Endangered Species

[Rosemary]

Animal Rescue... an article in the Royal Automobile Club Magazine

There were only two colonies of (Pseudemydura umbrina) The Western Swamp Tortoises in the Swan Valley, just north of Perth, one of Australia’s most endangered reptile. Not only were their numbers under threat from introduced species, such as cats and foxes but their habitat was gradually diminishing.

The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC), together with the Perth Zoo began a breeding program for the tortoise population which had dropped to just 30. At the same time the DEC began providing a predator-free habitat for them.

With the help of the University of WA, the DEC and ‘Friends of the Western Swamp Tortoise,’ more than 650 tortoises have been successfully bred and reared since 1988, and releasing about 394 tortoises back into the wild. Although the tortoise is still on the critically endangered list, there is a steady growth in tortoise numbers.



It's heartening to hear about trying to save various species and having some success...although I would rather this devastating drop in species never happened.

 

[AphroditeMSC]

But isn't it all just evolution?
Survival of the fittest?

The dinosaurs, powerful and monstrous as they were, died out too.

Although, in saying that, I do think it's sad in this day and age with all the intelligence of the human race, that entire species of animals/mammals/reptiles/etc. are dying out.

 

[Rosemary]

No I don't think in this case it should be classified as 'survival of the fittest' Aphrodite, and it is sad that the human race is causing most of the trouble in one way or another.

This case was caused by the lowering the level of water in our wetlands mostly by humans putting down bores, so that they can have a nice green lawn and flowers which need lots of water. It has also been caused by bulldozing hectares of land, including those areas which become 'wet lands' during the winter for which many creatures relied on. They are bulldozing so that more houses can be built.

Homo sapien is suposed to have a brain - it's about time some of them started using it... (Perhaps I should have put this in the RANT thread)

 

[HardScienceFan]

Homo sapien is suposed to have a brain - it's about time some of them started using it... (Perhaps I should have put this in the RANT thread)

Hear,hear
hi roz,back for a tiny bit,indoubtedly longer later on.
I've heard some pretty specious/vacuous/nonsensical/downright irritating comments on CITES,and other biodiversity conservation schemes.
Why should we combat GW and WMD?
perhaps it is our time to become extinct.

 

[The Ace]

I sometimes think you have a point HSF.

 

[tangaloomababe]

Well HSF (Ben) you may have a point, it could be our time, but should we take everything else with us, because that is essentially what we are doing. We are rapidly making the world unlivable for not just ourselves but everything else that exists on it.
We are meant to be the superior creature, with the brain power and logical thinking, but we continue at a rapid rate to destroy either the habitats or food supplies of the other animals that inhabit this earth with us.
I agree we all have our given time (just like the dinasours etc etc) but I think that we have done a great deal to cut ours short.
We have in the short time that man has been around driven so many animal and flora species to extinction and I think in many cases well before their time.

 

[Pyan]

But isn't it all just evolution?
Survival of the fittest?

The dinosaurs, powerful and monstrous as they were, died out too.

True - but they lasted about 150 million years. Homo sapiens has been around less than 200,000 years, so we've a long way to go yet.

 

[tangaloomababe]

Good point Pyan. I dont like our chances though...

 

[chrispenycate]

True - but they lasted about 150 million years. Homo sapiens has been around less than 200,000 years, so we've a long way to go yet.

That is not a fair comparison. The dinosaurs went through a fair number of different species in that time; you should at least compare the dinosaurs with primates (though they were far more diverse than this; possibly "placental mammals" would be a fairer comparison)

 

[HardScienceFan]

True - but they lasted about 150 million years. Homo sapiens has been around less than 200,000 years, so we've a long way to go yet.

I'll not go into the cladistics of the tribus Dinosauria/Aves then.
Are all dinosaurs extinct?
Tangalooma,my caustic sense of humour sometimes breaks me up,I keep noticing.

 

[Connavar]

I do think it's sad in this day and age with all the intelligence of the human race, that entire species of animals/mammals/reptiles/etc. are dying out.

I almost laughed out hard to that. Nothing personal but its the "intelligance of the human race that are killing animals and make them vanish maybe forever.



I saw a piece about white South Africans in SA breading Lions just so they can hunt them and kill them. Its also legal.

So excuse me if i dont believe in human intelligance keeping animals alive.

Sure they are smart people willing to save animals but there are alot more killers that enjoy killing directly or undirectly just to make more money, poachers etc