We share our Earth with ~8.7 million species, yet the closest we get to daily encounters with animals are our domesticated pets or those pesky flies that we shoo out the window. Over the past 2.5 million years, sapiens have created a superficial divide between the 'wild' and the 'domesticated'.
Some four billion species are estimated to have evolved on Earth, over the last 3.5 billion years - we have lost 99%. Yes, this figure includes the 5 mass extinctions, and you may be thinking, species become extinct whilst new ones develop all the time. However, scientists reveal our current extinction rates are 100 times higher than normal.
My motivation for writing on the vulnerability of nature lies in my hope that greater awareness will evoke a stronger consideration for those without a voice. Many species that maintain ecosystem equilibriums are under threat by anthropogenic activities. Whilst one more poached Rhinoceros might not push us beyond the planetary boundaries, we are playing with fire when we continue to cut down forests for agriculture, overfish the depleted oceans and mine the land for resources.
The harsh reality is that the Earth does not need us, but we need the Earth.
This blog aims to explore:
what is driving biodiversity loss and species extinction?
what are the impacts of anthropogenic activity on species?
how does climate change and land-use change affect life on Earth?
how does species extinction directly affect our livelihoods?
how can science and the arts support conservation efforts?
Finally, for the extra curious, there will be a feature called 'Super Species Sunday' where we uncover the world's critically endangered animals and how their lives are at risk from human activity.
.................................................................. Thanks for reading and see you soon! ..................................................................
Disclaimer: contains emotive and mildly cheesy content.
Credits: Wildlife Conservation Film Festival (2016)
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