Human Impact "Under the Sea"

     It is easy for us to see the various ways in which humans are harming ecosystems on land; after all, we are land-dwelling people. But what about aquatic ecosystems? Surely we aren't harming them too...Unfortunately, humans affect water environments just as much as land environments, but it is hard for us to tell considering we spend the majority of our lives on solid ground.
     The oceans, lakes, ponds, and rivers are being harmed in several ways. The most obvious way is pollution. Factories, pesticides and herbicides from fields, and acid mine drainage cause toxic chemicals to leak into these bodies of water, killing off both plant and animal life. Once again, this affects all the links of nature, for wild animals drink from these water sources and eat aquatic organisms- we also use water for several purposes, which means we are potentially harming ourselves as well. Organizations like the Ocean Conservancy emphasize the importance of aquatic ecosystems to ourselves and to the world. Pollution also comes in the form of littering- trash of all shapes and sizes will manage to find its way into streams and oceans. Bottles, cans, and plastic bottle rings will attract marine life, and their curiosity may cause them to choke or suffocate on this carelessly dumped garbage. Who knew that the bottle you may have just thrown out the window could work its way into a river or ocean and kill a magnificent aquatic organism? All of our actions really to have an impact on the environment.

     Another way humans are harming water ecosystems is by poaching and overfishing. Sometimes we have the mindset that there is an endless source of fish, lobster, crab, and other seafood living in the ocean. I have seen several shows, such as Wild Justice, where wildlife patrol officers are fighting to stop people from hunting for these organisms when they aren't in season. Lobsters in particular, are taking a huge blow from overfishing. People crave the money that lobsters will bring in to the point where they are willing to hunt them out of season. The biggest problem with hunting any form of wildlife out of season is that this leaves no time for the animals to reproduce and therefore increase their population numbers.
     So, not only are aquatic plants and animals being indirectly affected by pollution in the form of chemicals, oil, and litter, but they are also being directly harmed by overfishing and poaching. The world is covered by more water than it is land. This means that bodies of water, especially oceans, are holding even more organisms than land is. Our efforts to protect aquatic environments should be just as strong, if not stronger, as land environments.
     There are several ways you can help protect and preserve the precious aquatic gems of this earth. Take a trip to an aquarium with some friends to see these amazing creatures up close and learn more about conservation efforts to protect them. Two of my personal favorites include the Virginia Aquarium and the Baltimore Aquarium. If you would like to know more about Ocean Conservation, I would check out the Ocean Conservancy website and the World Wildlife Fund. Don't forget that the World Wildlife Fund gives you the opportunity to "adopt" endangered species by donating money to help protect that animal- they don't exclude marine animals! With educated knowledge about human impact on aquatic ecosystems, passion, and a willingness to reach out and make a difference, we can ensure that we will always have oceans, lakes, rivers, and ponds to enjoy.

Peace. Love. Save the Tigers.

Conservation Spotlight: The Galapagos Islands

 Happy Earth Day!!!
    
     So far we have discussed several ways in which the environment and the animals living in it are being harmed by human impact. However, we have not yet focused on a specific location that is being threatened by humans. Being that I will be traveling there very shortly, I decided to focus on the Galapagos Islands. These Islands are not only known for helping Darwin develop his theory of natural selection (the mechanism for evolution), but they are also an exemplary model of how humans can destroy natural ecosystems.
     The Galapagos Islands are found off of the coast of South America, and each Island offers a diverse range of ecosystems and organisms. One Island can be like a desert and the next like a jungle; animals such as the Galapagos tortoises, marine iguanas, lava lizards, and Darwin's finches can only be found on the Islands- nowhere else in the world! The diversity of these Islands is what sets them apart from any other area in the world; unfortunately, even these Islands have been exposed to human interaction (and not for the better).
     You may be wondering how humans could possibly threaten a group of Islands out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean...Well, we can trace the human impact on the Islands since around the 1500s, when whalers and buccaneers would stop on the Islands to restock on food and resources. One of these food sources was the Galapagos tortoises, so even during the 1500s these tortoises were being threatened by humans. Another problem early explorers brought with them to the Islands were invasive species. Recall that invasive species are those organisms that have been introduced to an area they normally don't inhabit; with no natural predators, these animals soar to the top of the food chain and cause ecological harm to the animals and plants around them. People who once tried to inhabit the Galapagos Islands brought with them goats, donkeys, and pigs. To this day, these invasive species still roam the Islands and pose a major problem to the native species and natural ecosystems. Whalers also brought black rats and insects with them on their ships, causing an even bigger invasive species problem. These invasive species, like the wild pigs, will actually eat marine iguana and Galapagos tortoise eggs, as well as plants that contribute to the diversity of the Islands. These are the main reasons invasive species are so dangerous.

     Currently, tourists are causing harm to the Islands by bringing other invasive species to the Islands on their clothes, shoes, and foods they bring to the Islands. Despite strict rules that have been set in place, tourism is still a huge threat to the Islands because the natural and sensitive ecosystems are being exposed to more and more humans. Poaching in and around the Islands is yet another problem, especially since the unique animals are the ones being poached.
     It may be hard to understand why it should be of any concern to us to worry about the protection of these Islands. After all, they aren't located anywhere near us, so why should we care? Well, in my personal opinion, these Islands are such a perfect representation of natural, untouched beauty; they don't deserve to be destroyed by careless human hands. If you want to take part in helping to preserve these Islands, several great websites, such as the first link above, provide countless sources of information about the Islands. Once again I must refer to the World Wildlife Fund's website, which not only gives information about the Islands but also offers the opportunity to "adopt" animals that are unique to the Galapagos. What an awesome way to show your support for conservation and the Galapagos Islands! Keep that in mind as Earth Day comes to an end and reminds us of the importance of saving the tigers, the trees, and the earth.     
    

Save the Elephants Too!

As you well know by now, the title of my blog does not just support the conservation of tigers, but all endangered species. Therefore, I decided to focus this blog on elephant conservation, especially since I just talked about overexploitation, which is currently threatening these magnificent creatures.
     Back in the fall, I received my October edition of the National Geographic magazine- what I read on the cover of this magazine stopped me in tracks and completely shocked me: "25,000 elephants were killed last year." As I opened to the article about this situation, I was horrified by the pictures of slaughtered elephants and piles of tusks that littered the pages of the magazine.To be honest, I was under the impression that elephant populations were not being severely threatened; I knew that they were hunted for their tusks, but I thought that was all under control... It turns out that elephant poaching is still a pressing issue to this day. In fact, Bryan Christy, the author of the article "Ivory Worship" for the National Geographic magazine, informs readers that "elephant poaching levels are currently at their worst in a decade," and that "seizures of illegal ivory are at their highest level in years" (38). So elephant poaching is not at all an issue of the past. It is current, it is happening now, and it needs to stop.
     You may be wondering why people are hunting elephants to the brink of extinction. Poachers want one thing and one thing only: the ivory tusks. These tusks are used to make religious objects, particularly in places like the Philippines (Christy 38). A priest interviewed by Christy claimed that ivory was the "material of choice" to make religious objects out of (Christy 39). Coming from our culture, it may be difficult to understand why some Filipinos believe their religious objects must be made out of ivory. After all, I myself am a Catholic just like the people wanting ivory religious objects, but I do not think that religious objects must be made out of ivory in order to be sacred. It is tough to change one's cultural beliefs, but I believe that if they came to understand how immensely the elephants are being harmed by poachers, perhaps they would be moved to choose an alternative material.

     It is important to remember that ivory is not only desired for religious objects but also for a more direct reason: money. Think about it. If ivory is in such high demand to make and sell carvings, imagine how much money one could make if he got his hands on a few pounds of ivory tusks. This motive however, does not justify the killing of thousands of elephants. The "Ivory Worship" article goes on to state that during the 1980s, an estimated 600,000 elephants were killed in Africa, which is believed to be about half of the elephants that populated Africa (Christy 46). That's absolutely shocking.
     What's worse is that many people are so driven by the money ivory brings in that they don't even care about the fact that elephant populations are being destroyed. Christy reveals that "in 1997 Zimbabwe's president declared that elephants must pay for their room and board with their ivory" (55). Once again I must emphasize that humans are the cause of this issue- we are under the impression that because we have the ability to kill off species and tear down forests and build homes wherever we want and pollute the earth, we can and we should. The elephants deserve to live on this earth just as much as we do, and they are an integral link in the chain of nature. Because we have so many abilities as humans, it is our job to protect the voiceless; we should never take our responsibilities and our abilities for granted.
     So now that you know just a fraction of what is happening with elephant poaching, you can read more about it and spread the word to others. I have several friends who dub the elephant as their favorite animal, so I'm sure you do as well. This means that people will be driven to help preserve these beautiful animals that they adore so much; but they cannot do so without being educated on the issue. The next step is to donate (unless of course you go to college and major in conservation or ecology or biology to go out into the field and help protect elephants directly- that's awesome too!), but it is important to give to a reliable foundation. I personally recommend the International Elephant Foundation or the World Wildlife Fund. I understand that it is frustrating to feel like donating is the only thing you can ever do, but it really does help. The World Wildlife Fund uses the majority of their proceeds for research and conservation work out in the field. Your donation does make a difference. Furthermore, you can even "adopt an elephant" through the WWF, which means that this foundation will reward you with a stuffed animal and picture of the animal you adopt, so you get a gift in return for giving! Never feel like there is nothing you can do in such pressing situations like this. Each of us has the potential to protect elephants, be it directly by doing conservation work or indirectly with donations and spreading the word; every effort counts.

Peace. Love. Save the Tigers (and the elephants too).


Reference:

Christy, Bryan. “Ivory Worship.” National Geographic Oct. 2012: 28-61. Print.

 
    

O is for Overexploitation

     Take a moment and look around at the room you are sitting in as you read this post. If you are in a kitchen, you may notice wooden cabinets, various types of food, and cooking utensils. In a bedroom you may have a wooden desk, bedding, books, and pictures. Regardless of where you are, everything you are surrounded by required environmental resources (plants, animals, rocks, minerals, etc.) to make it. That's the beauty of nature- it provides us with so many different necessities and luxuries that we need to live and thrive. It is important to remember that as we take from the environment, we must give back so that there is a balance between giving and taking. Unfortunately, we are currently taking more from the environment and not equally giving back what we take. This problem is called overexploitation, and the National Wildlife Federation defines it as "the over use of wildlife and plant species by people for food, clothing, pets, medicine, sport and many other purposes. " 
     Although it is a current issue in today's world, overexploitation is not new. Evidence of this has spanned all of history. Take, for example, the American Bison that once roamed the West in huge numbers. The American Bison Society shows a timeline of how the populations of these animals drastically declined once settlers began moving West. Before the 1700s, roughly 25 to 30 million bison roamed the plains; by 1889, a survey counted only 1,091 bison in North America. Why? Settlers were killing off these animals for their hides...aka money was the driving force behind the entire situation. Since then, not much has changed. Of course I have to bring up the currently declining tiger populations, for not only are they falling victim to habitat loss but they are also being killed for their pelts. Other animals killed for certain body parts, for sport, or for food include but are in no way limited to rhinos, elephants, fish, seafood, whales, cheetahs, and so forth. We cannot leave plants out of the picture either. Several types are excessively harvested for medicinal purposes, for food, and for lumber. They too form links in nature, and we must work to preserve and protect all elements of the environment.
     Not convincing enough? Allow me to quote Rachel Carson once again, because she knows what she is talking about when it comes to human impact on the environment (and she's awesome). The following quote of hers emphasizes the need for humans to cautiously exploit resources from the environment: "The earth's vegetation is part of a web of life in which there are intimate and essential relations between plants and the earth, between plants and other plants, between plants and animals. Sometimes we have no choice but to disturb these relationships, but we should do so thoughtfully, with full awareness that what we do may have consequences remote in time and place" (Carson 64). There you have it- it isn't bad to use the resources nature provides, but we must be careful about how much we are taking and why we are taking it. Animals shouldn't be killed off and wasted just because someone wants their tusks for money. Furthermore, we must in some way replace what we took; trees that were cut down should be replaced with another tree, and fish that were harvested for food should be replaced with more fish.

     So the big question is, how can we stop overexploitation of resources? I know I say this every time, but is SO important. Educate yourself and raise awareness.  Those are two powerful things that each of us have the potential to do, and it does make a difference. In the case of overexploitation, I also encourage you to be careful about what you are buying. Some decorations may be made with ivory, which is obtained from elephant tusks, and say no to any type of animal furs, especially those made with the fur of exotic animals. In order to become more understanding and passionate about this issue, check out the new show on Animal Planet called "Battleground: Rhino Wars." The link takes you to the page for this show and displays an extremely touching, shocking, and emotional video about the effort to save these rhinos. "Whale Wars" is another good show to watch on Animal Planet, giving you an upfront view of those fighting to stop whale poaching out at sea. I hope that these two shows and additional research will spark you with motivation to get out and fight for those species being harmed by overexploitation. Remember, these plants and animals cannot protect themselves from humans trying to harvest them for resources. Only we can give back to the environment we are taking from. So, let's start the trend of giving back to environment and save the tigers, the trees, and the earth.

Reference: Carson, Rachel. Silent Spring. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1962. Print.