Why Do Animals Go Extinct? | COLOSSAL QUESTIONS

Colossal Cranium

13 Jun 201702:50

Summary

TLDRThis video script delves into the reasons behind animal extinction, highlighting natural causes like climate change and competition, and rapid mass extinctions from catastrophic events. It emphasizes human impact, with hunting and habitat destruction leading to species like the passenger pigeon's extinction. The script also shares success stories of conservation efforts, like the recovery of the American Bison, and warns of current threats from pollution affecting marine life, urging viewers to be mindful of their role in preserving wildlife.

Takeaways

🌍 99.9% of all animals that have ever lived on Earth are now extinct.
🌡️ Extinction by natural causes can result from factors like climate change, competition, and food shortages, usually happening over long periods.
☄️ Catastrophic events, like the meteorite that wiped out the dinosaurs, can cause rapid mass extinctions.
👣 Human activity has become one of the biggest causes of extinction over the last 500 years, surpassing natural causes.
🕊️ The passenger pigeon went extinct due to overhunting by humans, with the last one dying in 1914.
🐂 The American bison narrowly escaped extinction thanks to efforts by ranchers, and their population has rebounded to over 300,000.
🎯 Animals are often hunted for body parts like fur, feathers, hides, and horns, contributing to extinction risks.
🌾 Habitat destruction from farming and development is another major driver of species extinction.
🌊 Pollution, especially in water, has put around 700 marine species at risk of extinction.
🐅 Even large, iconic animals like tigers, elephants, and rhinos are at risk of extinction due to human activities.

Q & A

What percentage of all animals that have ever lived on Earth are now extinct?
-99.9% of all animals that have ever lived on Earth are now extinct.
What are some natural causes of animal extinction mentioned in the script?
-Natural causes of extinction include climate change, competition from other animals, and a reduced food supply, often occurring in combination.
What is an example of a quick mass extinction event caused by natural forces?
-The meteorite that killed the dinosaurs is an example of a quick mass extinction event.
How has human activity contributed to animal extinctions in the past 500 years?
-Humans have contributed to extinctions by hunting animals and destroying their habitats. Examples include the extinction of the passenger pigeon and the near-extinction of the American bison.
What happened to the passenger pigeon population due to human hunting?
-The passenger pigeon population, once numbering between 3 to 5 billion, was hunted so extensively that the last passenger pigeon died in 1914.
How were American bison saved from extinction?
-A small group of ranchers gathered the remaining 541 American bison in the late 1800s, and their numbers have since grown to more than 300,000.
Besides hunting, what other human activity threatens animal species?
-Habitat loss due to farming and pollution are significant human-caused threats to animal species.
How does habitat loss lead to animal extinction?
-When humans build farms and develop land, the natural habitats that many animals rely on for survival are destroyed, leading to their extinction.
How does pollution contribute to animal extinction?
-Pollution can poison the land, air, and especially water, putting at least 700 marine species at risk of extinction.
Why is it important to be careful with how humans interact with animals like tigers, elephants, and rhinos?
-Even the mightiest animals, such as tigers, elephants, and rhinos, are at risk of extinction if humans are not careful about protecting them from threats like hunting and habitat loss.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 The Growing Threat of Animal Extinction

The introduction highlights the increasing danger of animal extinction, prompting viewers to explore the root causes of this issue. It sets the stage by emphasizing that more animals are at risk of extinction each year and poses the question: what causes animals to go extinct?

📊 The Shocking Extinction Rate of Earth’s Species

A staggering 99.9% of all species that ever lived on Earth are now extinct. This paragraph introduces the concept of 'extinction by natural causes,' explaining how factors such as climate change, competition for resources, and reduced food supply drive species to die out naturally. It also touches on how mass extinctions, like the one caused by the meteor that wiped out dinosaurs, can occur suddenly.

🔫 Human Impact on Extinction

Humans have become a significant driver of animal extinction over the last 500 years. The example of the passenger pigeon illustrates how overhunting by European settlers in North America led to its extinction by 1914. The species’ population, once in the billions, was wiped out by human activity.

🦬 A Close Call for the American Bison

Unlike the passenger pigeon, the American Bison narrowly escaped extinction. Hunting reduced their numbers from millions to just 541 by 1889, but thanks to the efforts of ranchers, their population has now rebounded to over 300,000 in farms and national parks across the US and Canada.

🦏 Hunting and Habitat Loss Threaten Species

Animals are often hunted for their body parts like fur, feathers, hides, and horns, pushing many species to the brink of extinction. However, hunting is not the only issue—habitat loss from the expansion of farmland is also a major contributor to species extinction. When their natural habitats are destroyed, animals struggle to survive.

♻️ Pollution and Its Impact on Marine Species

Pollution is highlighted as another significant factor in animal extinction, especially for marine life. At least 700 marine species are currently endangered due to pollution poisoning their habitats, including land, air, and water, further pushing these species towards extinction.

⚠️ Even the Mightiest Animals Are at Risk

The closing paragraph reminds viewers that even iconic and powerful animals like tigers, elephants, and rhinos face the threat of extinction. The video concludes by urging caution and awareness, encouraging viewers to take action to prevent further loss of animal species.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Extinction

Extinction refers to the permanent loss of a species when no individuals are left alive. The video discusses how animals have gone extinct due to both natural causes and human activities, emphasizing that 99.9% of all animals that have ever lived are now extinct. It illustrates extinction through examples like the meteor that caused the dinosaurs to disappear and human-driven extinctions like the passenger pigeon.

💡Natural Causes

Natural causes are processes or events in nature that lead to the extinction of species. These include climate change, competition from other animals, and reduced food supply. The video explains that most extinctions throughout Earth's history occurred due to natural causes over long periods, such as the mass extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs.

💡Climate Change

Climate change refers to significant and lasting changes in weather patterns that can impact ecosystems and species. In the video, it is mentioned as one of the natural causes of extinction, affecting the survival of animals by altering their habitats and food availability over time.

💡Human Impact

Human impact encompasses the ways in which human activities contribute to the extinction of species. The video highlights hunting, habitat destruction, and pollution as key factors caused by humans that have accelerated the rate of animal extinction over the last few centuries, especially in comparison to natural causes.

💡Hunting

Hunting refers to the act of capturing or killing animals for food, sport, or trade. The video discusses how widespread hunting contributed to the extinction of species such as the passenger pigeon and the near-extinction of the American Bison, illustrating how human hunting practices have historically impacted animal populations.

💡Habitat Loss

Habitat loss occurs when natural environments are destroyed or altered, making it impossible for animals to survive there. The video highlights this as a significant cause of extinction, driven by human activities like the expansion of farmland and urbanization, which reduce the space available for animals to live and thrive.

💡Pollution

Pollution is the introduction of harmful substances into the environment, affecting air, land, and water. The video mentions that pollution is a major threat to many species, particularly marine life, with at least 700 species currently at risk of extinction due to pollutants in their ecosystems.

💡Mass Extinction

Mass extinction refers to a sudden and widespread extinction event that affects a large number of species in a short period of time. The video uses the example of the meteorite that wiped out the dinosaurs to explain how catastrophic events can rapidly lead to the disappearance of multiple species.

💡Conservation

Conservation is the effort to protect and preserve species and their habitats from extinction. The video gives an example of conservation efforts that saved the American Bison from extinction, as ranchers gathered the remaining population to ensure its survival and help the species recover.

💡Passenger Pigeon

The passenger pigeon was a species of bird that became extinct in the early 20th century due to overhunting by humans. The video uses the passenger pigeon as an example of how human activities, particularly hunting, can drive a species from billions of individuals to extinction in just a few centuries.

Highlights

99.9% of all animals that have ever lived on Earth are now extinct.

The most common way animals go extinct is through natural causes such as climate change, competition, and reduced food supply.

Natural extinctions often occur slowly, over hundreds or thousands of years, but catastrophic events can cause rapid mass extinctions, like the meteorite that wiped out the dinosaurs.

In the past 500 years, human activity has become a major cause of animal extinction, often surpassing natural causes.

The passenger pigeon, once numbering between 3 to 5 billion in North America, went extinct by 1914 due to extensive hunting.

The American bison, once reduced to just 541 individuals by 1889, was saved from extinction by ranchers, and its population has since grown to over 300,000.

Humans hunt animals for various body parts, such as fur, feathers, hides, and horns, contributing to their extinction.

Habitat loss due to human activities, like the expansion of farmland, destroys natural ecosystems and leads to animal extinction.

Pollution, especially in marine environments, has placed at least 700 marine species at risk of extinction.

Even large and powerful animals, like tigers, elephants, and rhinos, are at risk of extinction if humans aren't careful.

Over the last couple hundred years, humans have rivaled nature as a primary cause of extinction, particularly through hunting and habitat destruction.

Human-induced extinction includes not only hunting but also environmental damage, such as pollution and deforestation.

The American bison's recovery serves as a success story in contrast to many other species that have gone extinct.

Humans are responsible for many extinctions, not only through hunting but also by disrupting ecosystems and destroying habitats.

Conservation efforts can make a difference, as seen in the case of the American bison, showing that human intervention can reverse extinction trends if done correctly.