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HUNTING AND EXPLOITATION

The elimination of species is a normal process of the natural world. Species die out and are replaced by others, then their own descendants, as part of evolutionary changes. In undisturbed ecosystems, the rate of extinction appears to be about one species last ever decade. Human impacts on population and ecosystems have accelerated that rate causing hundreds or even thousands of species, subspecies and varieties to become extinct every year. If present trends continue, we will destroy millions of varying kinds of plants, animals, and microbes in the next few decades.

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language		english
wordcount		2848 (cca 8 pages)
contextual quality		N/A
language level		N/A
price		free
sources		3

Table of contents

I. INTRODUCTION 2
II. BODY OF RESEARCH 2
Definition of Terms 2
Hunting and Fishing 2
Commercial Products in Live Specimens 3
Exotic Species Introductions 5
Hazardous and Toxic Materials in our Environment 6
Identification of Hazardous and Toxic Materials 6
Environmental Problems Cause by Hazardous Wastes 7
Toxic and Environmental Injuries 7
Ground Water Contamination 7
Soil Contamination 7
Air Contamination 8
Endangered Species Movement and Biodiversity
Protection 8
The Endangered Species Act 8
Recovery Programs 8
III. INSIGHTS 9
IV. REFERENCES 9

Preview of the essay: HUNTING AND EXPLOITATION

Over harvesting is responsible for depletion or extinction of many species. A classic example is the extermination of the American passenger pigeon. Even though it inhabited eastern North America, 200 years ago, this was the world’s most abundant bird with a population of between 3 and 5 billion animals. It once accounted for about one-quarter of all birds in North America. In 1830, John James Audubon saw a single flock of birds estimated to be ten miles wide, hundred of miles long, and thought to contain perhaps a billion birds. In spite of this vast abundance, market hunting and habitat destruction caused the entire ...
... The potential value of the species that may be lost if environmental destruction continues could be enormous. It is also possible that the changes we are causing could disrupt vital ecological services on which all depend for life.

The first hunting and fishing laws in the United States were introduced more than a century ago to restrict overexploitation and to preserve species for future uses. The Endangered Species Act and CITES represent a new attitude towards life in which we protect organisms just because they are rare and endangered. Now, we are expanding our concern from individual species to protecting habitat, threatened forests, and entire bio-geographical regions. Social, cultural and economic factors must also be considered if we want to protect biological resources on a long-term sustainable basis.

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