Threats to wildlife

Habitat destruction and fragmentationedit

Habitat destruction decreases the number of places wildlife can live in. Habitat fragmentation breaks up a
continuous tract of habitat, often dividing large wildlife populations into several smaller ones.[3] Human-caused
habitat loss and fragmentation are primary drivers of species declines and extinctions. Examples of habitat loss
include deforestation, agricultural expansion, and urbanization. Habitat destruction and fragmentation affect wildlife
because the resources available to wildlife are reduced. Moreover, destruction and fragmentation create smaller
habitats. Smaller habitats support smaller populations, and smaller populations are more likely to go extinct.[4]

Overexploitation[edit]
Overexploitation is the harvesting of animals and plants at a rate that's faster than the species's ability to recover.
While often associated with overfishing, overexploitation can apply to many groups including mammals, birds,
amphibians, reptiles, and plants.[5] The danger of overexploitation is that if too many individuals of a species are
taken, then the species may not recover.[6] For example, overfishing of top marine predatory fish like tuna and
salmon over the past century has led to a decline in fish sizes as well as fish numbers.[3]

Poaching and hunting[edit]

Poaching for illegal wildlife trading is a major threat to certain species, particularly endangered ones whose status
make them economically valuable.[7] Such species include many large mammals like African elephants, tigers, and
rhinoceros. [traded for their tusks, skins, and horns respectively].[7][8] Less well-known targets of poaching include the
harvest of protected plants and animals for souvenirs, food, skins, pets, and more; Because poachers tend to target
threatened and endangered species, poaching causes already small populations to decline even further.[citation needed]

Pollution[edit]
A wide range of pollutants negatively impact wildlife health. For some pollutants, simple exposure is enough to do
damage (e.g. pesticides). For others, its through inhaling (e.g. air pollutants) or ingesting it (e.g. toxic metals).
Pollutants affect different species in different ways so a pollutant that is bad for one might not affect another.

 Air pollutants: Most air pollutants come from burning fossil fuels and industrial emissions. These have direct
and indirect effects on the health of wildlife and their ecosystems. For example, high levels of sulfur
oxides (SOx) can damage plants and stunt their growth.[9] Sulfur oxides also contribute to acid rain, harming both
terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Other air pollutants like smog, ground-level ozone, and particulate
matter decrease air quality.
 Heavy metals: Heavy metals like arsenic, lead, and mercury naturally occur at low levels in the environment,
but when ingested in high doses, can cause organ damage and cancer.[10] How toxic they are depends on the
exact metal, how much was ingested, and the animal that ingested it. Human activities such as mining,
smelting, burning fossil fuels, and various industrial processes have contributed to the rise in heavy metal levels
in the environment.
 Toxic chemicals: There are many sources of toxic chemical pollution including industrial wastewater, oil spills,
and pesticides. There's a wide range of toxic chemicals so there's also a wide range of negative health effects.
For example, synthetic pesticides and certain industrial chemicals are persistent organic pollutants. These
pollutants are long-lived and can cause cancer, reproductive disorders, immune system problems, and nervous
system problems.[11]
Climate change[edit]
Present day climate change is a man-made phenomenon currently changing Earth's environmental conditions. It's
related to some of the aforementioned threats to wildlife like habitat destruction and pollution. Rising temperatures,
melting ice sheets, changes in precipitation patterns, severe droughts, more frequent heat waves, storm
intensification, and rising sea levels are some of the effects of climate change.[12] Phenomena like droughts,
heatwaves, intense storms, and rising sea levels, directly lead to habitat destruction. Meanwhile, a warming climate,
fluctuating precipitation, and changing weather patterns will impact species ranges. Overall, the effects of climate
change increase stress on ecosystems, and species unable to cope with rapidly changing conditions will go
extinct.[13] While modern climate change is caused by humans, it's important[according to whom?] to note that past climate
change events occurred naturally and have led to extinctions.[
A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as norms, religion, values,
customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a
country, village, town, or neighbourhood) or in virtual space through communication platforms.

A population is the number of living people that live together in the same place. A city's population is the
number of people living in that city. These people are called inhabitants or residents.

Deforestation, clearance, clearcutting or clearing is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land which is
then converted to a non-forest use.Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or
urban use. The most concentrateddeforestation occurs in tropical rainforests. With a few simple habit changes
and pro-active actions, you can reduce your adverse impact on the environment and encourage local biodiversity.
1. Help Native Pollinators. Pollinators, are the key to reproduction for most flowering plants which are foundational to
the survival of many species on our planet. This is why the criteria of Biodiversity Hotspots gives so much weight to the
number of plants in an area. Give pollinators an extra boost in your backyard by: reducing or eliminating the use of
pesticides, providing nectar sources by planting a variety of wildflowers and native plants that will bloom throughout the
season, leaving logs and rocks in your yard or build bee boxes for native bees to make their home, encouraging your City
to stop weed-whacking median strips and sidewalk edges and let native wildflowers grow to create pollinator corridors.
Visit the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation to learn more.
2. Reduce or eliminate pesticides and fertilizer. Consider getting rid of your lawn, especially if you live in an arid region.
Instead, plant native plants that are well adapted to your area. This will reduce the need to use pesticides and fertilizers.
Don’t buy plants from nurseries that use systemic pesticides such as neonictinoids. When applied, they persist in all
parts of the plant from the seed to the stem to the blossom and reek havoc on already stressed pollinators. Use organic
compost and soil additives instead. Soil health is the best prevention for pest infestations, but if you do get visited by
unwanted guests, learn how to care for your plants with organic pest control.
3. Restore habitat in your yard. If you have a yard, consider turning it into a mini-wildlife sanctuary. National Wildlife
Federation has a program to help you attract wildlife whether you have a balcony or a 20-acre farm. In a world where
habitat loss is the number one cause of biodiversity loss, providing wildlife with water, food, cover, and a place to raise
their young can go a long way.
4. Restore habitat in your community. If you don’t have a yard, consider volunteering on an ecological restoration
project in your area. Good places to look for volunteer opportunities are land trusts, wildlife foundations, Native Plant
Societies, government agencies (e.g. Forest Service, Fish & Wildlife), and environmental organizations. You’ll spend time
outdoors and learn about the native plants and animals.
5. Reduce your consumption. This is arguably the action that will have the biggest positive impact on the environment.
The more we reduce our demand for new resources, the less habitat will be destroyed to get those resources or the
energy to make those products, and the less waste goes into the landfill. Become a minimalist. Most “minimalists”
choose to live a simple life to free up their time to do the things they love rather than spending time shopping and
repairing stuff. The idea is “Own Less, Live More.” But it’s undeniable that the minimalist lifestyle also greatly benefits
the environment.
6. Reuse and recycle. Composting is key here. It reduces the amount of waste going into landfills and the space needed
to hold that waste. Look into ways you can use those purchases intended for single-use. Keep up with what is recyclable
in your area. As new markets for recycled products open up, even small towns like mine can increase the numbers of
items that they are able to collect.
7. Reduce your energy demand. Burning fossil fuels is the number one driver of climate change which is exponentially
quickening biodiversity loss by presenting unparalleled challenges to the world’s plants and animals. Start by conserving
energy in your home. A Home Energy Audit can help raise your awareness about where you can reduce energy use in
your home. Then incorporate renewable energy. Solar,
8. Buy local foods. Buying from your local farmer at a farmer’s market or through a farm stand gives you the ability to
find out how your food was grown and make requests for different practices such as no pesticides, or a greater diversity
of produce. It’s easier to ask someone you have a relationship with to change their practices than a big corporation.
9. Buy organic foods. While organic certification doesn’t guarantee that your food is 100% free of pesticides, organic
growers are held to criteria of minimal pesticide use.
10. Donate to conservation efforts. Species extinction is happening at an unprecedented rate and there never seems to
be enough money to save everything. Prioritize your charitable giving to support conservation efforts in the world’s
biodiversity hotspots. As James Borrell, a PhD student in Conservation Genetics stated in his article on The
Conversation, “We’re likely to get far greater “biodiversity for our buck” on every pound spent abroad, especially if we
focus on the world’s poorest developing countries, many of which are in global biodiversity hotspots.” The Unfolding
Earth (this website) will soon be listing reputable, vetted organizations that are doing the work needed to protect
wildlands, save biodiversity, and support sustainable development in Biodiversity Hotspots.
11. Advocate for Biodiversity.
Educate yourself about the importance of biodiversity and be able to answer the questions, “Why does it matter so
much?” and “Why should we make sacrifices to protect it?”
Genetically modified crops pose multiple serious threats to biodiversity. Support the International Union of Concerned
Scientists recommendations on GM crops.
Make connections. Get to know wildlife and conservation biologists as well as political activists and community leaders
in your area. Use social media to connect with experts and campaigns.
Lobby your government. Sign or create petitions. Support politicians who support measures to protect biodiversity.
Share your message. Talk to your friends in person. Use social media. Start a blog. Speak at local events.

In biology, extinction is the termination of an organism or of a group of organisms (taxon), usually a species.
The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species,
although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point.

A diversity index (also called phylogenetic indices or phylogenetic metrics) is a quantitative measure that
reflects how many different types (such as species) there are in a dataset (a community) and that can
simultaneously take into account the phylogenetic relations among the individuals distributed among those types,
such as richness, divergence or evenness.