Decline in Species Worldwide Could Spell Danger for Us All

There are over eight million species of organisms- animals, plants, insects, and more- on the planet. Of those, scientists have named and cataloged only about 1.3 million. As of 2013, the International Union for Conservation of Nature reported over 20,900 species who are either endangered, critically endangered, or threatened. Endangered species have such small numbers that they are at risk of disappearing entirely. Threatened species are at risk of becoming endangered in the near future.

Number of Threatened Species by Country

Compared to the total number of species in the world, that number may not seem like a lot. However, every species that disappears causes problems for us. The problems arise because species are interconnected and many depend on each other. The disappearance of one species can cause a ripple effect through entire ecosystems, throwing everything off balance and potentially hurting everyone.

The actions and presence of humanity is often the catalyst that causes such changes. Every year, expansion and progress result in the loss of valuable habitat on which many species depend. Cities grow, trees and other resources are harvested without thought to sustainability, mountaintops are blown off to get at the ore inside. Oceans, forests, grasslands, and many other habitats are filled with pollution as the waste of seven billion people is created and being dumped in natural habitats, harming the organisms that live there.

As animals and plants are threatened, we endanger ourselves and our way of life. If the dramatic loss and pollution of habitat continues, we run the risk of wiping out undiscovered species who could be extremely beneficial to us as well as the known species that we depend upon for food, shelter, and materials. This is why paying attention to the plight of the endangered and threatened species in the world is important- because we never know how their loss may effect us.

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Sources:

• "Learn More about Threatened and Endangered Species."Pesticides: Endangered Species Protection Program. US Environmental Protection Agency. Web. 3 Sep 2013. <http://www.epa.gov/espp/coloring/especies.htm>.
  
  
• Numbers of Threatened Species by Major Groups of Organisms (1996–2013). 2013. Chart. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)Web. 4 Sep 2013. <http://www.iucnredlist.org/documents/summarystatistics/2013_1_RL_Stats_Table1.pdf>.
  
  
• Tregaskis, Shiona. "The world's extinct and endangered species – interactive map."The Guardian. N.p., 03 Sept 2012. Web. 4 Sep 2013. <http://www.theguardian.com/environment/interactive/2012/sep/03/extinct-and-endangered-species-interactive>.
  
  
• Zimmer, Carl. "How Many Species? A Study Says 8.7 Million, but It’s Tricky." New York Times. 23 Aug 2011: n. page. Print. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/30/science/30species.html>.