Very often there are reports of extinction of animals and plants from all over the world. The lists of endangered species, critically endangered species, and extinct species are constantly expanding. Deforestation, agriculture, infrastructure and climate change are the biggest culprits. India has declared three animal species extinct, two species of birds and one species of mammal.
Three Indian Species
Experts claim that the Indian Cheetah, Pink-headed duck, and the Great Indian Bustard have extinct due to deforestation and d diversification. Scientists have reported this sad news at the recent Conference of Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, held in New Delhi, India.
Kailash Chandra, Director of the Zoological Survey of India, told that the organization has a database that contains information on millions of species, showing how their population numbers have changed over the years.
“We have a database of more than 5.6 million specimens, collected from all over India and also from the neighboring countries before independence. They give a lot of information about how things have changed in more than 100 years. If you see their distribution in geo-special platforms, you’ll realize how much changes have occurred because of the impact of deforestation and desertification,” Chandra said.
“A minimum of three to four species have already become extinct in India, such as Indian Cheetah, pink-headed duck, and the Great Indian Bustard. Many more are on the verge of becoming extinct and therefore fall into the category of critically endangered species. These specimens have reduced to less than 150. This is a matter of great concern,” he added.
How Many Species Are Disappearing?
The entire food chain, including humans, is at risk. Diverse sources of food are falling.
60% of land in India is under cultivation. Almost 30% of India’s land is degraded due to to over-cultivation, soil erosion deforestation, and depletion of wetlands, according to the Space Applications Centre of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Animal and plant species are dying faster than ever. Up to 1 million animal species are currently threatened by extinction. Australia is losing koalas. The existence of jaguars is endangered in the Americas. Coral reefs and fish disappear from the seas and oceans. Bees and other pollinators are declining all over the world.
Source & credit: https://truththeory.com/2019/09/12/three-species-declared-extinct-in-india-due-to-deforestation-and-desertification/, pixabay.com, commons.wikimedia.org
