Endangered Species: Endangered Animals Require Human Action To Prevent Imminent Extinction

A staggering 34,000 plant and 5,200 animal species are considered endangered, according to an MSN encyclopedia article, with new ones joining the list almost daily. While it’s normal for flora and fauna to adapt to changing environments and even to disappear completely over time, human intervention has caused the extinction rate to soar. Scientists trace this alarming trend to the exploration boom of the 1600s, a time when powerful nations began financing expeditions to previously uncharted realms and settlers began altering native environments.

Although we often take biodiversity (the way that plants and animals function in their natural habitats) for granted, it plays a vital role in our continued survival, since we depend on it for food, water, clean air, and medicine. Under the terms of the 1973 Endangered Species Act, endangered animals require human action to prevent imminent extinction. Many organizations, both federally funded and non-profit, maintain endangered species profiles and conduct periodic assessments of their habitats, but both plants and animals continue to risk extinction as human desires and lax law enforcement prevail.

Luckily, you can help remedy this situation by visiting conservation websites to find out more about endangered species. At Discovery.com, follow the progress made by those who instituted the captive-breeding program to reintroduce the nearly-extinct peregrine falcon to the ecosystem. You can also participate in conservation efforts by purchasing "green" merchandise, starting a letter writing campaign to local representatives, or donating to groups concerned with wildlife welfare. And since children may be able to eventually reverse or at least slow down some of the damage wrought by their predecessors, sites like KidsPlanet invite them to make the world a better place to live.