Endangered Species
Endangered species are species of plants and animals whose number has become so small that they may be lost if not given adequate protection. In Ghana, our forest plants such as Odum, Mahogany, Sapele are diminishing at a fastest rate when adequate protection is not given by 2020, there will be about 30% of the plants in our forest. Others examples of these endangered species in Ghana are elephant, eagle, tiger, shark, hippopotamus, parrot and many more.
Humans are largely responsible when animals and plants become endangered. Here are some reasons why these animals become endangered.
According to the World Wildlife Fund(WWF) "destructive human activities" have increased the rate of species extinction from 100 to 1000 times the natural rate. Habitat loss is a major threat that causes animals to become endangered. Human activities such as defforestation, minning, development or human encroachment causes habitat loss. Species that are found at a particular area and nowhere else become vulnerable when their habitat are loss. For example, 5 years in Kumasi, there are a lot of plants and it ncreased terrestrial animals due to development and defforestation, there is no terrestrial animals in the city, they have moved to villages far from the city.
Competition with other ther species for resources such as food or breading sites often causes vulnerable animals to become threatened. For example, seabirds, such as endangered Africsn Penguin, are often outcompeted for breading sites by seals, who are a real threat as they are much larger and will readily attack and eat penguins at sea.Seals also compete with seabirds for prey fish, so when food is limited, seabirds have to travel further to find food for their chicks, spending more time awaymfrom their nests resulting high chick mortality. Competition with the other species for resources may not have a huge impact on species directly but when combined with other factors, it can lead to a steady decline in the population over time with severe consequences.
Perhaps, the greatest threat that faces many species is the wildspread distruction of habitat. Scientists tell us the us the best way to protect endangered species is to protect the special places where they live. Wildlife must have places to find food, shelter and raise their young. Endangered species habitat should be protected and thew impacts minimized.
Again, the government should passed a law to restrict the illegal trafficking of enangered species as . The laws should forbid hunting while others should restrict land development or create special preserves as endangered species habitat.some scientists, citizens and many nations have done, they suceeded, if some people have suceeded why can't we, lets try our best so that we can save our region, continent, and mother Earth.