According to a report released by the World Wide Fund for Nature, the global vertebrate population decreased by 68% on average between 197 and 216. Among many reasons, the drastic change of natural climate is an important one, but the most important one is the influence of human activities, including the change of land use and the rampant wildlife trade. Natural climate upheaval
For decades, global warming has intensified, and the climate in various places has changed dramatically, and the ecosystem has been greatly challenged. Throw away the data before 216, and look at the large-scale biological extinction in the world in the past two years. Last year, the Amazon forest fire burned for three weeks, and this year, the Pantanal wetland in Brazil burned for three months. Large areas of wetlands have been destroyed, and countless animals have died tragically. The exact number cannot be calculated. From last year to the beginning of this year, the Australian fire burned for 4 months, and the death of animals was estimated to be nearly 5 million. There are fires everywhere in the southern hemisphere, and the northern hemisphere is no exception. The California fire in the United States and even Sweden, Iceland, Finland and Norway, which go deep into the Arctic Circle, also frequently erupt. Animals have no resistance under natural disasters, and countless species are on the verge of extinction. Land use change
The change of land use is one of the main man-made reasons for the decrease of a large number of vertebrates. Grain production, bio-fuel and urbanization have increased the pressure on land use. In economically underdeveloped areas, cultivated land and pasture are constantly expanding to woodland and wetland. In order to obtain cultivated land, people continue the tradition of burning woodland to enrich the land. The living space for animals is shrinking day by day, and the biodiversity is becoming more and more fragile. Wildlife trade
According to relevant reports in 219, the annual legal wildlife trade volume reached 5 billion US dollars, and the illegal market reached 5 billion US dollars, making wildlife trade a smuggling market second only to arms and drugs. Animals' teeth, skins and meat are the targets of illegal hunters, and a large number of wild animals are put on the world market as cherished food, medicine and even pets. In Africa, there are special hunting gangs that even slaughter a family of African elephants, cut off all ivory, and even spare the young elephants. Many people go hunting animals for hunting pleasure.
China is one of the largest markets for wildlife consumption. According to the information released by the General Administration of Customs, 1,237.6 tons of endangered species such as ivory and pangolin and their products were seized in 219, showing a multiple increase compared with previous years. Every wild animal product on the market is suspected of smuggling.
The situation of wild animals is so critical, why are humans still pressing on them? Wealth touches people's hearts. Do they think that the sky is falling and it has nothing to do with them? Reflection
The population of vertebrates has decreased so seriously. What about other animals? What can we do? This is worth pondering.