Izzy Armendariz

ERWC
Mrs. Sordan
1-20-2016
Protecting Endangered Animals

Animals cannot talk for themselves, but if they could I think they would endlessly

complain about people. They would yell about the way that we build into their habitats and

create our living spaces where they sleep and hunt for food. While this describes how most

humans behave, some do want to help. The NWF is the National Wildlife Federation. They

realize that animals are getting the short end of the stick and set up groups that set up habitat

programs to protect wildlife. Some towns seek claim to fames and want to be tourist destinations

so they aim to conserve and protect conditions that benefit animals.

The good news is that in the last sixteen years over seventy communities have been

founded, and this has done something positive to protect animals. Unfortunately, animals may

not be satisfied with the amount of communities that have been created as opposed to the

construction that humans have done in the last two hundred years. The National Wildlife

Federation puts the communities that apply to join through a lot of tests. The communities have

to work to preserve plants and forestry.

Among other initiatives that are considered important to preserve and conserve wildlife

are reducing the amount of chemical discharge in plants, reducing toxins in the environment,

recycling trash so that it does not overflow in landfills (Cubie 38). These landfills contribute to

the ruining of ideal habitat for animals. It has been reported by the NWF and other federations

that the more waste is dumped into sewers and landfills each year the more animals are being

found in urban areas.

 The most important thing that individuals can do in their community to assure that

animals are not harmed and are protected are reducing harmful fertilizers which kill pollinators

like bees and butterflies. Bees and all other creatures that fly are a vital part of the environment.

Bees are closely connected with other plants and insects that suffer if there are a shortage of

bees, as has lately occurred. It is thought that the fertilizers in question have too much nitrogen in

them and are extremely harmful to bees and insects.

Local populations of mountain lions and large cats such as cougars are being helped

coexist with human environments in a more technological way (Bolen 12). Trackers with

equipment are able to tag the animals and keep track of when they are nearing a local population.

This way the people can be warned in advance if there is a sighting. There is less chance that

they will be shot, killed, or hunted in self-defense. Protecting the members of ones family is a

big reason why in the best these mountain lions have been shot or killed in the past as it is

dangerous to have them roaming around in the backyard. However, this does not have to be the

case.

The other way that mountain lions and cougars have been killed often is by vehicle. They

wander onto the road and cars pass by without stopping in time and run them over. This happens

with a variety of animals, and what the trackers have done is to keep track of as many cats as

they can in order to keep them from being killed by automobile. Another danger to the cats is

inbreeding, which has occurred over time as the population of these wild animals is so closely

connected. There are not enough new cougars or mountain lions in different packs to keep the

DNA fresh.

Beth Pratt, Californias director of the NWF, says that, One of the most important

conversation issues of our times is finding ways we can coexist with urban wildlife. There have
been many state laws and initiatives that have been passed in order to make living conditions

better for fish and panthers. Highway underpasses have been suggested and created in order to

give these animals ways to navigate and not have to compete with cars that are lethal to them. As

big and scary as these cats may be, a car going sixty-five miles per hour is far more dangerous.

Sometimes creatures of nature infest and overwhelm cities. One report said that for a

decade British Columbia in Canada was being ravaged by mountain pine beetles (Oosthoek 32).

The scientists do not know whether to let the pest die out as forest conditions have changed or

recreate their environment so that they might come back in greater numbers. Some advocate

letting nature adapt as humans alter it. Others find this a threatening notion. Either way, animals

and humans are going to have to learn to coexist.

 Works Cited

Cubie, Doreen. Communities Gone Wild. National Wildlife (World Edition. Apr/May 2014,

Vol. 52 Issue 3, p38-43.

Bolen, Anne. The Ultimate Urban Cats. National Wildlife (World Edition). Dec2014/Jan2015,

Vol. 53 Issue 1, p.12-15.

Oosthoek, Sharon. Redefining Conservation. New Scientist. 7/5/2008. Vol 199 Issue 2663,

p32-35.