Vanishing Species: Is Earth's Biodiversity Condemned?

Are we heading for doomsday? Is man finally managing to bring the planet down? Nature's delicate balance is ruffled. Geo-physical processes have caused five mass extinctions in the past. Today we are going through a period of "mass extinction' this one is largely caused by the actions of a single exterminator species: Homo sapiens

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What not has man done to create extinction?

� Rise in temperatures due to global warming because of human activities through increased green house gas emissions. The point to note here is that previous mass extinctions on earth have been caused by sudden release of vast quantities of greenhouse gases from the ocean seabed.

� Over exploitation and physical alteration of habitat areas, resulting in habitat degradation,which weaken the species' gene pool. As well as habitat loss.

� Introduction of Invasive species has resulted in destroying many native species.

� Hunting and poaching of wildlife for commercial gain

� Over fishing is fast resulting in loss of marine life.

� Change in atmospheric composition due to release of chemicals by man.

Why do we need to preserve the biodiversity, after all extinction is as old as life on Earth?

� We have not yet been able to unravel the mysteries of Mother Nature. Do you want to destroy some thing you do not fully know or understand? New species are being discovered everyday. A new world was discovered in FojaMountains, New Guinea, just last year.

� Diseases still strike humans dead. Death by Aids or even the spread of avian influenza amongst humans puts fear into our minds. The cures are hidden somewhere in nature. One does not even know where you might find new medications.

� Concrete jungles strew cities. Life is stressful, one of the greatest recreations are in the lap of nature. This natural healer now needs some attention from you.

� Nature is not yours to destroy, it is a legacy for future generations.

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Today we are losing species at a rate of somewhere between 1,000 and 10,000 times higher than the natural "background" rate of extinction. Scientists predict that at this rate by 2050 Global warming may drive a quarter of land animals and plants to the edge of extinction. It is a bleak scenario.

The web of life is a fragile affair; preserving biodiversity is like a balancing act, a balance we need to respect, species and the environment they live in need to be protected from extinction and destruction. We need to curb the negative impacts of human influence, conserving the last of the Wild. Extinction is a part of evolutionary development but at the rate, human beings are going it could lead to extinction of man himself.