What Causes Animal Extinction

The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History by Elizabeth Kolbert is a nonfiction book about the mass extinction happening around us. Kolbert proclaims that we are currently living in the middle of a sixth, man made extinction. During the last half a billion years the Earth has experienced multiple mass extinctions, where accelerated rates of change altered and contracted the diversity of life on Earth. While the past five extinctions have been caused by nature, this time, however, the sixth extinction revolves around us. In this book, Elizabeth Kolbert describes the absurd ways humans have transformed life on earth, by going on expeditions, interviewing scientists, and explaining the science and history behind animals going extinct as well as the concept of

The scientific community applauds Elizabeth Kolbert for her recently published The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History, as it exceeds scientific and literary standards. Elizabeth Kolbert, born in 1961, is a American journalist and author and has won more than ten awards since 2005. In fact, The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History recently won her the Pulitzer prize for general nonfiction writing. For a scientific overview of her book, it discusses quite exactly what the title states. There have been five mass extinctions throughout the history of this earth, and the sixth is currently happening and being driven by humans. Kolbert discusses several different species that have become extinct or are on the brink of extinction. She includes history of mankind discovering the concept of extinction as they gradually began to wrap their brains around the idea in the early eighteen hundreds. Lastly, Kolbert masterfully describes her own experiences face to face. She

In a summary, Kolbert explains the extinctions of a variety of different major animal species that became extinct. She also explains that if trends in the environment continue that the biggest extinction in history will occur soon. If global warming, deforestation, and glaciers continue to melt she says that more and more species will continue to become extinct. She explains how humans need to be more conservative and careful with what they’re doing to prevent extinction.

Summary: In a first person journey that brings her readers around the world, Elizabeth Kolbert researches and explains the effects of human domination on the planet and its resources. Using historical findings of previous extinctions in comparison to earth’s present state she attempts to provide cause and warning for mankind’s seemingly apocalyptic future. Her book, “The Sixth Extinction: an Unnatural History” delves deep into the idea that humanity is currently in the midst of the sixth period of extinction since the beginning of all life. Determined to warn the world of its destructive path, she examines the effects the human race has had (and will continue to have) on other species such as frogs, coral reefs, plants, water creatures, and many mammals while giving a brief yet thorough history lesson of the past five major extinctions that occurred prior to the appearance of Homo sapiens.

Summarize: The result of one species extinction could potentially be fatal to the environment. In the animal kingdom, there is a food chain. Keystone animals, are the key ingredient to the food chain. When that keystone animals goes extinct, it sets off a chain reaction on the other animal’s food source. This causes one species to flourish and another to dwindle. The environment needs a healthy checks and balance system to keep each animal population under control (Stuart, 1990 ). Humans can cause the keystone animal to become extinct and therefore, responsible for rise and decline of other species, ultimately, throwing the food chain off balance.

In chapter 2, The Lost Mariner, Oliver Sacks had a patient named Jimmie G, who was a World War II veteran. He knew his name, ,hometown, and birthdate. He could tell Sacks about his early life and how he was serving in World War II. Jimmie G. suffered from Korsakov’s Syndrome, a rare condition, often brought on by alcohol, which failing the parts of the brain associated with memory. Sacks found a doctor’s report from 1971, pointed out that Jimmie was suffering from brain disease due to alcohol.

For to long the world has ignored China's Speciesism and it's repugnant miscynist citizens living inside and outside this vile country

Plants and animals are being threatened by the human race every single day. David S. Wilcove states in his article, "Only about 15% of the known species in the United States have been studied in sufficient detail to determine whether or not they are imperiled" (Wilcove). As little as "16,000 species," Craig Kasnoff wrote, "are on the endangered species list" (Kasnoff). Some of these are in the United States, where we live. It seems as though people do not feel it is their problem to deal with, when most definitely it is. Human beings in the world are not doing enough for endangered plants and animals because they are not enforcing the Endangered Species Act, polluting the air, and hunting in endangered habitats.

Scientists calculate that without humans about one to five species would die a year, which is considered the background rate of extinction. But in our current society human activities are destroying many of the chances these animals need to survive. We as a planet are killing species at

Bill Freedmen, author of “Endangered Species—Human Causes Of Extinction and Endangerment” notes, “scientists approximate that present extinction rates are 1,000 to 10,000 times higher than the average natural extinction rate.” These distressing numbers should be acted upon to save the endangered species and avoid the catastrophic change to this planet if these species were to become extinct. In order to produce change, people need to recognize that habitat loss, climate change, and poaching are all factors in why our animal species are going extinct.

The deeper I dig into animal abuse , the more I want to become a vegetarian. But it is not easy as it seems. The things that I have seen and read makes me sick to my stomach. To watch a hopeless cow, get whipped , is sickening. Watching baby Chicklets die in a big machine , brings tears to my eyes. Millions of animals every day die cruel deaths , and I no longer want to be an accomplice to the crimes. While it may be hard to retrain myself , I should and intend to just stop eating meat.

When is lying okay? Is it okay at all times? We have been learning about lying in class. When is lying justified. Is it really such a bad thing? In article 1, they talk about how white lying is okay when someone tries to protect others. A white lie is a harmless or trivial lie. Lying is Never justified. Under some circumstances it is though.

It’s clear that a great extinction is coming from the evidence of the destruction of other species around us. The choices made by the human race have too often negatively affected the surrounding species. Tracy Wilson, the site director for HowStuffWorks.com, in an article for Animal Planet, states that

With nearly millions of animals dying each year from being captive, or endangered species being hunted down and killed, we need to discover a new way of displaying that our world is full of beautiful animals and wildlife. Wild animals are suffering both physically and mentally from the lack of freedom that confinement imposes. These harmful environments are preventing animals from having the opportunity to live in, and be exposed to their natural habitats. Keeping animals imprisoned in cages and small enclosures just for the sake of human observation causes stress and frustration, which is risking animals overall health and well being. These morally unacceptable and cruel actions of retaining wild animals in captivity is certainly wrong.

The scale and pace of change is dramatic; for example, the extinction of species is occurring at around 100-fold pre-human rates4. The population sizes of vertebrate species have, on average, declined by half over the last 45 years5. More than 2.3 million km2 of primary forest has been felled since 20006. About