Monday, January 7, 2008

Links - Species/Habitat Issues

1. http://www.ec.gc.ca/envhome.html
2. http://www.epa.gov/
3. http://www.greenpeace.ca/
4. http://www.wildernesscommittee.org/
5. http://www.davidsuzuki.org/
6. http://www.globio.info/
7. http://www.unesco.org/mab/index.shtml
8. http://www.unesco.org/mab/index.shtml
9. http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/

Pick 2 or more of these sites to visit
Find a threatened species or habitat that interests you
Describe the problem and record it here with a comment
Please leave your first name in the comment field if you are posting anonymously

16 comments:

  1. I read from the david suzuki webite that it is predicted that in about four years, or two generations 99% of the Broughton Archipelago salmon staock will be gone due to sea lice infestation.-rose

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wild pink salmon in BC are in danger.Sea Lice from fish farms are leading to a rapid decline in wild pink salmon population. Scientists expect that in four years 99% of the pink salmon population will be gone if action isn't taken soon. Open net-cage salmon farming operations need to be converted to closed systems to prevent the spread of sea lice from farmed to wild salmon.
    -Andrew W.

    ReplyDelete
  3. On the wilderness committee site, it states that only 8 pairs of Spotted Owls now remain, due to ongoing logging in the ancient forests of SW British Columbia.
    - Kelvin S.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Canada's Boreal forest is one of the largest tracts of ancient forest left in the world. It is threatened by mass clear-cut logging to make disposable products such as toilet paper and facial tissue.
    -Jason

    ReplyDelete
  5. i read that that pink salmon are dying from a sea lice from farm salmon. Farmimg a species is not the solution to extinction, saving the natural habitat and stop mass eating of the species is how a society stops extinction-rob c-w

    ReplyDelete
  6. Giant Panda

    This species is threatened by continuous habitat loss and a very low birth rate. The habitat where the Giant Panda resides has been destroyed to make room for housing (China's population has been rising sharply for many years, and the country has the world's largest population). Poaching has led to a decline in Panda population as well, and Pandas are a highly valued item on the black market. Initial attempts at conservation (capture and cage methods) were a disaster, resulting in low birth rates and death.

    Stephen Cluff

    ReplyDelete
  7. Spotted Owls are beautiful medium-sized birds with round faces and dark chocolate brown eyes. Due to ongoing logging of ancient southwestern forests in BC, there is only 8 pairs remaining out of the 500 historically recorded by scientists.
    The spotted owl is left to fend for itself under Canada’s weak endangered species legislation: the Species at Risk Act (SARA). This act is limited to areas of federal jurisdiction, which happens to be only 1% of BC's land base.Despite a formal petition by environmentalists to stop logging in spotted owl habitat, the federal government has refused, meaning the spotted owl population in BC will continue to decrease until it becomes extinct. --Katie

    ReplyDelete
  8. B.C.'s Wild Pink Salmon population is rapidly decreasing and if immediate action is not taken it will result in local extinction. Fish farms have shown to be the major cause in the Wild Pink Salmon population. These farms increase the number of parasites on the salmon's migrations routes. The parasites are known as Sea-lice which feed on the salmon's skin, muscle and blood. Studies from the David Suzuki Foundation website show that where there have been no fish farms, the wild salmon almost have no lice. Commercial fisheries also have a great impact on wild salmon but not as great as fish farms. If our governments do not take action,the ecosystem, culture and economy is at great risk.

    Elizabeth

    ReplyDelete
  9. White sturgeon are an endangered species right here in BC. Living in the Nechako, Stuart and Kootenai rivers, human activities have contributed to their expected extinction in twenty-five years. We have changed the natural flow of the rivers for example the Libby Dam preventing a majority of spawning. Over fishing is also a major contributor to its appearance on the province's Red List. There are less than sixty of these prehistoric fish left and to make a difference, the First Nations stopped their traditional fishery in 1994.
    -Courtney Magnusson

    ReplyDelete
  10. It said in wildernesscommittee.org that pacific salmon population is growing smaller each year do to over fishing and pollution.-Matthew C.

    ReplyDelete
  11. The boreal rain forests of British Columbia are being extracted for it's rich tar sand layers to produce oil, the project will impact 4.3 million hectares of natural forest.
    -tanner

    ReplyDelete
  12. The great bear rain forest located along the british columbia coast is home to endangerd species such as thespirit bear. The forrest is under threat because of logging and development.

    Andrew S

    ReplyDelete
  13. Swift foxes were once commonly found all across the plains of Canada, but as of 1999 they are considered to be an endangered species. Athough eagles, coyotes, and a few species of hawks are dangerous enemies of the swift fox, humans pose the largest threat to the species. The destruction of their habitat (most often mixed-grass prairie), hunting, trapping, and poisoning have caused their numbers to drop significantly.

    ReplyDelete
  14. The great bear rain forest located along the british columbia coast is home to endangerd species such as thespirit bear. The forrest is under threat because of logging and development.

    Andrew S

    ReplyDelete
  15. Due to increased urbanization in India, the leopard's habitat has been dramatically reduced. With people moving into the animal's home there has been conflicts between the two. Twenty-four people have been recently killed, which has lead to the already endangered species to be labeled as a villain. Although hunting the cat is illegal, they continue to be slaughtered for their pelts and persecuted as killers.

    -Steph.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Populations of the world’s great apes (bonobos, chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans) are rapidly diminishing. There are only 700 mountain gorillas bordering Congo, Rwanda and Uganda; the population of bonobos is endangered at 10 000; approximately 50 000 to 100 000 orangutans are alive; and chimpanzees only fair slightly better.

    Due to industrial activities such as construction projects, an overwhelming percentage of ape species have lost their forest habitat. Humans have cleared forests for logging and agriculture activities, and thus have threatened 70% of the great ape population. Pet hunting, meat hunting and human settlement patterns also threaten the ape. Likewise, pathogens have also devastated ape populations.

    - Christine

    ReplyDelete