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Cassandra Cappello
Professor Malcolm Campbell
UWRT 1103
November 10, 2016
On the Brink: Are Humans Causing a Sixth Mass Extinction?
LINK- This is how the EIP should be viewed, it is uploaded online.
The Issue
The world is experiencing a dangerous crisis, and its biggest catalyst has been
humankind. Since human population has risen exponentially since the beginning of the Industrial
Revolution, thousands of organisms have been unable to adapt to the sudden prevalence of man
in their habitats. As an article titled The Extinction Crisis from the Center for Biological
Diversity claims, [extinction] occurs at a natural background rate of about one to five species
per year[it is estimated that] were now losing species at 1,000 to 10,000 times the background
rate, with literally dozens going extinct every day. Since this rate is so substantial, it is
inherently necessary that humans evaluate their impact upon the planet, such as their pollution,
hunting, and deforestation, and make drastic changes to the way that they live.
Mass extinctions are periods of sudden decrease in biodiversity at rates that grow too
quickly for species to adapt and survive. To this date, there have been five previous extinctions,
most notably, was the event that killed the dinosaurs. This extinction was known as the
Cretaceous-Tertiary, or K-T extinction. In this event 65-million years ago, all dinosaurs that were
not related to the modern birds, were killed suddenly by a force that is still unknown by
scientists. The difference between the K-T extinction, and now, however, is that this possible
sixth extinction is the first extinction to be caused by biological forces (Planet Earth: Seven Ways
to Help Save the World).
Humanity has become a dangerous and powerful force with the capacity to wipe species
from this planet at a rate that relates to the past mass extinctions. The combination of
deforestation, pollution, invasive species introduction, and poaching that occurs so frequently on

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this planet has endangered countless organisms. Since human population is still increasing, the
threat of humanitys negative impact on the earths health is also increasing with it.
The current rates of extinction are astonishing and grim. To put things into perspective:
about half of the worlds population of big fish now exist (Griggs) and approximately 40 percent
of all amphibians are now at risk of extinction (Block, Kolbert). Mammals are also not safe,
especially large mammals that are frequently hunted, like elephants, rhinos, and big cats. In fact,
as Elizabeth Kolbert claims, a quarter of all mammals on the planet are endangered.
The aforementioned journalist, Elizabeth Kolbert, actually paints the picture of species
endangerment fairly well and accurately. In order to write her book, The Sixth Extinction,
Kolbert traveled the world to assemble information, data, and evidence for the danger that the
earths ecosystems are currently in. Her experience in exploring the Amazon Rainforests,
charting the Great Barrier Reefs, and studying the extinction of certain species of frogs in
Panama, has led to a sense of urgency in her need to spread information about the human impact
on the planet. In an interview with NPR, Kolbert provides a damning statement that this may be
the last century that we see large animals out in the wild.
The scope of this issue is incredibly broad, and it spreads so far that most civilians are
unable to fully understand the problem of species extinction without extensive research. The
intention of this website is to guide those who are curious of the powerful and detrimental effects
that humans have had on the survival of species, and how these problems can be addressed and
fixed.
Pollution
A very common by-product of pollution is the infamous greenhouse gas. Greenhouse
gases collect the suns heat, and thus, warm the surrounding environment. These gases would not
be so dangerous if it werent for their growing prevalence in the earths atmosphere. The added
collection of greenhouse gases has contributed to rising acidity of the oceans as well as the
melting of ice caps in the Artic. Due to the high activity of energy production, transportation, and

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agriculture, the amount of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere has noticeably increased, and
begun to threaten the survival of various species.
The world has seen a gradual increase in global temperature averages over the last
hundred years. Currently, the earths average temperature is approximately 1.4 degrees
Fahrenheit higher than it was in 1880 (Carlowicz). While this may seem incredibly minor,
Carlowicz explains in his article Global Temperatures, that, in the past, a one- to two-degree
drop was all it took to plunge the Earth into the Little Ice Age. This proves that even a little
change in average temperatures can cause a huge alteration to the general climate of the planet.
These temperature increases are predominantly caused by the amount of greenhouse gases that
have been introduced into the atmosphere since the Industrial Revolution (The Consequences of
Climate Change). If humans continue to increase the average temperatures of earth, then a
radical change is bound to occur and endanger species even further.
As a result of these temperature increases, the ice caps have also become endangered in
recent years. The most common face of this issue is the polar bear, whose habitats are dwindling
from shorter cold seasons. As the group Polar Bears International describes, the rising
temperatures of the ocean cause more ice caps to melt, thus decreasing the habitat size of the
polar bear and other animals like seals and walruses that survive in the Arctic. Since polar bears
rely on the ice to enact their hunting, the lack thereof endangers them for periods where they
must go without food (Global Warming and Polar Bears). For this reason, polar bears are
becoming an incredibly endangered species with a huge need for conservation.
To show another direct impact of these greenhouse gases, their collection in the oceans
has added to the acidity of the waters. Since Carbon Dioxide is one of the major greenhouse
gases with the ability to increase the acidity of water, the introduction of massive amounts of
CO2 into the seas is altering water chemistry and affecting the life cycles of many marine
organisms, particularly those at the lower end of the food chain (Ocean Acidification). One of

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the most significant examples of this issue is the Great Barrier Reefs in Australia. These reefs
have seen a rapid decline in health as the oceans acidity has increased, specifically, about 50
percent of their cover has gone within the last 30 years. By the middle of the century, the reefs
will be struggling an astounding amount to even survive (Kolbert).
The biggest contributors to this issue are the ways that humans practice energy
production, transportation, and agriculture. Since energy production still includes a large amount
of burning coal and natural gas (67% of energy production), an entire third of the United States
greenhouse gas emissions are caused by this activity (Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions).
The EPA also provides information on the effects of transportation, as it takes up 26% of the
USs greenhouse gas emissions, this also comes from the burning of petroleum-based fossil fuels
that keep cars, buses, and trucks running. Lastly, as the EPA also states agriculture has a lesser
impact on greenhouse gas production, but it still stands at a significant 9%. The main byproduct
of agriculture is the methane produced from the presence of approximately 1.5 billion cows on
the planet (Peterson, Rohrer). The methane that these animals release as a natural process
contributes greatly to the collection of gases in the earths atmosphere. Trying to keep these
businesses from producing too much livestock could be one step towards reducing the emissions
from these animals.
The effects of pollution spread across many different ways of life, meaning that pollution
has a huge influence upon the earths health. Since pollution is caused by so many different
factors, and its effects are felt across the planet, it must be truly acknowledged for all of its
detriments upon the survival of species, whether they be in the ocean or the Arctic.
Deforestation
Deforestation is a major proponent of habitat loss for many organisms. Since
deforestation includes the removal of trees and clearing of land, the human impact on species
extinction and endangerment is incredibly obvious. Many species that are severely endangered

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by habitat loss live in the tropical rainforests, where the rapid destruction of their ecosystems
leaves them unable to survive.
The rise of business means an added necessity for product. Timber businesses as well as
agricultural businesses have contributed to the deforestation of the earths major rainforests.
These reasons vary by region, like the fact that, Soy and cattle are key in South America while
timber, paper, and palm oil are more important in Southeast Asia (The Root of the Problem).
Since industry grows with human population, if special attention is not given, then the conditions
of the earths forests are bound to degrade to the point of crisis.
The extent of deforestation can best be shown through statistics. For example, within the
last 50 years, it is estimated that 17% of the Amazon Rainforest has been destroyed (WWF).
Consider the magnitude of this, when 17% of the Amazon is about 1.4 million hectares of area
(Butler). At this rate, the Amazon has been so endangered that even if deforestation were ended
tomorrow, species would still feel the effects decades from now. Ecologist Robert Ewers found
in a study that species will continue to go extinct more than three decades after deforestation in
the Amazon has stopped (Castro).
There is hope for the Amazon, surprisingly, because deforestation has actually begun to
decrease over time. Steps have been made to preserve the Amazon and rehabilitate its species.
For example, Since 2000, Brazil has established the world's largest network of protected areas,
the majority of which are located in the Amazon region (Butler). The responsibility that the
Brazilian government has taken to protect its natural habitats will take time to truly create the
change necessary to return the Amazon to its previous levels of biodiversity, but its enactment of
laws is a step in the right direction. If countries worldwide did the same as Brazil to protect
wildlife, we, as humans, can begin to save species from a mass extinction.
Poaching
Poaching has become a more publicized issue in recent years. As defined by
Dictionary.com, poaching means, to trespass, especially on anothers game preserve, in order to

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steal animals or to hunt. Most notably, in April of 2016, Kenya practiced a massive ivory burn
as a statement against the poaching that is so common in the country. This has been a continual
issue in many places because of the profit that can be made from collecting parts like ivory, and
furs from specific animals. The effect that poaching has had on animal populations is heartwrenching and desperate.
The African Wildlife Foundation outlines the dire statistics involved with poaching. On
this page, it is explained that the black rhinos population has decreased a shocking 97.6% since
1960. Along with this the African Wildlife Foundation also states that about 35,000 elephants
were killed last year.
In Asia, the situation is no less concerning. The sun bear has already gone extinct in
Singapore, and could possibly be extinct in Bangladesh and China (Asias Poaching Crisis).
Tigers are huge targets for poaching because all of their parts can be used for some part of the
illegal wildlife trade, whether it be for medicine or craft. The Sumatran tiger, for example, stands
at less than 400 tigers total as a result of poaching alongside deforestation (Sumatran Tiger).
One of the major faces of poaching is the single, male, northern white rhino, Sudan, that
remains. This rhino is protected by armed guards 24/7 just to protect him from being killed for
the ivory in his horns. He stands as the final hope for the species, as he is intended to mate with
the final two female northern white rhinos that are held at a conservancy (Karimi). This situation
sheds an incredibly dark light on the reality of poaching and its effects. It seems that as long as
humans continue to poach animals for the illegal wildlife trade, then there will surely be more
situations like Sudans.
Poaching is a major contributor to species extinction, and it is directly linked to the
human impact. The effect that poaching has had on species survival is continually concerning as
time goes on, where more animals are killed for their parts with each passing day. Unfortunately,

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if governments and civilians do not take action and leave poaching unchecked and uncontrolled,
then specific species populations will continue to drop until extinction occurs.
Solutions
Tighter Restrictions to Reduce Poaching
A solution to the issue of poaching is not simple or likely to work immediately. Since
countries in Africa and Asia (major sites of poaching), face corruption and easy access to
weapons, it is much easier for elephants, rhinos, tigers, and other animals to be hunted. Since the
illegal wildlife trade is a huge criminal organization, a massive response must be enacted to
reduce the effects of poaching.
One action that countries can take is to set up checkpoints or safe-guards to reduce the
flow of ebony and furs collected by poachers outside of the respective country. For example, the
World Wildlife Fund created a customized infrared camera that warns park rangers of poachers
along a long, protected stretch of road in Kenya (WWF develops a new technology to stop
poachers in their tracks).
Using the advantages of technology to gain an upper hand on the invading poachers is a
great way to begin tackling the problem. This is a broad issue, however, because the police and
government officials of certain African countries face bribery to keep their poaching
organizations in business (Corruption and Poaching: The Tusk at Hand). With this reality, the
threat of poaching has been an even harder obstacle to overcome. Governmental reform should
be a necessary priority in order to avoid the further spread of this blind eye that officials are
turning to poachers.
There is actually hope to be found after taking these actions. The Environmental Affairs
Minister of South Africa, Edna Molewa, announced that for the first time in a decade, the
poaching situation has stabilized. This comes after a series of laws between several countries
dedicated efforts and mobile units to track crimes that are commonly done in conjunction with
poaching like carjacking (Corruption and Poaching: The Real Tusk at Hand).

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Further restrictions and laws enacted by the affected countries should hopefully lead to a
stronger police force that could more readily topple poaching rings. This, alongside a harsher
border patrol will increase the chances of catching these criminals, and make their businesses
much more difficult to run. Since poaching is a huge force in driving species to extinction or
endangerment, if the afflicted countries have the ability to damage these organizations, huge
progress will be made in protecting these endangered animals.
Zoo conservation
Zoos, while often contested because of their status as prisons for animals, can actually
be a great source for rehabilitating species. Since zoos offer a safe space away from the dangers
of deforestation and poaching, animals are allowed the opportunity to breed and repopulate.
Captive breeding in zoos should be seen as a last, but necessary resort to save species on the
brink of extinction.
Since zoos often dont provide the experience necessary to prepare species for life in the
wild, they are not seen as a true solution to the problem of species extinction. For now, in such a
dire time, however, zoos are doing the work of protecting species that are on the brink. There
have been successes seen from captive breeding, like that fact that about 25% of wild Mallorcan
midwife toadsare the product of a successful zoo breeding and reintroduction scheme
established by the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust (McGregor, Zippel). These small species
programs have proven to be more successful than the programs of other animals.
The main issue that species face when they are released into the wild is the unforeseen
human effects. For example, a PBS article titled Captive Breeding Success Stories, explains
that the California Condor saw great difficulty in its reintroduction to its previous habitat because
of lead poisoning and collisions with power lines. As a result of these unexpected environmental
factors, a law was passed to keep hunters from using lead bullets, which lessened the issue of
lead poisoning that occurred among the Condors.

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While zoos have difficulty providing animals with the experience that they need to
survive in the wild, they have helped to increase populations. Saving the populations of animals
leaves way for true reform to occur in the outside world. If humans began to rehabilitate
endangered regions, then these animals would have less need to live their lives in zoos. This
reduces down to the fact that action outside of zoos must occur alongside conservation efforts in
zoos. Captive breeding in zoos is a temporary solution to this issue, and the true priority should
be in making efforts to improve the health of the planet so that endangered animals have the
chance to survive once more in the wild.
Renewable energy
Renewable energy is an important way to avoid the further effects of pollution that are
harming and endangering animals that are both in the ocean and on land. As described by
Science Daily, renewable energy encompasses the creation of energy that never depletes its
resources, such as wind and solar energy. While these sources of energy would take up land
mass, their benefits would outweigh the space that they occupy.
The 2015 MIT Energy Initiative outlines the potential for solar power in the United
states, they explain that, solar plants covering only about 0.4% of the land area of the
continental United States and experiencing average U.S. insolation (amount of sunlight) over the
course of a year could produce all the electricity the nation currently consumes. In this same
study, MIT also finds that the land area required to provide full solar energy through solar cells
would take just over 15,000 square miles. This area seems like a lot, but consolidating solar
energy to cover both available farmlands and rooftops in urban areas, the land required for solar
energy would be compacted in an efficient manner (Jenkins).
This renewable energy would pull the United States away from its wasteful development
of greenhouse gases through its current energy production activities, such as burning fossil fuels.
Fueling the United States and eventually the world entirely by renewable energy, however, is a

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long shot. The likelihood of governments not only acknowledging the existence of global
warming, and subsequently funding the development of renewable energy is slim. Citizens can
begin to take action and show support for the adoption of renewable energy because it would not
only lessen the amount of carbon emissions, it would also stimulate the economy and thus, create
jobs.
Call to Action
Humans must, first, take responsibility for the crisis that is species extinction. We must
feel a sense of obligation to help these organisms that have been cast to the side in pursuit of our
selfish needs that are focused upon industrialization. The biggest step that we must take is to
inform ourselves of this issue, acknowledging that the influences for species extinction are broad
and complex. Human activities have become an intensely damaging force, and if they continue
as unchecked as they are, then the earth will surely feel the effects. The degradation that our
oceans, animal populations, and atmosphere stand in are dire, and quick, efficient action must be
taken to make improvements. Every one of us should feel the need to help in some way, whether
it be by volunteering or by donating to causes committed to the protection and rehabilitation of
the environment in order to curb the risk of species extinction.

Works Cited
"Africa's Poaching Crisis." Africa's Poaching Crisis. African Wildlife Foundation. Web. 07 Nov.
2016.
"Amazon." WWF. World Wildlife Fund, 2016. Web. 07 Nov. 20
"Asia's Poaching Crisis." WWF Tigers. World Wildflife Fund, 30 Aug. 2016. Web. 07 Nov. 2016.
Butler, Rhett. "The Amazon Rainforest." Mongabay. Mongabay, 23 Jan. 2016. Web. 06 Nov.
2016.
"Captive Breeding Success Stories." PBS. PBS, 01 Apr. 2009. Web. 09 Nov. 2016.

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Carlowicz, Michael. "Global Temperatures." Earth Observatory. NASA. Web. 05 Nov. 2016.
Castro, Joseph. "Amazon Due for Numerous Species Extinctions." Live Science. Purch, 12 July
2012. Web. 7 Nov. 2016.
"Corruption and Poaching: The Tusk At Hand." Africa.com. Africa.com. Web. 09 Nov. 2016.
"Dinosaur Extinction." National Geographic. National Geographic Partners. Web. 05 Nov. 2016.
"Global Warming and Life on Earth." Center for Biological Diversity. Center for Biological
Diversity. Web. 05 Nov. 2016.
"Global Warming and Polar Bears." National Wildlife Federation. National Wildlife Federation.
Web. 06 Nov. 2016.
Griggs, Mary Beth. "Larger Marine Animals Now In Greater Danger of Going Extinct." Popular
Science. Bonnier Corporation, 14 Sept. 2016. Web. 05 Nov. 2016
Griggs, Mary Beth. "Larger Marine Animals Now In Greater Danger Of Going Extinct." Popular
Science. Bonnier Corporation, 14 Sept. 2016. Web. 05 Nov. 2016.
Jenkins, Jesse. "How Much Land Does Solar, Wind and Nuclear Energy Require?" The Energy
Collective. Energy Post Productions, 26 June 2015. Web. 07 Nov. 2016.
Karimi, Faith. "Northern White Rhinos Guarded as 1 Male Left Worldwide." CNN. Cable News
Network, 17 Apr. 2015. Web. 07 Nov. 2016.
McGregor, Reid Gordon, and Kevin C. Zippel. "Can Zoos and Aquariums Ensure the Survival of
Amphibians in the 21st Century?" International Zoo Yearbook. 42.1 (2008): 1-6. Web.
"Ocean Acidification." National Geographic. National Geographic Society. Web. 06 Nov. 2016.
Peterson, Ann Kristin, and Jrg Rohrer. "Are Cows the Cause for Global Warming?" Time for
Change. Time for Change. Web. 06 Nov. 2016.
"Poaching." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, LLC, n.d. Web. 9 Nov. 2016.
"Renewable Energy." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily. Web. 07 Nov. 2016.
Schmalensee, Richard. "Chapter 1- Introduction and Overview." The Future of Solar Energy: An
Interdisciplinary MIT Study. Cambridge, MA: Energy Initiative, Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, 2015. MIT Energy Initiative. 2015. Web. 7 Nov. 2016.
"Sumatran Tiger." WWF. World Wildlife Fund. Web. 07 Nov. 2016.
"The Consequences of Climate Change." Global Climate Change. NASA. Web. 06 Nov. 2016.
"The Five Worst Mass Extinctions." Endangered Species International. Endangered Species
International, 2011. Web. 05 Nov. 2016.
"The Root of the Problem- Drivers of Deforestation." Union of Concerned Scientists. Union of
Concerned Scientists, June 2011. Web. 6 Nov. 2016.

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"WWF Develops a New Technology to Stop Poachers in Their Tracks." WWF. World Wildlife
Fund. Web. 09 Nov. 2016.