ENDANGERED SPECIES
Our planet has an incredible number of animal and plant species which contribute in many subtle ways to the quality of our lives. Plants provide medicines, food, clothing, shelter, clean our air, cool our surroundings, hold moisture in the soil, and make oxygen for us to breathe. Animals (including birds, reptiles, insects and other invertebrates as well as mammals) circulate nutrients back to the soil, distribute seeds and pollinate plants, as well as provide food, clothing, companionship, and pleasure to human beings.Together plants and animals form a food chain, which is kept stable by complex inter-relationships between the many species in a local habitat. Unfortunately, 1/3 of all known species have become extinct or endangered within the last 200 years, due directly or indirectly to man's activities. The loss of biodiversity threatens all remaining species, including humans.
A living species becomes extinct when the last known individual dies. But a species needs a minimum number of individuals to ensure enough genetic diversity for continued survival. Once the number of individuals drops below that number, the species is doomed to extinction.
Habitat loss is the number one cause of extinction. Plant or animal species are classified as "endangered" when they are in danger of extinction in all or most of their natural habitat. Once a species is reduced to a small population in a limited area, the species becomes much more vulnerable to disease outbreaks or natural disasters. Furthermore, many species fail to reproduce when numbers drop below the minimum number for species survival.
When a species is likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its natural habitat, the species is listed as "Threatened". Threatened species can be recovered through habitat protection and research into causes and solutions for population decrease. You can do your part to protect threatened and endangered species in your area by learning to identify those species, learning what their habitat needs are, and protecting or creating habitat for those species. Learn about the threatened and endangered species of North Carolina on the following two pages:
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