it for future generations. Writing about endangered species enables us to raise awareness, foster empathy, and advocate for sustainable practices and conservation initiatives.

1. Dudley, N., & Stolton, S. (Eds.). (2010). Arguments for protected areas: Multiple benefits for conservation and use. Earthscan. 2. Fearn, E., & Butler, C. D. (Eds.). (2019). Routledge handbook of eco-anxiety. Routledge. 3. Groombridge, B., & Jenkins, M. D. (2002). World atlas of biodiversity: Earth's living resources in the 21st century. University of California Press. 4. Hoekstra, J. M., Boucher, T. M., Ricketts, T. H., & Roberts, C. (2005). Confronting a biome crisis: Global disparities of habitat loss and protection. Ecology Letters, 8(1), 23-29. 5. Kiesecker, J. M., & Copeland, H. E. (Eds.). (2018). The biogeography of endangered species: Patterns and applications. Island Press. 6. Laurance, W. F., Sayer, J., & Cassman, K. G. (2014). Agricultural expansion and its impacts on tropical nature. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 29(2), 107-116. 7. Meffe, G. K., & Carroll, C. R. (Eds.). (1997). Principles of conservation biology. Sinauer Associates. 8. Primack, R. B. (2014). Essentials of conservation biology. Sinauer Associates. 9. Soulé, M. E., & Terborgh, J. (Eds.). (1999). Continental conservation: Scientific foundations of regional reserve networks. Island Press. 10. Wilson, E. O. (2016). Half-earth: Our planet's fight for life. Liveright Publishing.

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Saving Endangered Species: A Case Study Using Global Amphibian Declines

How are Endangered Species Identified?

The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List uses a hierarchical structure of nine categories for assigning threat levels for each species or subspecies. These categories range from 'Extinct' to 'Least Concern' (Figure 1). At the highest levels of threat, taxa are listed as 'Critically Endangered,' 'Endangered,' or 'Vulnerable,' all of which are given 'Threatened' status. A series of quantitative criteria is measured for inclusion in these categories, including: reduction in population size, geographic range size and occupancy of area, total population size, and probability of extinction. The evaluation of these criteria includes analyses regarding the number of mature individuals, generation time, and population fragmentation. Each taxon is appraised using all criteria. However, since not all criteria are appropriate for assessing all taxa, satisfying any one criterion qualifies listing at that designated threat level.

There are a variety of human activities that contribute to species becoming threatened, including habitat destruction, fragmentation, and degradation, pollution, introduction of non-native species, disease, climate change, and over-exploitation. In many cases, multiple causes act in concert to threaten populations. Though the causes underlying population declines are numerous, some traits serve as predictors of whether species are likely to be more vulnerable to the causes listed. For example, many species that have become endangered exhibit large body size, specialized diet and/or habitat requirements, small population size, low reproductive output, limited geographic distribution, and great economic value (McKinney 1997).

How to Save Endangered Species

There are a variety of methods currently being implemented to save endangered species. The most common are creation of protected areas, captive breeding and reintroduction, conservation legislation, and increased public awareness.

Protected areas

An effective and internationally recognized strategy for conserving species and ecosystems is to designate protected areas. The United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Center (UNEP-WCMC) defines a protected area as "an area of land and/or sea especially dedicated to the protection of biological diversity and of natural and associated cultural resources, managed through legal or other effective means." Worldwide, extensive systems of protected areas have been developed and include national parks, state/provincial parks, wildlife refuges, and nature reserves, all of which differ in their management objectives and degree of protection. The IUCN has defined six protected area management categories, based on primary management objective (Table 1). These categories are defined in detail in the Guidelines for Protected Areas Management Categories published by IUCN in 1994.

The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) records all nationally designated terrestrial and marine protected areas whose extent is known. These data are collected from national and regional governing bodies and non-governmental organizations. Currently, there are over 120,000 protected areas (2008 estimate, UNEP-WCMC), covering about 21 million square kilometers of land and sea. Since 1872, there has been a dramatic increase in the global number and extent of nationally designated protected areas (Figure 2). Well-planned and -managed protected areas not only benefit species at risk, but other species associated with them, thereby increasing the overall amount of biodiversity conserved. Despite increases in the size and number of protected areas, however, the overall area constitutes a small percentage of the earth's surface. Because these areas are critical to the conservation of biodiversity, the designation of more areas for protection and increases in the sizes of those areas already in existence are necessary.

Another opportunity for creating protected areas is the Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE), an international consortium of conservation organizations that specifically targets protection of key sites that represent sanctuaries of one or more Endangered or Critically Endangered species. The AZE focuses on species whose habitats have been degraded or whose ranges are exceptionally small, making them susceptible to outside threats. Three criteria must be met in order to prioritize a site for protection (Table 2). To date, 588 sites encompassing 920 threatened species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, conifers and corals have been identified. The goal of such efforts is to prevent the most imminent species extinctions by increasing global awareness of these key areas.

Captive breeding and reintroduction

Some species in danger of extinction in the wild are brought into captivity to either safeguard against imminent extinction or to increase population numbers. The primary goals of captive breeding programs are to establish populations via controlled breeding that are: a) large enough to be demographically stable; and b) genetically healthy (Ebenhard 1995). These objectives ensure that populations will exhibit a healthy age structure, resistance to disease, consistent reproduction, and preservation of the gene pool to minimize and/or avoid problems associated with inbreeding. Successful captive breeding programs include those for the Guam rail, scimitar-horned oryx, and Przewalski's horse. (See iucnredlist.org for details.)

Establishing captive populations is an important contribution of zoos and aquariums to the conservation of endangered species. Zoos and aquariums have limited space, however, so to maintain healthy populations, they cooperate in managing their collections as breeding populations from international to regional levels. The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) is the organization that unites the world's zoos and aquariums in cooperative breeding programs. Perhaps the most important tools in managing these programs are studbooks, which ensure that captive populations maintain a sufficient size, demographic stability, and ample genetic diversity. All information pertinent to management of the species in question is included (e.g., animal registration number, birth date, parentage, behavioral traits that may affect breeding). These studbooks are used to make recommendations regarding which individuals should be bred, how often, and with whom in order to minimize inbreeding and, thus, enhance the demographic and genetic security of the captive population.

Another goal of some captive breeding programs is to reintroduce animals to the wild to reestablish populations. Examples of successful introductions using captive-bred stock include California condors (Ralls & Ballou 2004) and black-footed ferrets (Russell et al. 1994). Reintroductions can also utilize individuals from healthy wild populations, meaning individuals that are thriving in one part of the range are introduced to an area where the species was extirpated. Reintroduction programs involve the release of individuals back into portions of their historic range, where they are monitored and either roam freely (e.g., gray wolves released in Yellowstone National Park) or are contained within an enclosed area (e.g., elk in Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area in western Kentucky; Figure 3). However, reintroduction is only feasible if survival can be assured. Biologists must ascertain whether: a) the original threats persist and/or can be mitigated; and b) sufficient habitat remains, or else survival will be low upon release.

Laws and regulations

Biodiversity is protected by laws at state/provincial, national, and international levels. Arguably the most influential law is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) which is an agreement between governments (i.e., countries) that controls international trade in wild animals, plants, and their parts to ensure continued survival. International trade in wildlife is a multi-billion dollar industry that affects millions of plants and animals. As a result, CITES lists species in three Appendices according to the level of protection they require to avoid over-exploitation; species listed in Appendix I require the most protection and, thus, trade limitations (Table 3). Currently, approximately 30,000 species are protected under CITES (Table 4).

The trade in wildlife is an international issue and, as such, cooperation between countries is required to regulate trade under CITES. However, member countries adhere to regulations voluntarily and, consequently, they must implement them. Most important, CITES does not take the place of national laws; member countries must also have their own domestic legislation in place to execute the Convention.

Public awareness

In general, the public is unaware about the current extinction crisis. Public awareness can be increased through education and citizen science programs. Conservation education often begins in elementary school and may be enhanced through summer camps or family vacations that are nature oriented (e.g., involve visiting national or state parks). Early positive experiences with nature are essential for children to gain an appreciation for wildlife and the problems species face. In high school, this education is continued through formal science education and extra-curricular activities. Other means of increasing public awareness involve internet websites where subscribers can receive emails from conservation organizations like Defenders of Wildlife, Environmental Defense, and World Wildlife Fund. In many cases, these organizations provide updates on the status of endangered species and promote letter writing to elected officials in requesting protection for endangered species and their habitats.

CASE STUDY IN CONSERVATION: Global declines in amphibian populations

Amphibians are one of the earth's most imperiled vertebrate groups, with approximately one-third of all species facing extinction (Stuart et al . 2004). Causes of amphibian population declines and extinctions echo those listed in the introductory paragraphs but primarily consist of drainage and development of wetland habitats and surrounding uplands, contamination of aquatic habitats, predation by or hybridization with introduced species, climate change, and over-harvesting (Collins & Storfer 2003). In addition, the recent declines observed in relatively pristine areas, such as state, provincial, and national parks worldwide have brought to light the tremendous impact of pathogens on amphibian populations, most notably that of the amphibian-killing fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). So what is being done to preserve amphibian diversity?

To address the historic sources of amphibian population declines, such as overexploitation and habitat loss, national and international legislation exists to monitor the trade in amphibians and prevent further reductions in available habitat. Although international trade in amphibians is less common relative to trade in other vertebrate groups, CITES currently lists 131 species in Appendices I-III. Furthermore, IUCN currently lists 509, 767, and 657 amphibian species as Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable (Figure 4), respectively. These species' native habitats are afforded protection at various levels of organization. The AZE has identified 588 sites worldwide exhibiting at least one criterion for protection (Table 2), and these sites are home to hundreds of amphibian species listed by IUCN as between Vulnerable and Critically Endangered. In addition, IUCN's Amphibian Specialist Group (ASG) has partnered with governmental and non-governmental organizations and individuals to create new protected areas and minimize further population declines due to habitat fragmentation and loss. In addition to designation of new protected areas, efforts of the ASG include habitat restoration, promotion of ecotourism, and extended amphibian-monitoring programs.

Despite efforts to preserve suitable habitat, biologists became increasingly aware of catastrophic population declines associated with Bd, and more urgent action became necessary when declines were detected in protected areas with minimal risks of habitat loss and overexploitation. Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is a parasitic fungus that disrupts the bodily processes of its amphibian hosts, resulting in lethargy and ultimately death. Although the exact origins of this pathogen are currently debated, Bd has been detected throughout the world and linked to dramatic amphibian population declines and extinctions (Skerratt et al . 2007).

Due to the rapidity with which Bd invades amphibian communities, swift conservation action was deemed necessary to prevent extinctions; consequently, many institutions realized the necessity of collecting wild individuals prior to the arrival of Bd with the hopes of establishing captive populations. The Amphibian Ark, for example, represents a joint effort between the ASG, the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and the IUCN/SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group. Members of these organizations worldwide participate in captive amphibian husbandry and breeding programs using wild-caught individuals (Figure 5-6). In concert with such activities, some facilities are also addressing the possibility of 'biobanking' activities, such as cryogenically preserving the sperm and eggs of imperiled species or maintaining living cell lines for future use. While some researchers are dedicated to maintaining captive populations, others are actively investigating potential treatments for Bd or preventative measures. Treatment methods are currently being investigated for amphibians already infected with Bd (Berger et al . 2010), and findings that certain bacteria confer Bd resistance have led some researchers to examine the viability of 'seeding' amphibians with protective bacterial coatings prior to reintroduction efforts (Becker and Harris 2010). Also, biologists are increasingly advocating for more rigorous chytrid monitoring protocols to prevent further spread of this pathogen, such as efforts in the United States to incorporate amphibians into the Lacey Act (1900), a federal mandate that would require them to be certified as disease-free prior to importation.

Throughout the current amphibian extinction crisis, increasing public awareness has been a critical component of conservation efforts. Amphibians typically do not receive the attention bestowed upon more charismatic megafauna, such as pandas and tigers, despite their significant economic, ecological, and aesthetic values. In a worldwide effort to bring amphibian population declines to the forefront, the Amphibian Ark declared 2008 as the "Year of the Frog," a time in which conservationists showcased amphibian diversity in zoos and aquaria while detailing their current plight. In addition, some conservation efforts, such as Project Golden Frog, utilize attractive or otherwise conspicuous amphibians as flagship species with which to garner public interest and local pride in endangered species and promote local activism (Figure 7). The ASG's 'Metamorphosis' initiative utilizes artistry to promote increase public recognition of connections between the plight of amphibians and that of humanity. Biologists have also solicited direct public involvement through citizen science programs wherein non-scientists can participate in crucial amphibian population monitoring efforts; examples of these efforts include ASG's Global Amphibian BioBlitz, Nature Canada, and Environment Canada's FrogWatch, the United States Geological Survey's North American Amphibian Monitoring Program, and the AZA's FrogWatch USA. Finally, continued research highlighting the critical ecological and economic roles amphibians play in ecosystems, such as transferring energy through food webs and reducing insect populations (Davic & Welsh 2004), has been important in cultivating popular interest in the current extinction crisis.

References and Recommended Reading

Berger, L., Speare R. et al . Treatment of chtridiomycosis requires urgent clinical trials. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 92 , 165-174 (2010).

Collins, J. P. & Storfer, A. Global amphibian declines: sorting the hypotheses. Diversity and Distributions 9 , 89-98 (2003).

Davic, R. D. & Welsh, H. H. On the ecological roles of salamanders. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics 35 , 404-434 (2004).

Ebenhard, T. Conservation breeding as a tool for saving animal species from extinction. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 10 , 438-443 (1995).

McKinney, M. L. Extinction vulnerability and selectivity: combining ecological and paleontological views. Annual Review of Ecology and Evolution 28 , 495-516 (1997).

Ralls, K. & Ballou, J. D. Genetic status and management of California condors. Condor 106 , 215-228 (2004).

Russell, W. C., Thorne, E. T. et al. The genetic basis of black-footed ferret reintroduction. Conservation Biology 8 , 163-266 (1994).

Skerratt, L. F., Berger, L. et al . Spread of chytridiomycosis has caused the rapid global decline and extinction of frogs. Ecohealth 4 , 125-134 (2007).

Stuart, S. N., Chanson, J. S. et al. Status and trends of amphibian declines and extinctions worldwide. Science 306 , 1783-1786 (2004).

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Essay on Endangered Animals

Students are often asked to write an essay on Endangered Animals in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Endangered Animals

Introduction.

Endangered animals are species that are at risk of extinction. The reasons can be many including habitat loss, pollution, and climate change.

Examples of Endangered Animals

Examples of endangered animals include the Siberian Tiger, the Giant Panda, and the Blue Whale. These animals are struggling to survive due to human activities.

Importance of Saving Endangered Animals

Saving endangered animals is important because they play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of nature. Their extinction can disrupt the ecosystem.

We should take steps to protect endangered animals. This includes preserving their habitats and reducing pollution.

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• 10 Lines on Endangered Animals
• Speech on Endangered Animals

250 Words Essay on Endangered Animals

Introduction to endangered animals.

Endangered animals are those species that are at risk of becoming extinct. This threat is primarily due to human activities such as deforestation, hunting, pollution, and climate change. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) maintains the Red List which classifies species based on their extinction risk.

The Impact of Human Activities

Human activities are the primary cause of animal endangerment. Deforestation for agriculture, urban development, and logging destroys habitats, leaving animals without homes or food. Poaching and overfishing deplete animal populations, and pollution can poison waterways and air, affecting both terrestrial and aquatic species.

Climate Change and Animal Endangerment

Climate change exacerbates the threats to endangered species. Rising temperatures can alter habitats, making them uninhabitable for certain species. Changes in precipitation patterns can also disrupt food chains, affecting species at all levels.

The Role of Conservation

Conservation plays a crucial role in preventing extinction. Efforts include creating protected areas, enforcing anti-poaching laws, and breeding programs. However, it also requires addressing the root causes such as unsustainable development and climate change.

The survival of endangered animals is a critical issue. It not only maintains biodiversity but also ensures the health of our ecosystems. As stewards of the planet, it is our responsibility to protect these species and their habitats. Through understanding, awareness, and action, we can help ensure their survival for future generations.

500 Words Essay on Endangered Animals

The term “endangered” refers to species that are at risk of becoming extinct. Endangered animals are those whose numbers are so low that they could soon disappear forever. Conservationists use a set of criteria to categorize the extinction risk, including the number of individuals remaining, the overall increase or decrease in the population over time, breeding success rates, and known threats.

The Plight of Endangered Species

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) maintains a “Red List” of threatened species. As of 2020, they reported that more than 37,400 species are threatened with extinction. This includes 41% of amphibians, 34% of conifers, 33% of reef-building corals, 25% of mammals, and 14% of birds. The reasons for the endangerment of these animals range from habitat loss and climate change to overexploitation and pollution.

Habitat loss is perhaps the most significant cause of species endangerment. As humans continue to develop land for housing, agriculture, and commerce, they are destroying natural habitats, often leaving animals without places to live and breed. Moreover, climate change is altering the natural ecosystems that animals rely upon, forcing them to adapt to new conditions or move to new habitats.

Conservation Efforts

Despite these alarming statistics, there is hope. Conservation efforts worldwide aim to protect endangered species and their habitats. These efforts range from establishing protected areas, like national parks and wildlife reserves, to enacting laws that regulate hunting, pollution, and land development.

One of the most effective ways to conserve endangered species is through the establishment of captive breeding programs. These programs aim to increase the population size of endangered species in a controlled environment, with the ultimate goal of reintroducing them into the wild.

The Importance of Biodiversity

Biodiversity, the variety of life on Earth, plays a crucial role in the smooth functioning of ecosystems and our survival. Each species, no matter how small, has an important role to play in ecosystem balance. Losing a single species can have significant and cascading effects on the ecosystem, leading to a domino effect that can disrupt ecosystem services.

In conclusion, the issue of endangered animals is a pressing one, requiring immediate and concerted efforts. While the task is immense, the collective actions of governments, conservation organizations, and individuals can make a difference. By understanding and addressing the causes of endangerment, implementing conservation strategies, and valuing biodiversity, we can help ensure the survival of endangered species for generations to come.

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Endangered and Threatened Species of the Platte River (2005)

Chapter: 8 conclusions and recommendations, 8 conclusions and recommendatons.

I n the previous chapters, the Committee on Endangered and Threatened Species in the Platte River Basin has explored science and its application for policy on the central and lower Platte River. The committee presents here its responses to the series of questions (reviewed in Box 1-2 ) included in its charge. In this chapter, for each question, we state our conclusions and the primary sources of evidence leading to them.

To reach its conclusions, the committee considered the extent of the data available for each question and whether the data was generated according to standard scientific methods that included, where feasible, empirical testing. The committee also considered whether those methods were sufficiently documented and whether and to what extent they had been replicated, whether either the data or the methods used had been published and subject to public comment or been formally peer-reviewed, whether the data were consistent with accepted understanding of how the systems function, and whether they were explained by a coherent theory or model of the system. To assess the scientific validity of the methods used to develop instream-flow recommendations, the committee applied the criteria listed above, but focused more directly on the methods. For example, the committee considered whether the methods used were in wide use or generally accepted in the relevant field and whether sources of potential error in the methods have been or can be identified and the extent of potential error estimated. The committee acknowledges that no one of the above criteria is decisive, but taken together they provide a good sense of the extent to

which any conclusion or decision is supported by science. Because some of the decisions in question were made many years ago, the committee felt that it was important to ask whether they were supported by the existing science at the time they were made. For that purpose, the committee asked, in addition to the questions above, whether the decision makers had access to and made use of state-of-the-art knowledge at the time of the decision.

The population viability analysis (PVA) developed by the committee was constrained by the short study period. It did not include systematic sensitivity analyses and did not base stochastic processes and environmental variation on data from the Platte River region. A more thorough representation of environmental variation in the Platte River could be developed from regional records of climate, hydrology, disturbance events, and other stochastic environmental factors. Where records on the Platte River basin itself are not adequate, longer records on adjacent basins could be correlated with records on the Platte to develop a defensible assessment of environmental variation and stochastic processes. In addition, a sensitivity analysis could demonstrate the effects of wide ranges of environmental variation on the outcomes of PVAs. In its analysis, the committee did not consider methods and techniques that are under development by researchers such as the new SEDVEG model. SEDVEG is being developed, but is not yet completed or tested, by USBR to evaluate the interactions among hydrology, river hydraulics, sediment transport, and vegetation for application on the Platte River. The committee did not consider USGS’s in-progress evaluation of the models and data used by USFWS to set flow recommendations for whooping cranes. The committee did not consider any aspects of the Environmental Impact Statement that was being drafted by U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) agencies related to species recovery, because it was released after the committee finished its deliberations. The Central Platte River recovery implementation program proposed in the cooperative agreement by the Governance Committee also was not evaluated, because it was specifically excluded from the committee’s charge.

The committee’s experience with data, models, and explanations led us to the identification of three common threads throughout the issues related to threatened and endangered species. First, change across space and through time is pervasive in all natural and human systems in the central and lower Platte River. Change implies that unforeseen events may affect the survival or recovery of federally listed species. Land-use and water-use changes are likely in the central and lower Platte River region in response to market conditions, changing lifestyles, shifts in the local human population, and climate change; such changes will bring about pressures on wildlife populations that are different from those observed today. For example, riparian vegetation on the central Platte River has changed because of both natural and anthropogenic impacts. Regardless of its condition and

distribution before European settlement in the middle 1800s, the riparian forest of the central Platte River was geographically limited from the middle 1800s to the first decades of the 1900s. At the time of the first aerial photography of the river in 1938, extensive sandbars, beaches, and braided channels without extensive forest cover were common in many reaches of the central Platte. Between the late 1930s and the middle to late 1960s, woodland covered increasing portions of the areas that had previously been without trees. By the late 1990s, clearing of woodlands had become a major habitat-management strategy to benefit whooping cranes that desire open roosting areas with long sight lines. Whooping cranes have used the newly cleared areas, but the overall effects of clearing on the crane population and on the structure of the river are not completely known. As with most habitat-management strategies in the central Platte River, there has been no specific monitoring to assess the success of clearing. Unintended effects remain to be investigated.

From a planning and management perspective, stable conditions are desirable so that prediction of outcomes of decisions can be simplified; but stability is rare, especially in the Platte River Basin. Explanations of existing hydrological, geomorphologic, and biological conditions and predictions of future conditions that fail to discern and accommodate change are not likely to be successful. Science can inform decision makers about expected outcomes of various choices, but prediction of the outcomes is likely to be imprecise because of ecosystem variability. Management choices therefore must include some flexibility to deal with the inevitable variability and must be adaptive, continually monitoring and adjusting. The conditions our parents would have seen in these ecosystems a half-century ago were not the conditions we see now, and present conditions are not likely to be the ones our children or grandchildren will see.

A second thread identified by the committee is that one’s view of an ecosystem depends on the temporal and spatial scales on which it is examined. The variability in scale of processes in smaller drainage basins nested within larger ones is obvious, but most natural systems have a similar nested hierarchical structure. The groups of birds and fish that use the Platte River Basin are a fraction of the larger, more widely distributed population, so conditions along the river affect only a portion of each population at any time. Loss of the subpopulations that use the Platte River might not damage the entire population if there were no losses elsewhere—something that Platte River managers cannot assume. The concentration of listed species along the central Platte indicates the importance of the river, despite the fact that the birds can be found elsewhere in Nebraska during migration or nesting periods. The river is important from a management perspective because it contains all the habitat features that are included in the regulatory definitions of critical habitat.

The river supplies the needs of an assemblage of species in addition to serving the needs of single species.

Climate also operates on a series of hierarchical scales. Regional climate in the central and northern Great Plains evinces a variety of changes that depend on the time scale used for analysis. Over a period of 5 or even 10 years, we do not see the complete range of temperature and rainfall conditions likely to be experienced over a century. Decades-long drought or wet periods are likely to be important in species survival and recovery, so short-term observations of less than a few years cannot illuminate the expected conditions that a recovery effort must face.

The various scales of scientific analysis with respect to threatened and endangered species in the Platte River Basin imply that decisions based on science should also recognize scale. Decisions concerning the Platte River Basin that are based on short-term multiyear data and a local perspective are not likely to benefit the long-term (multidecadal) viability of a species that operates on a continental or intercontinental scale. The costs of efforts to recover threatened or endangered species are often most obvious on a local scale, but the benefits are much more widely distributed.

The third thread is that water links the needs of human, wildlife, and habitat more than any other ecological process. Many of the risks to threatened and endangered species, and all the comprehensive solutions to the problem of recovery, require a refined understanding of hydrological processes. The hydrological system of the Platte River is highly interconnected, so solutions to the species issues that attempt to protect commodity values of water must also be interconnected, particularly between surface water and groundwater. Climatic changes create a changing backdrop for the more important human-induced changes in the hydrology of the basin. The committee is firmly convinced that upstream storage, diversion, and distribution of the river’s flow are the most important drivers of change that adversely affect species habitat along the Platte River.

COMMITTEE’S FINDINGS

1. Do current central Platte habitat conditions affect the likelihood of survival of the whooping crane? Do they limit (adversely affect) its recovery?

Conclusions: The committee concluded that, given available knowledge, current central Platte habitat conditions adversely affect the likelihood of survival of the whooping crane, but to an unknown degree. The Platte River is important to whooping cranes: about 7% of the total whooping crane population stop on the central Platte River in any one year, and many, if not all, cranes stop over on the central Platte at some point in their lifetimes. Population viability analyses show that if mortality were to

increase by only 3%, the general population would likely become unstable. Thus, if the cranes using the Platte River were eliminated, population-wide effects would be likely. Resources acquired by whooping cranes during migratory stopovers contribute substantially to meeting nutrient needs and probably to ensuring survival and reproductive success. Because as much as 80% of crane mortality appears to occur during migration, and because the Platte River is in a central location for the birds’ migration, the river takes on considerable importance. The committee concluded that current habitat conditions depend on river management in the central Platte River, but the population also depends on events in other areas along the migratory corridor. If habitat conditions on the central Platte River—that is, the physical circumstances and food resources required by cranes—decline substantially, recovery could be slowed or reversed. The Platte River is a consistent source of relatively well-watered habitat for whooping cranes, with its water source in distant mountain watersheds that are not subject to drought cycles that are as severe as those of the Northern Plains. There are no equally useful habitats for whooping cranes nearby: the Rainwater Basin dries completely about once a decade, and the Sandhills are inconsistent as crane habitat, while the Niobrara and other local streams are subject to the same variability as the surrounding plains. Future climatic changes may exacerbate conflicts between habitat availability and management and human land use. If the quality or quantity of other important habitats becomes less available to whooping cranes, the importance of the central Platte River could increase.

Primary Sources of Scientific Information: The basis of the above conclusion is published documents that were available to other researchers and the public including the original listing document and recovery plan for the species and a review of knowledge about the cranes by the Interstate Task Force on Endangered Species (EA Engineering, Science and Technology, Inc. 1985). Other important contributions to knowledge include Allen (1952) and Austin and Richert (2001). The committee also reviewed and discussed critical comments presented in open sessions and written testimony exemplified by Lingle (G. Lingle, unpublished material, March 22, 2000) and Czaplewski et al. (M.M. Czaplewski et al., Central Platte Natural Resource District, unpublished material, August 22, 2003) that was critical of the research conducted by DOI agencies.

2. Is the current designation of central Platte River habitat as “critical habitat” for the whooping crane supported by existing science?

Conclusions: An estimated 7% of the wild, migratory whooping crane population now uses the central Platte River on an annual basis and many, if not all, cranes stop over on the central Platte at some point in their

lifetimes. The proportion of whooping cranes that use the central Platte River and the amount of time that they use it are increasing (with expected inter-annual variation). The designation of central Platte River migratory stopover habitat as critical to the species is therefore supported because the birds have specific requirements for roosting areas that include open grassy or sandy areas with few trees, separation from predators by water, and proximity to foraging areas such as wetlands or agricultural areas. The Platte River critical habitat area is the only area in Nebraska that satisfies these needs on a consistent basis. However, some habitats designated as critical in 1978 appear to be largely unused by whooping cranes in recent years, and the birds are using adjacent habitats that are not so designated (Stehn 2003).

Habitat selection (to the extent that it can be measured) on multiple geographic scales strongly suggests that Nebraska provides important habitat for whooping cranes during their spring migration. Riverine, palustrine, and wetland habitats serve as important foraging and roosting sites for whooping cranes that stop over on the central Platte River. Whooping cranes appear to be using parts of the central Platte River that have little woodland and long, open vistas, including such areas outside the zone classified as critical habitat. In some cases the cranes appear to be using areas that have been cleared of riparian woodland, perhaps partly explaining their distribution outside the critical habitat area.

Primary Sources of Scientific Information: The basis of the committee’s conclusion is published documents that were available to other researchers and the public including the original listing document, recovery plan, and declaration of critical habitat; and information in Howe (1989) and Austin and Richert (2001). The committee also considered commentary that was critical of the research conducted by DOI agencies exemplified by open sessions and written testimony presented by Lingle (G. Lingle, unpublished material, March 22, 2000), EA Engineering, Science and Technology, Inc. (1985) and Czaplewski et al. (M.M. Czaplewski et al., Central Platte Natural Resources District, unpublished material, August 22, 2003).

3. Do current central Platte habitat conditions affect the likelihood of survival of the piping plover? Do they limit (adversely affect) its recovery?

Conclusions: Reliable data indicate that the northern Great Plains population of the piping plover declined by 15% from 1991 to 2001. The census population in Nebraska declined by 25% during the same period. Resident piping plovers have been virtually eliminated from natural riverine habitat on the central Platte River. No recruitment (addition of new individuals to the population by reproduction) has occurred there since 1999. The

disappearance of the piping plover on the central Platte can be attributed to harassment caused by human activities, increased predation of nests, and losses of suitable habitat due to the encroachment of vegetation on previously unvegetated shorelines and gravel bars.

The committee concluded that current central Platte River habitat conditions adversely affect the likelihood of survival of the piping plover, and, on the basis of available understanding, those conditions have adversely affected the recovery of the piping plover. Changes in habitat along the river—including reductions in open, sandy areas that are not subject to flooding during crucial nesting periods—have been documented through aerial photography since the late 1930s and probably have adversely affected populations of the piping plover. Sandpits and reservoir edges with beaches may, under some circumstances, mitigate the reduction in riverine habitat areas. Because piping plovers are mobile and able to find alternative nesting sites, changes in habitat may not be as severe as they would be otherwise, but no studies have been conducted to support or reject this hypothesis.

Primary Sources of Scientific Information: Corn and Armbruster (1993) demonstrated differences (including higher river invertebrate densities and catch rates) in foraging habitat between the river and sand pit sites; this suggests that riverine habitat areas are superior to the sand mines and reservoir beaches for the piping plover. Basic information sources include the listing document and recovery plan. Higgins and Brashier (1993) provide additional information on habitat conditions, survival, and recovery. The committee also considered commentary presented in open sessions and written testimony exemplified by Lingle (G. Lingle, unpublished material, March 22, 2000) and Czaplewski et al . (M.M. Czaplewski et al., Central Platte Natural Resources District, unpublished material, August 22, 2003) that was critical of the research conducted by DOI agencies.

4. Is the current designation of central Platte River habitat as “critical habitat” for the piping plover supported by the existing science?

Conclusions: The designation of central Platte habitat as critical habitat for the piping plover is scientifically supportable. Until the last several years, the central Platte supported substantial suitable habitat for the piping plover, including all “primary constituent elements” required for successful reproduction by the species. Accordingly, the central Platte River contributed an average of more than 2 dozen nesting pairs of plovers to the average of more than 100 pairs that nested each year in the Platte River Basin during the 1980s and 1990s. The critical habitat designation for the species explicitly recognizes that not all areas so designated will provide all neces-

sary resources in all years and be continuously suitable for the species. It is also now understood that off-stream sand mines and reservoir beaches are not an adequate substitute for natural riverine habitat.

Primary Sources of Scientific Information: Data generated according to standard scientific methods in well-defined and well-executed scientific investigations support the critical habitat designation for the piping plover—including work by Ziewitz et al. (1992), Ducey (1983), and Faanes (1983)—as does the designation in the Federal Register (67:57638 [2002]). The committee also considered commentary presented in open sessions and written testimony exemplified by Lingle (G. Lingle, unpublished material, March 22, 2000) and Czaplewski et al. (M.M. Czaplewski et al., Central Platte Natural Resources District, unpublished materials, August 10, 2001, and August 22, 2003) that was critical of the research conducted by DOI agencies.

5. Do current central Platte habitat conditions affect the likelihood of survival of the interior least tern? Do they limit (adversely affect) its recovery?

Conclusions: The committee concluded that current habitat conditions on the central Platte River adversely affect the likelihood of survival of the interior least tern—in much the same fashion as they affect the likelihood of survival of the piping plover—and that on the basis of available information, current habitat conditions on the central Platte River adversely affect the likelihood of recovery of the interior least tern. Reliable population estimates indicate that the total (regional) population of interior least terns was at the recovery goal of 7,000 in 1995, but some breeding areas, including the central Platte River, were not at identified recovery levels. The central Platte subpopulation of least terns declined from 1991 to 2001. The number of terns using the Platte River is about two-thirds of the number needed to reach the interior least tern recovery goal for the Platte. The interior tern is nesting in substantial numbers on the adjacent lower Platte River, but numbers continue to decline on the central Platte, reflecting declining habitat conditions there. The decline in the tern population on the central Platte River has been coincidental with the loss of numerous bare sandbars and beaches along the river. Control of flows and diversion of water from the channel are the causes of these geomorphic changes. Woodland vegetation, unsuitable as tern habitat, has colonized some parts of the central Platte River. Alternative habitats, such as abandoned sand mines or sandy shores of Lake McConaughy, are not suitable substitutes for Platte River habitat because they are susceptible to disturbance by humans and natural predators. The shores of Lake McConaughy are available only at lower stages of the reservoir, and they disappear at high stages.

Primary Sources of Scientific Information: The scientific underpinnings of these conclusions are extensive and substantial, including work by Smith and Renken (1990), Sidle and Kirsch (1993), Ziewitz et al. (1992), and Higgins and Brashier (1993), all of whom used sound, widely accepted, standard scientific methods. The committee also considered commentary presented in open sessions and written testimony exemplified by Lingle (G. Lingle, unpublished material, March 22, 2000) and Czaplewski et al. (M.M. Czaplewski et al., Central Platte Natural Resources District, unpublished material, August 22, 2003) that was critical of the research conducted by DOI agencies.

6. Do current habitat conditions in the lower Platte (below the mouth of the Elkhorn River) affect the likelihood of survival of the pallid sturgeon? Do they limit (adversely affect) its recovery?

Conclusions: Current habitat conditions on the lower Platte River (downstream of the mouth of the Elkhorn River) do not adversely affect the likelihood of survival and recovery of the pallid sturgeon because that reach of the river appears to retain several habitat characteristics apparently preferred by the species: a braided channel of shifting sandbars and islands; a sandy substrate; relatively warm, turbid waters; and a flow regime that is similar to conditions that were found in the upper Missouri River and its tributaries before the installation of large dams on the Missouri. Alterations of discharge patterns or channel features that modify those characteristics might irreparably alter this habitat for pallid sturgeon use. In addition, the lower Platte River is connected with a long undammed reach of the Missouri River, which allows access of the pallid sturgeon in the Platte River to other segments of the existing population. Channelization and damming of the Missouri River have depleted pallid sturgeon habitats throughout its former range, so the lower Platte may be even more important for its survival and recovery. The population of pallid sturgeon is so low in numbers, and habitat such as the lower Platte River that replicates the original undisturbed habitat of the species is so rare that the lower Platte River is pivotal in the management and recovery of the species.

Primary Sources of Scientific Information: Scientific studies supporting those conclusions are reported in numerous peer-reviewed publications, as exemplified by general research on the habitat of hatchery-derived pallid sturgeon in the lower Platte River by Snook (2001) and Snook et al. (2002). Carlson et al. (1985) and Kallemeyn (1983) provided useful background information. Additional investigations in the Missouri River system by Bramblett (1996) and Bramblett and White (2001) have results that are applicable to the lower Platte River. The committee also considered com-

mentary presented in open sessions and written testimony exemplified by Czaplewski et al. (M.M. Czaplewski et al., Central Platte Natural Resources District, unpublished material, August 22, 2003) that was critical of the research conducted by DOI agencies.

7. Were the processes and methodologies used by the USFWS in developing its central Platte River instream-flow recommendations (i.e., species, annual pulse flows, and peak flows) scientifically valid?

Conclusions: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) used methods described in an extensive body of scientific and engineering literature. Reports of interagency working groups that addressed instream-flow recommendations cite more than 80 references that were in wide use and generally accepted in the river science and engineering community. The committee reviewed that information, as well as oral and written testimony critical of the research conducted by DOI agencies, and it concluded that the methods used during the calculations in the early 1990s were the most widely accepted at that time. Revisions were made as improved knowledge became available. Although the Instream Flow Incremental Method (IFIM) and Physical Habitat Simulation System (PHABSIM) were the best available science when DOI agencies reached their recommendations regarding instream flows, there are newer developments and approaches, and they should be internalized in DOI’s decision processes for determining instream flows. The new approaches, centered on the river as an ecosystem rather than focused on individual species, are embodied in the concepts of the normative flow regime. Continued credibility of DOI instream-flow recommendations will depend on including the new approach.

The instream-flow recommendations rely on empirical and model-based approaches. Surveyed cross sections along the river provided DOI investigators with specific information on the morphology of the river and vegetation associated with the river’s landforms. The portions of the cross sections likely to be inundated by flows of various depths were directly observed. Model calculations to simulate the dynamic interaction of water, geomorphology, and vegetation that formed habitat for species were handled with the prevailing standard software PHABSIM, which has seen wide use in other cases and has been accepted by the scientific community. The software was used by DOI researchers in a specific standard method, IFIM, which permits observations of the results as flow depths are incrementally increased.

The continuing DOI model developments, including the emerging SEDVEG model, are needed because of the braided, complex nature of the Platte River—a configuration that is unlike other streams to which existing models are often applied. The committee did not assess the newer models,

because they have not yet been completed or tested, but it recommends that they be explored for their ability to improve decision making.

The committee also recognizes that there has been no substantial testing of the predictions resulting from DOI’s previous modeling work, 1 and it recommends that calibration of the models be improved. Monitoring of the effects of recommended flows should be built into a continuing program of adaptive management to help to determine whether the recommendations are valid and to indicate further adjustments to the recommendations based on observations.

Primary Sources of Scientific Information: The literature used to support USFWS’s methods ranged from basic textbook sources, such as Dunne and Leopold (1978) and Darby and Simon (1999), to specific applications exemplified by Simons & Associates, Inc. (2000) and Schumm (1998). The committee also considered the interagency working reports (Hydrology Work Group 1989; M. Zallen, DOI, unpublished memo, August 11, 1994) and oral and written testimony exemplified by Parsons (2003), Payne (1995; T.R. Payne and Associates, pers. comm., June 19, 2003), Woodward (2003), and Lewis (2003).

8. Are the characteristics described in the USFWS habitat suitability guidelines for the central Platte River supported by the existing science and are they (i.e., the habitat characteristics) essential to the survival of the listed avian species? To the recovery of those species? Are there other Platte River habitats that provide the same values that are essential to the survival of the listed avian species and their recovery?

Conclusions: The committee concluded that the habitat characteristics described in USFWS’s habitat suitability guidelines for the central Platte River were supported by the science of the time of the original habitat description during the 1970s and 1980s and were consistent with accepted understanding of how the systems function. New ecological knowledge has since been developed. The new knowledge, largely from information gathered over the last 20 years, has not been systematically applied to the processes of designating or revising critical habitat, and the committee recommends that it be done.

The committee also concluded that suitable habitat characteristics along the central Platte River are essential to the survival and recovery of the piping plover and the interior least tern. No alternative habitat exists in the

central Platte that provides the same values essential to the survival and recovery of piping plovers and least terns. Although both species use artificial habitat (such as shoreline areas of Lake McConaughy and sandpits), the quality and availability of sites are unpredictable from year to year. The committee further concluded that suitable habitat for the whooping crane along the central Platte River is essential for its survival and recovery because such alternatives as the Rainwater Basin and other, smaller rivers are used only intermittently, are not dependable from one year to the next, and appear to be inferior to habitats offered by the central Platte River.

Primary Sources of Scientific Information: The committee relied on the following sources in reaching its conclusions: for whooping cranes, the original listing document, recovery plan, and declaration of critical habitat and Howe (1989), EA Engineering, Science and Technology, Inc. (1985), Austin and Richert (2001), and Lutey (2002); for interior least terns and piping plovers, the original listing documents, recovery plans, and declaration of critical habitat for the piping plover (Fed. Regist. 67 (176): 57638 [2002]), Smith and Renken (1990), Sidle and Kirsch (1993), Ziewitz et al. (1992), Ducey (1983), Faanes (1983), Higgins and Brashier (1993), Corn and Armbruster (1993), and Kirsch and Sidle (1999). The committee also considered commentary presented in open sessions and written testimony exemplified by Lingle (G. Lingle, unpublished material, March 22, 2000) and Czaplewski et al. (M.M. Czaplewski et al., Central Platte Natural Resources District, unpublished material, August 22, 2003) that was critical of the research conducted by DOI agencies.

9. Are the conclusions of the Department of the Interior about the interrelationships of sediment, flow, vegetation, and channel morphology in the central Platte River supported by the existing science?

Conclusions: The committee concluded that DOI conclusions about the interrelationships among sediment, flow, vegetation, and channel morphology in the central Platte River were supported by scientific theory, engineering practice, and data available at the time of those decisions. By the early 1990s, when DOI was reaching its conclusions, the community of geomorphologists concerned with dryland rivers had a general understanding of the role of fluctuating discharges in arranging the land forms of the channel, and DOI included this understanding in its conclusions about the river. In the early 1990s, engineering practice, combined with geomorphology and hydrology, commonly used IFIM and PHABSIM to make predictions and recommendations for flow patterns that shaped channels, and this resulted in adjustments in vegetation and habitat. In fact, despite some criticisms, IFIM and PHABSIM are still widely used in the professional

community of river restorationists in 2004. In applying scientific theory and engineering practice, the DOI agencies used the most current data and made additional measurements to bolster the calculations and recommendations. Since the early 1990s, more data have become available, and the USBR has conducted considerable cutting-edge research on a new model (SEDVEG) that should update earlier calculations but is not yet in full operation (and was not reviewed by this committee).

Primary Sources of Scientific Information: Murphy et al. (2001) outline the basic understanding of sediment and vegetation dynamics. Sediment data are obtained by sampling sediment concentrations and multiplying the concentrations by discharges and duration. For flow, gaging records on the Platte River are 50 years in duration or longer, and they are in greater density than on many American rivers; the gages provide quality data on water discharge for the Platte River. Murphy and Randle (2003) review the analyses and other sources of knowledge about the flows that provide a sound basis for DOI decisions. In addition to the review by Murphy et al. (2001) concerning vegetation, several studies over the last 20 years have provided an explanation of vegetation dynamics that the committee found to be correct and that is the basis of DOI decisions. Early work by USFWS (1981a) and Currier (1982) set the stage for an evolution of understanding of vegetation change on the river that was later expanded by Johnson (1994). For channel morphology, there is a long history of widely respected research to draw on, including early geomorphologic investigations by Williams (1978) and Eschner et al. (1983), continuing with the reviews by Simons and Associates (2000), and culminating in recent work by Murphy and Randle (2003). The committee also considered commentary presented in open sessions and written testimony exemplified by Parsons (2003) and Lewis (2003) that was critical of the research conducted by DOI agencies.

10. What were the key information and data gaps that the NAS identified in the review?

Conclusions: The committee reached its conclusions for the preceding nine questions with reasonable confidence based on the scientific evidence available. However, the committee identified the following gaps in key information related to threatened and endangered species on the central and lower Platte River, and it recommends that they be addressed to provide improved scientific support for decision making.

A multiple-species perspective is missing from research and management of threatened and endangered species on the central and lower Platte River. The interactions of the protected species with each other and with

unprotected species are poorly known. Efforts to enhance one species may be detrimental to another species, but these connections remain largely unknown because research has been focused on single species. One approach is to shift from the focus on single species to an ecosystem perspective that emphasizes the integration of biotic and abiotic processes supporting a natural assemblage of species and habitats.

There is no systemwide, integrated operation plan or data-collection plan for the combined hydrological system in the North Platte, South Platte, and central Platte Rivers that can inform researchers and managers on issues that underlie threatened and endangered species conservation. Natural and engineered variations in flows in one part of the basin have unknown effects on other parts of the basin, especially with respect to reservoir storage, groundwater storage, and river flows.

A lack of a full understanding of the geographic extent of the populations of imperiled species that inhabit the central Platte River and a lack of reliable information on their population sizes and dynamics limit our ability to use demographic models to predict accurately their fates under different land-management and water-use scenarios. Detailed population viability analyses using the most recent data would improve understanding of the dynamics of the populations of at-risk species and would allow managers to explore a variety of options to learn about the probable outcomes of decisions. Continuation of population monitoring of at-risk bird species using the best available techniques, including color-banding of prefledged chicks and application of new telemetry techniques, is recommended.

There is no larger regional context for the central and lower Platte River in research and management. Most of the research and decision making regarding threatened and endangered species in the Platte River Basin have restricted analysis to the basin itself, as though species used its habitats in isolation from other habitats outside the basin. There are substantial gaps in integrative scientific understanding of the connections between species that use the habitats of the central and lower Platte River and adjacent habitat areas, such as the Rainwater Basin of southern Nebraska and the Loup, Elkhorn, and Niobrara Rivers and other smaller northern Great Plains rivers.

The committee is confident that the central Platte River and lower Platte River are essential for the survival and recovery of the listed bird species and pallid sturgeon. However, in light of the habitat it provides and the perilously low numbers of the species, there is not enough information to assess the exact degree to which the Platte contributes to their survival and recovery.

Water-quality data are not integrated into knowledge about species responses to reservoir and groundwater management and are not integrated

into habitat suitability guidelines. Different waters are not necessarily equal, either from a human or a wildlife perspective, but there is little integration of water-quality data with physical or biological understanding of the habitats along the Platte River.

The cost effectiveness of conservation actions related to threatened and endangered species on the central and lower Platte River is not well known. Neither the cost effectiveness nor the equitable allocation of measures for the benefit of Platte River species has been evaluated. The ESA does not impose or allow the implementing agencies to impose a cost-benefit test. Listed species must be protected no matter what the cost, unless the Endangered Species Committee grants an exemption. Cost effectiveness, however, is another matter. The ESA permits consideration of relative costs and benefits when choosing recovery actions, for example. USFWS has adopted a policy that calls for minimizing the social and economic costs of recovery actions, that is, of choosing actions that will provide the greatest benefit to the species at the lowest societal cost (Fed. Regist. 59:3472 [1994]). In addition, persons asked to make economic sacrifices for the sake of listed species understandably want assurances that their efforts will provide some tangible benefit. In the Platte, the direct economic costs of measures taken for the benefit of species appear reasonably well understood. The biological benefits are another matter. For example, the costs of channel-clearing and other river-restoration measures are readily estimated. Their precise value for cranes is more difficult to estimate, although their general use is fairly well established.

The allocation of conservation costs and responsibility also has not been systematically evaluated. USFWS has concentrated its efforts to protect listed species in the Platte system on federal actions, such as the operation of federal water projects. That focus is understandable. Water projects with a federal nexus account for a large and highly visible proportion of diversions from the system. In addition, those actions may be more readily susceptible to regulatory control than others because they are subject to ESA Section 7 consultation. But some nonfederal actions also affect the species. Water users that depend on irrigation water from the federal projects may well feel that they are being asked to bear an inordinate proportion of the costs of recovering the system. A systematic inventory of all actions contributing to the decline of the species could help the parties to the cooperative agreement channel their recovery efforts efficiently and equitably. The National Research Council committee charged with evaluating ESA actions in the Klamath River Basin recently reached a similar conclusion (NRC 2004a).

The effects of prescribed flows on river morphology and riparian vegetation have not been assessed. Adaptive-management principles require that the outcomes of a management strategy be assessed and monitored and

that the strategy be adjusted accordingly, but there has been no reporting of the outcomes of the 2002 prescribed flow, no analysis of vegetation effects of managed flows, no measurement of their geomorphic effects, and no assessment of their economic costs or benefits.

The connections between surface water and groundwater are not well accounted for in research or decision making for the central and lower Platte River. The dynamics of and connections between surface water and groundwater remain poorly known, but they are important for understanding river behavior and economic development that uses the groundwater resource. The effects of groundwater pumping, recently accelerated, are unknown but important for understanding river flows.

Some of the basic facts of issues regarding threatened and endangered species in the central and lower Platte River are in dispute because of unequal access to research sites. Free access to all data sources is a basic tenet of sound science, but DOI agencies and Nebraska corporations managing water and electric power do not enter discussions about threatened and endangered species on the central and lower Platte River with the same datasets for species and physical environmental characteristics. USFWS personnel are not permitted to collect data on some privately owned lands. As a result, there are substantial gaps between data used by DOI and data used by the companies, and resolution is impossible without improved cooperation and equal access to measurement sites.

Important environmental factors are not being monitored. Monitoring, consistent from time to time and place to place, supports good science and good decision making, but monitoring of many aspects of the issues regarding threatened and endangered species on the central and lower Platte River remains haphazard or absent. Important gaps in knowledge result from a lack of adequate monitoring of sediment mobility, the pallid sturgeon population, and movement of listed birds. Responses of channel morphology and vegetation communities to prescribed flows and vegetation removal remain poorly known because the same set of river cross sections is not sampled repeatedly. Groundwater may play an important role in flows, but groundwater pumping is not monitored.

Long-term (multidecadal) analysis of climatic influences has not been used to generate a basis for interpretation of short-term change (change over just a few years). The exact interactions between climate and the system are poorly known because only short-term analyses of climate factors have been accomplished so far. In addition, the relative importance of human and climatic controls remains to be explicitly defined by researchers, even though such knowledge is important in planning river restoration for habitat purposes.

Direct human influences are likely to be much more important than climate in determining conditions for the threatened and endangered species

of the central and lower Platte River. Potentially important localized controls on habitat for threatened and endangered species on the central and lower Platte River are likely to be related to urbanization, particularly near freeway exits and small cities and towns where housing is replacing other land uses more useful to the species. Off-road vehicle use threatens the nesting sites of piping plovers and interior least terns in many of the sandy reaches of the river. Sandy beaches and bars are inviting to both birds and recreationists. Illegal harvesting has unknown effects on the small remaining population of pallid sturgeon. In each of those cases, additional data are required to define the threats to the listed species.

USFWS faces extraordinary challenges in trying to identify the habitat needs and the critical habitat for listed species on the central and lower Platte River. Lack of data, pressures of tight deadlines for research, lack of a well-defined adaptive-management strategy with effective monitoring, and competing uses for the river’s water and landscape resources complicate decision making. Despite those challenges, the science that explains forms and processes of the ecosystems along the central and lower Platte River of Nebraska is sufficient to support many decisions about the management of threatened and endangered species that use the river’s habitats. In all cases, enough is known about the physical environmental processes that control habitat change to make informed decisions for the survival of the whooping crane, piping plover, interior least tern, and pallid sturgeon. Our scientific knowledge is not yet adequate to contribute to decisions regarding the exact role of the central and lower Platte River in the recovery of the whooping crane and pallid sturgeon. Valid science supports critical habitat designations for the piping plover, but the scientific support of critical habitat designation for the whooping crane is weak. Valid science and engineering related to hydrology, geomorphology, sediment transport, and riparian ecology support the DOI instream-flow recommendations and explanations for the river-channel and vegetation changes. The committee found numerous gaps in knowledge that could inform management of threatened and endangered species along the central and lower Platte River, mostly focused on problems of scientific integration, overrestricted scales of analysis, lack of systemwide connections, and lack of standardized procedures for data collection.

Land, water, and life in the region surrounding the 100th meridian on the Platte River are highly changeable and precariously balanced. Human manipulations of hydrological conditions and land cover have far-reaching consequences for wildlife populations. Policy based on a desired constant, stable, and predictable set of environmental circumstances is unlikely to be

successful. Policy that relies on scientific knowledge about change through time and over geographic space is the most likely avenue to success in the search for accommodation between economic vitality and diverse and sustainable populations of wildlife that are neither threatened nor endangered.

The tension between wildlife protection under the Endangered Species Act and water management in the Platte River Basin has existed for more than 25 years. The Platte River provides important habitat for migratory and breeding birds, including three endangered or threatened species: the whooping crane, the northern Great Plains population of the piping plover, and the interior least tern. The leading factors attributed to the decline of the cranes are historical overhunting and widespread habitat destruction and, for the plovers and terns, human interference during nesting and the loss of riverine nesting sites in open sandy areas that have been replaced with woodlands, sand and gravel mines, housing, and roadways. Extensive damming has disrupted passage of the endangered pallid sturgeon and resulted in less suitable habitat conditions such as cooler stream flows, less turbid waters, and inconsistent flow regimes. Commercial harvesting, now illegal, also contributed to the decline of the sturgeon.

Endangered and Threatened Species of the Platte River addresses the habitat requirements for these federally protected species. The book further examines the scientific aspects of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s instream-flow recommendations and habitat suitability guidelines and assesses the science concerning the connections among the physical systems of the river as they relate to species’ habitats.

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Why Conservation Matters: How Zoos Help Protect Wildlife and Ecosystems

As a dedicated haven for wildlife lovers, association of zoos and aquariums (aza) accredited zoos hold a deep commitment to not only providing a safe and healthy home to incredible animals but also spearheading efforts for their conservation..

Understanding the significance of preserving biodiversity and the critical role zoos play in this mission is critical to their future. To get a picture of the relationship between zoos and conservation, together we’ll explore:

• What is conservation?
• Why is wildlife conservation important?
• How zoos engage in conservation

Conservation at Philadelphia Zoo

What is Conservation?

Wildlife conservation refers to the deliberate efforts aimed at protecting and revitalizing at-risk animals and plant species, as well as their habitats . It involves a spectrum of strategies, from scientific research and breeding programs in human care, to habitat restoration and public education initiatives on living sustainably. With human populations increasing tremendously, the need for natural resources has also increased, leading to many species being at risk, endangered, or extinct. While this can be a result of direct action—like exploitation, poaching, and wildlife trade, indirect causes such as climate change, deforestation and urbanization create massive impacts that disrupt ecosystems. Especially for these latter causes, conservation is not just one person’s responsibility, but a combination of wildlife organizations and the collective efforts of many to protect our home and its inhabitants.

At zoos around the world, conservation is a commitment that drives daily operations. All AZA accredited zoos partner with conservation organizations, conducting research internally and externally, and working as a network to implement programs that safeguard species from extinction.

“There are many species around the world that only exist today because they were saved by zoos,” says Dani Hogan, Director of Mission Integration at Philadelphia Zoo. “Thousands of people have dedicated their lives to saving wildlife, and we all work together to make that happen. The result is a healthier planet that has more biodiversity, more habitats, and more beauty for all of us to enjoy. As a zoo, it is our responsibility to bring this critical work to life for our guests.”

Why is Wildlife Conservation Important?

Preserving biodiversity.

Biodiversity is the cornerstone of a healthy ecosystem. Each species, no matter how small, plays a crucial role in maintaining the balance of nature. Losing a species can have far-reaching effects on the environment, impacting everything from pollination and soil fertility to air quality and abundance of harmful pests. Humans are not immune to these effects: think how the loss of honeybees alone can greatly impact lives. Without the power of their widespread pollination , many common fruits and vegetables would cease to exist, while other products become astronomically expensive. Even lesser-known species such as the endangered Rodrigues Fruit Bats , are important to the survival of their ecosystems and the people that rely on it. Philadelphia Zoo maintains and cares for over 50 of these bats in the Rare Animal Conservation Center.

Ethical Responsibility

Humans have an obligation to protect the planet’s biodiversity as we continue utilizing and benefiting directly from its resources. Zoos, as institutions dedicated to wildlife conservation and education, must raise awareness and inspire action to create a better world for all its inhabitants. Remember—while no one person themselves can achieve a more sustainable world, individual actions can inspire many to do the same.

How Zoos Engage in Conservation

Accredited zoos around the world are crucial hubs for conservation efforts. “The mission of any accredited zoo is so much more than simply being a place for people to see animals,” says Dani Hogan. “At Philadelphia Zoo, you can visit animals that no longer live in the wild and learn about them directly from the staff who care for them every day. Every visit contributes to our conservation programs. So, a visit to the Zoo is a way for you and your family to have an amazing day while also doing something good for wildlife.”

Here are some typical ways zoos champion various conservation initiatives:

Education and Awareness

Through interactive exhibits, passionate staff ready to chat, and additional in-school educational programs, visitors and students gain insight about the importance of species conservation through making connections with their favorite animals.

Breeding Programs

Zoos around the world actively participate in breeding programs for endangered species . By carefully managing genetic diversity and breeding pairs, the aim is to bolster populations of threatened animals in human care and share new information that can aid researchers that work with wild populations.

Research and Innovation

Collaborating with scientists, conservationists and veterinary professionals, zoos are often at the forefront of global, groundbreaking research to better understand species and develop strategies for their preservation and care. As America’s First Zoo, Philadelphia Zoo has many times published leading research and methodologies that not only increase the quality of care for animals in human care but also provided additional insight to protecting animals in the wild.

“An excellent example of how zoos can provide inspiration and knowledge to protecting animals in the wild can be seen in Philadelphia Zoo’s Zoo360 trail system,” says Vice President of Animal Well-Being Rachel Metz. “These trails served as inspiration for the organization ‘Save The Golden Lion Tamarin’ when they were investigating ways to connect critical breeding habitats that were fragmented due to oil and gas pipe lines and interstates in Brazil. The tamarins can now safely travel from one forest segment to another, increasing the genetic variability of this endangered species.”

Inspiring the Community

Zoos bring the significance of wildlife conservation into their communities. They engage visitors of all ages and backgrounds by providing unique experiences and sparking our sense of wonder about the natural world. Zoos inspire collective action by partnering with local schools and organizations to offer experiences that ensure people become environmental stewards.

Conservation is not merely a choice—it’s an imperative duty. At Philadelphia Zoo, we are proud to stand at the forefront of these efforts, advocating for the preservation of our planet’s precious wildlife heritage.

“Since our charter in 1859, Philadelphia Zoo has been committed to caring for wildlife here in Philadelphia and around the world. Conservation is built into our existence,” says Hogan.

“Philadelphia Zoo is making a difference for wildlife and wild places while at the same time inspiring local communities to think critically about their actions and move towards a more conservation minded way of life. For a zoo, there is no higher calling,” says Metz.

Not only is the Zoo constantly engaged in all of the conservation efforts mentioned above, Philadelphia Zoo ( an AZA accredited institution ) funds staff field research, hosts community programs based around education, and directly supports the conservation of targeted species and habitats as well as conservation organizations. You can learn more about some of these below:

• New Nature Foundation
• Golden Lion Tamarins (GLTs)
• Rodrigues Fruit Bats
• Amaru Bioparque Zoo

Join us in our mission as we continue to protect, educate, and inspire change by following us on social media or subscribing to our newsletter.

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Related reading.

Philadelphia Zoo Announces Birth of Endangered White-Handed Gibbon, Ape Species Native to Southeast Asia

Philadelphia Zoo Announces Arrival of Snow Leopard for Species Survival Plan Breeding Program

The Importance of Saving a Species From Extinction Essay

Extinction is the total disappearance of a species from the earth’s surface. It leads to a lack of surviving members of some species to reproduce in order create a new generation of the extinct species. Different plants and animals due to various reasons, which are either natural or man-made. These reasons are habitat degradation, over exploitation of available resources, agricultural monocultures, poaching and commercial hunting, human-wildlife or human-induced climate change and destruction of land to build factories and residential areas. Protecting a rare species of animals or plants is therefore a responsibility of all human beings to ensure the betterment of our planet (Cunningham, & Saigo, 2005).

Animal or plant species’ protection from extinction is beneficial because all species are important for balance in the nature world. Moreover, some animals and plants are key in the field of medicine since they provide raw materials used to produce different drugs. These species may include the African clawed frog that secretes antibiotics, the dogfish shark which has cancer fighting molecules. In addition, chemicals found in certain plants assist in treatment of Hodgkin’s disease and other types of cancers. Also, some extracts from specific and rare marine animals has a unique ability to act as anti-cancer agents. (Cunningham, & Saigo, 2005).

Extinction of some species has varied effects because the balance of nature will be broken. For example, a breach in a food chain may cause a drastical increase of some species in over a short period since there will be no consumers in the ecosystem. This growth leads to increased competition for food and space causing starvation ad leading to a disbalance. The predators will also experience lack of feood, and as a result, they will starve to death, which may cause the possibility of their extinction.

The elimination of one organism from an ecosystem, therefore, serves as a domino effect causing the disappearance of other numerous organisms. The introduction of new cloning technology will further accelerate the process of extinction since the easier it is to clone an organism, the lesser efforts are directed towards the protection of the whole species (Ehrlich, 1983).

Extinction is irreversible as a species that becomes extinct is lost forever, and thus, the expensive efforts required to protect animals facing extinction are justified. Protection of different rare and endangered species is achievable. As a solution to this global issue, an investment of 0.1% of global GDP in environment protection will ensure the pay off a large chunk of the ecological debt (Ehrlich, 1983).

Biodiversity refers to genes, species and ecosystems. The toughness of an area’s immune system is dependent on the area’s riches in terms of biodiversity. Hence, biodiversity is vital in preserving food security and allows ecosystems to adapt to different natural disturbances like earthquakes, fires and floods. Thus, a loss of biodiversity will also have a tremendous impact on medicine and healthcare, among all the rest spheres of life (Miller, 2013).

Extinction of certain species will also hinder scientific research, which aims at finding new way of treating different diseases and production of new drugs and vaccines. Such medicines are usually hard to develop as they cannot (or are hard to) be produced artificially, thus their manufacture is expensive in nature as their source is not easy to get. Genetic diversity helps in the prevention of diseases and enables adaptation of different species to changes in their environment.

Apart from medicine, the some plants and animals are able to provide raw materials for the manufacture of clothing, cosmetics, and household goods. Hence, it is important to protect the rare species from extinction due to various reasons mentioned above.

Cunningham, M. A., & Saigo, B. W. (2005). Environmental Science: A global concern . Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Ehrlich, A. H. (1983). Extinction: The causes and consequences of the Disappearance Of species . New York: Ballantine Books.

Miller, D., A. (2013). Biodiversity . Detroit: Green haven Press.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2022, April 8). The Importance of Saving a Species From Extinction. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-importance-of-saving-a-species-from-extinction/

"The Importance of Saving a Species From Extinction." IvyPanda , 8 Apr. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/the-importance-of-saving-a-species-from-extinction/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'The Importance of Saving a Species From Extinction'. 8 April.

IvyPanda . 2022. "The Importance of Saving a Species From Extinction." April 8, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-importance-of-saving-a-species-from-extinction/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Importance of Saving a Species From Extinction." April 8, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-importance-of-saving-a-species-from-extinction/.

Bibliography

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• Premature Extinction of Species
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The Role of Conservation in Zoos: How Modern Zoos Help Wildlife

• July 21, 2023

Conservation in zoos is a topic that gets brought up all the time. For example, people may ask why zoos even exist. Wouldn’t the animals cared for in zoos be better off in the wild where they grew up? The answer is sadly no. This isn’t always the case. 

Zoos play a big role in ensuring endangered animals are provided with shelter and resources to continue living and eventually repopulate. There are a lot of variables that threaten an animal’s very existence. Whether that be starvation, poachers, predators, and habitat loss, just to name a few. This is where conservation in zoos comes into play.

Here at Tanganyika Wildlife Park, our mission is to promote the conservation of all our animals. At the park, we provide the best care possible to all animals while educating the public on our conservation efforts. 

We ensure they are kept in spaces and provided with food that resembles their natural habitat. There are many opportunities for families to interact with and learn about the animals. With the most knowledgeable keepers we could ever have, we are committed to making a change in the world. 

Thankfully there are many other zoos—similar to Tanganyika Wildlife Park—that undertake the same journey. Why is conservation in zoos so important? All animals around the world, just like us humans, deserve to live without the fear of losing their homes or their loved ones. Animals play a vital part in making sure the planet is healthy and alive. It is urgent that we take action now to make sure that the animals of today and tomorrow are safe. 

By putting a large emphasis on promoting conservation in zoos , we as a society are guaranteeing that all future generations are able to truly enjoy and experience the beautiful world that we call home, as well as all the magnificent creatures that do the same. 

In this blog, we cover topics on various animals that were saved by zoos; we will expand on whether zoos should exist and how Tanganyika Wildlife Park promotes conservation. 

Examples of Animals Saved From Extinction By Zoos

Since conservation in zoos has played a huge role in saving several animals from extinction, what are some of the animals they have reportedly saved? There is a load of animals that were rescued and cared for. Since we don’t have all day to talk about all the animals saved from extinction by zoos , we will go ahead and really focus on four different animals. 

Today we will focus on the Amur Leopard, Forsten’s Lorikeet, Ring-tailed Lemur, and the Cheetah . All of these fascinating animals can be found at Tanganyika Wildlife Park.

• The Amur Leopard

The Amur Leopard is distinguished by its very unique physical appearance. The animal has a magnificent and distinctive coat that is a pale cream color or, in some cases, yellow. Its colorful coat also contains spots all over, making it the perfect layer of camouflage in its natural habitat. The Amur Leopard is essential in maintaining balance in the ecosystem. It does so by controlling prey populations and influencing vegetation dynamics. 

The status of this animal is critically endangered. Like a lot of other animals, the Amur Leopard has fallen victim to animal poaching and loss of its habitat. Thanks to conservation in zoos , there are now around two hundred of these beautiful cats in the world. It will be a long process, but conservation for the animal is only expanding, with the goal to ultimately bring the Amur Leopard back to its own natural habitat. 

• Forsten’s Lorikeet

Colorful and vibrant are two adjectives used to perfectly describe Forsten’s Lorikeet . Another name for the lorikeet is Sunset Lorikeet. The Forsten’s Lorikeet can be distinguished by its blue and bright yellow head, along with its green feathers and bright red abdomen. The location of the Forsten’s Lorikeet is typically montane and lowland forests, as well as plantations. This species of parrot is currently listed as endangered around the world. The reason for its endangered status is fragmentation, which is caused by deforestation, illegal pet trade, and the conversion of land for agricultural reasons. 

The Forsten’s Lorikeet, along with other species of lorikeets, plays an important role in the environment by transferring pollen from one plant to another within tropical forests. They aid and contribute to forest regeneration by dropping or excreting seeds they get from their diet, which consists of fruits. Conservation in zoos has saved the Forsten’s Lorikeet from extinction by providing breeding and rehabilitation programs. Providing the general public with the proper engagement and education has also proven to be useful. 

• The Ring-tailed Lemur

Featured in the popular animated movie Madagascar , the Ring-tailed Lemur is an animal full of character and excitement. This is represented in the movie by having the movie character King Julien be a Ring-tailed Lemur. As depicted in the movie, Ring-tailed Lemurs are known for their long black-and-white tails. These quick and agile animals have a body that is usually gray and white faces with black patches found around their eyes. This species of lemur is known for being highly sociable due to being found in large groups of ten to thirty. These groups are known as troops, with female lemurs dominating the social hierarchy. 

Like the animals before, the Ring-tailed Lemur is listed as endangered. Once again, this is caused by fragmentation, hunting, illegal pet trade, and habitat loss due to human activities. Thanks to conservation in zoos, this species of lemur is safe and well-protected. High efforts are being put in motion to protect their remaining homes, combat illegal hunting, and educate the general public about their importance. Ring-tailed lemurs improve the biodiversity of their homeland, and just like lorikeets, they aid in pollination and seed dispersal. 

• The Cheetah

Last on the list, we have the fastest land animal in the world, the Cheetah . These cats are capable of reaching speeds of up to seventy miles per hour! They are one of the most well-known animals in the animal kingdom due to not only their speed but their physical appearance. The Cheetah has a slender body with a yellowish-tan coat. Just like the Amur Leopard, they contain black spots all over the body, creating a perfect camouflage. Cheetahs are known to be very solitary animals, unlike other big cats. 

They are carnivores that feed on smaller prey, such as impalas and gazelles. Their role in the environment is to maintain biodiversity and balance. Since they are top predators, they regulate several prey populations and maintain several plant communities. The cause of their endangered status is habitat loss, poaching, and reducing prey populations. Cheetahs are being put into breeding programs, training programs, and proper veterinary care. Thanks to conservation in zoos , Cheetahs have a place to call home away from home. 

The animals covered in this blog are only a small percentage of animals saved from extinction by zoos . Zoos worldwide offer the best care possible to aid these animals. It is up to all of us to make a change for the betterment of these animals and for the betterment of our world. Up next, we will discuss if we should even have zoos. You already know the answer!

Check out this link to join us in our conservation efforts!

Should We Have Zoos ? Top Five Reasons Why We Should

After reading the previous sections of this blog, it is no surprise that we say zoos should exist. Hearing about all the animals saved from extinction by zoos pushes us to believe that zoos should be a thing. Despite hearing thousands of success stories, the question still gets brought up, should we have zoos ? In this section, we will dive into detail as to why animal conservation in zoos is a good idea. 

• One of the biggest reasons people say zoos should not exist is because they keep animals within a particular space. Or that they are being kidnapped from their natural habitat. This, however, is not the case. Many endangered animals have lost their homes due to humans destroying them for personal gain. Zoos offer them a second chance at survival. Zoos keep animals safe from starvation, predators, poaching, or any sort of illegal hunting. This is just one of many reasons why conservation in zoos is so essential. 
• Some other ways zoos are saving animals from extinction is by having breeding programs. In the wild, an animal may have trouble finding a mate due to poaching and every other reason mentioned earlier. By helping animals breed, their population will go up, avoiding extinction. By having breeding programs, the biodiversity of the environment will also flourish. 
• People argue that animals can get bored or feel out of place while at a zoo. This is not the case. Zoos counteract this argument by doing their best to imitate any animal’s natural habitat and food that comes from said habitat and by providing them with activities and enough space to roam around in. 
• One of the biggest ways zoos help to prevent animal extinction is by educating each and every one of us, as to why animals are important to the planet’s survival. Zoos generally attract large numbers of people and for a good reason. People are realizing more and more by the day that animals are here to stay. When people visit a zoo, they tend to develop a personal connection with the animals, thus influencing them to take action. 
• Since zoos attract large numbers of people to visit, they are able to contribute to conservation efforts in another way. Revenue that is made by such high attendance numbers and memberships is often allocated to additional conservation efforts all around the world. These funds help with tasks such as restoring an animal’s lost habitat. Tanganyika Wildlife Park partakes in this, leading us to the next section. We will be going over how we specifically contribute to conservation efforts worldwide. 

Conservation in Zoos : How Tanganyika Wildlife Park Plays its Part

So, now that we have gone over several reasons as to why zoos exist and how they made such a big impact, how does Tanganyika Wildlife Park do its part? Here at the park, we take pride in offering the public the best learning experience possible. We do this by offering opportunities for everyone to interact with the animals. After all, we did not become the most interactive zoo in the Midwest for no reason.

By interacting with the animals up close, you develop an even greater personal connection with the animals. Some of the animals you can interact with include swimming with penguins, petting kangaroos, feeding lemurs, feeding rhinos, and feeding giraffes—the list goes on and on. To go alongside these interactive encounters, we offer the best educational experiences by having the most knowledgeable and trained keeps in the Midwest. 

Like other zoos, we have breeding programs as well. The animals at the park are well taken care of from the day they were kids into adulthood. For example, we specifically have a snow leopard program that has seen huge amounts of success. Just to throw it out there, we just had two liters of cheetah cubs be born! All of these animals’ journeys can be found on our social media channels. 

Conservation in zoos is, without a shadow of a doubt, important. Tanganyika Wildlife Park does a lot to help in this regard, and there is just simply too much to go over in just one blog such as this one. We would like you to experience it for yourself. We would like you to see why conservation is so vital in today’s day and age. So come on down and visit Tanganyika Wildlife Park today! We promise you will not regret it! With all of us working together, we are sure to make a change. 

For more info on conservation in zoos and how we make an impact, read our other blog by clicking here.

About the author: Jonathan is a Wichita State University student and a Tanganyika Wildlife Park intern.

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Zoological Association of America

Trying to save endangered animal species from extinction is a waste of valuable resources. Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

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To get an excellent score in the IELTS Task 2 writing section, one of the easiest and most effective tips is structuring your writing in the most solid format. A great argument essay structure may be divided to four paragraphs, in which comprises of four sentences (excluding the conclusion paragraph, which comprises of three sentences).

For we to consider an essay structure a great one, it should be looking like this:

• Paragraph 1 - Introduction
• Sentence 1 - Background statement
• Sentence 2 - Detailed background statement
• Sentence 3 - Thesis
• Sentence 4 - Outline sentence
• Paragraph 2 - First supporting paragraph
• Sentence 1 - Topic sentence
• Sentence 2 - Example
• Sentence 3 - Discussion
• Sentence 4 - Conclusion
• Paragraph 3 - Second supporting paragraph
• Paragraph 4 - Conclusion
• Sentence 1 - Summary
• Sentence 2 - Restatement of thesis
• Sentence 3 - Prediction or recommendation

Our recommended essay structure above comprises of fifteen (15) sentences, which will make your essay approximately 250 to 275 words.

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• endangered species
• biodiversity
• ecological roles
• conservation efforts
• scientific discoveries
• advancements
• cultural value
• aesthetic value
• employment opportunities
• local economies
• ethical responsibility
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