Our story begins 4.54 billion years ago, when the first particles began to form what we call today… our Home — the Blue Planet.
The first indisputable evidence of life on Earth dates back at least 3.5 billion years, to the Eoarchean Era, after a geological crust started to solidify following the earlier molten Hadean Eon.
Since then, more than 5 billion species of living creatures have existed on our planet and disappeared as a result of the 5 waves of extinction known in our geological history.
At present, we are living the Holocene extinction wave, otherwise referred to as the SIXTH MASS EXTINCTION.
As we are going through our sixth period of plant and animal mass extinction, this current wave is considered to be the worst series of species elimination since the dinosaurs disappeared 65 million years ago.
A recent WWF report found that the population sizes of mammals, fish, birds, reptiles and amphibians have experienced a decline of an average of 68% between 1970 and 2016. The report attributes this biodiversity loss to a variety of factors such as: Plastic Pollution, Deforestation, Air Pollution, Global Warming From Fossil Fuels, Melting Ice Caps and Sea Level Rise, Ocean Acidification, Food and Water Insecurity, Biodiversity Loss, land-use change, particularly the conversion of habitats, like forests, grasslands and mangroves, into agricultural systems.
The Extinction Crisis
‘Granted, extinction is a phenomenon that occurs naturally, however it normally happens at a rate of 1 to 5 species every year. But, as scientists estimate, we are currently losing species 1,000–10,000 times faster than that, which means that literally tens of species are vanishing from the face of the Earth every day. We could be looking at a frightening future. By this rate, almost one third to one-half of all species could become extinct by 2050.’
Source: https://www.worldanimalfoundation.org/wild-earth/extinction-crisis/
We must act NOW, before it’s too late !
Amphibian Extinction Crisis
The Amphibians are in more danger than any other animal group. At least 30 percent of all amphibian species are threatened to disappear. Toads, frogs, and salamanders are vanishing due to animal agriculture, habitat loss, air and water pollution, global warming, or UV light exposure. The Amphibian Extinction could lead to the extinction of many more species and produce important changes in our ecosystem.
The Bird Extinction Crisis
‘More than 12% of currently known species of birds are at the threshold of extinction.
The biggest impact on bird population has been caused by degradation and loss of habitat, with collectors’ activities and invasive species following closely.’
The Fish Extinction Crisis
The aquatic ecosystem is the most endangered on Earth due to Fishing, rising water demand, river dams or water pollution. More than one fifth of all known fish species are now considered to be at imminent risk.
The Invertebrate Extinction Crisis
Almost 97% of all animal species on earth are estimated to belong to this group. One-third of the known invertebrate species are now threatened with extinction.
The Mammal Extinction Crisis
‘Almost 90% of the primate population lives in the tropical forest, which are disappearing fast due to animal agriculture, deforestation and development. About half of all the primate species on Earth are at the brink of extinction.
50 percent of all known mammals see rapidly decreasing populations, and almost 20 percent are close to extinction. Marine mammals — including dolphins, whales, and porpoises — are particularly close to becoming extinct.’
The Reptile Extinction Crisis
More than one fifth of all known reptile species are considered endangered or close to becoming extinct. This crisis is mainly due to human intervention causing fragmentation in the continental habitats. Reptiles are especially threatened by non-native species that compete for resources or feed on them, and habitat loss.
The Plant Extinction Crisis
‘Almost 70 percent of known plant species are on the verge of extinction. Unlike animals, plants cannot migrate to a different habitat when threatened, which makes them all too vulnerable. Plant extinction is expected to dramatically increase due to animal agriculture and global warming. The distribution and range of plants worldwide is changing immensely due to the rising temperatures.
Since plants form the basis of all ecosystems and the foundation of the food chain, this will affect every species that depends on them for shelter, food, and survival.’
