Endangered Species
Over the past few centuries, decades, and millenniums, earth has been home to so many unique and beautiful species. From the snowy tundras of the Arctic to the arid deserts of West-Africa, creatures great and small have found a way to live in harmony. Unfortunately, in just the past 100 years, we have suffered the loss of 500 species of animals. Anthropogenic causes such as unsustainable hunting and harvesting, deforestation, urban and suburban development, unsustainable agriculture and more have huge effects on the species that inhabit our earth. One animal that went extinct in 1844 is the Great Auk, a breed of seabird native to the North Atlantic coasts of Canada. The last two great Auk were hunted and killed for collectors. One of these, a seabird called the Great Auk, was native to the North Atlantic coasts of Canada and went extinct in 1844 when the last two were hunted and killed for collectors.
Many people think that the only animals to go extinct died off hundreds or thousands of years ago (the Wooly Mammoth, which went extinct around 2000 BCE may come to mind), but actually, animals go extinct much more often then one may expect. The Po'ouli, Alagoas Foliage-gleaner, and Cryptic Treehunter are all species that went extinct as recently as 2018. It is so important that we protect endangered species and do what we can to ensure more animals don’t go extinct.
Here are a few things you can do to prevent the loss of endangered species. First (now this may seem like a no-brainer): buy recyclable and sustainable products. The extraction of resources and materials used to make almost all products such as cell phones, processed food, and furniture creates extreme damage to the environment. Many of the materials used in building phones, for example, are mined from some of the only places in the world where gorillas can survive in the wild. Always try to buy second-hand items when you can, and recycle products you no longer have use for. This is also a great excuse to go thrift shopping! Second, grow native plants in your garden. Many endangered Canadian animals rely on and the plants that grow naturally in Canada. For example, wildflowers are a great source for Ontario bees. that pollinate them. Planting species such as White Wood Aster that are native to Ontario will help bees survive, plus they’ll add a nice touch to your garden. Thirdly, and I can’t stress this enough, refrain from buying plastic when possible. Bringing a reusable bag to the grocery store, using metal or sustainable water bottle, and packing lunches using tupperware instead of plastic bags are all great ways to reduce your plastic use. When plastic isn’t recycled properly, it often ends up in the ocean where marine life can get tangled up or choke on it. Fourth, if you’re planning an exciting holiday this summer, be careful what souvenirs your choose to buy. Many souvenirs are made out of tortoise shell, ivory, sharks teeth and other harmful materials. So many animals die each year because of poachers trying to access their resources to sell. Let's avoid the black market by refusing to buy products that support these illegal poachers, let’s avoid the black market.
Finally, inform your friends and family! It’s important to spread the word about endangered species and the ways we can save them. Find out what species are endangered near you, and find new ways to protect them. If you live in Ontario, the Eastern wolf is just one of the endangered animals near you. These wolves live in the Algonquin area, and because of the increase of campers in the area are becoming more and more scarce.
To help protect these creatures, always make sure to clean up your garbage and leave no trace of human activity wherever you are camping or hiking. I encourage you to check out what other endangered species live near you, and how you can help protect them. It is important that we all try to and change our habits and help protect the unique Canadian ecosystem we’re lucky to be a part of.