Causes of Extinction of Species

There are various factors, which have contributed to the extinction of different species of flora and fauna. Some of the factors responsible for extinction of species are as under:

Destruction of Habitats:

The destruction of the natural habitat is the most serious threat to the wild life. De-forestation deprives the Wild life of its shelter and food. It reduces the area of their movement and retards the reproductive capacity of certain animals. Various developmental works like roads, railway lines, industries, mines, human settlements, dams, reservoirs have reduced the natural habitats of the wild life.

Environmental Pollution:

Environmental pollution has resulted in decrease in wild life due to its damaging effects on certain habitats. Water pollution, air pollution and noise pollution have adversely affected the wild life.

Population Growth:

Population growth is a major threat to conservation efforts in many developing    nations. The   population pressures threaten park and protected land. The impoverished peasantry is forced to depend on dwindling natural resource base. The people with traditional rights forests continue to destroy flora and fauna and thus affect the wild life.

Hunting:

Hunting of animals for food, safety and pleasure has been in practice ever since the appearance of the man. Large number species of wildlife has vanished due to hunting of animals, some people use hunting as sports whereas others like tribes use hunting as a means of their livelihood.

Forest Fires:

Many a time the forest fires, which may be intentional or by mistake have been responsible for causing the extinction of several species of wild life in the past.

Physical Alteration of Environment:

Migratory animals are vulnerable to habitat destruction. Change of physical alteration of any site of their migratory route adversely affects them. They may parish because of failure to locate the route and to reach their destination. The preservation of the fauna and flora, some species of which are getting extinct at an alarming rate, has become a great urgent necessity for the survival of humanity.

Environmentalists’ conception of the ecological balance in nature is based on the fundamental concept that nature is a series of complex biotic communities of which a man is an inter-dependent part and that it should not be given to a part to trespass and diminish the whole. The largest single factor in the depletion of the wealth of animal life in nature has been the “civilized man” operating directly through excessive commercial hunting or, more disastrously, indirectly through invading or destroying natural habitats.