The extinction of biodiversity species on earth is not something new. Fossil records show that many plants and animals became extinct when human life first appeared on earth. The extinction of species has been continuous since. Some scientist estimate that the current rate of extinction is more than 1,000 times the natural rate of extinction.
Species are classified into three levels namely ‘extinct’, ‘endangered’ and ‘threatened’. Extinct refers to those species which no longer exist. Meanwhile, endangered refers to those species which are in immediate danger of becoming extinct. And threatened refers to those species which are facing serious problems and are likely to become endangered.
There are three primary reasons why species become endangered. The first is due to the fact that, fauna has become endangered due to habitat loss. Like mankind, animals also depend on the place they live (habitat) for food, water, shelter and living space. The animals within a habitat also depend on each other to survive. The second is due to environmental contamination. For example, the use of certain pesticides, fertilizers and chemicals have led to a decline of certain species, such as the bald eagle and peregrine falcon. The third reason is due to commercial use and abuse (exploitation) of species.
Today, our country can not run away from the problem of species extinction. A recent report by “The Sun”, alleges that there are fewer than 1,500 pygmy elephants in Borneo, and all are threatened by deforestation in Sabah.
According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the conversion of forests into plantations remains the biggest threat to Sabah’s elephants, because no plantation can provide the types and amounts of foods necessary to sustain breeding populations.
Apart from pygmy elephants, the Malayan Sun Bear is also under threat of extinction and has been added to the Red List of Endangered Species. According to the IUCN-World Conservation Union, the Malayan Sun Bear is threatened partly by poachers who sell its gall bladder bile as a traditional medicine.
An other report by the New Straits Times last year mentioned that our country also faces the extinction of 45 bird species over the next five to 10 years if it fails to introduce protected areas and breeding programmes for endangered species.
A recent survey by the group Bird Life International found that five species were critically endangered and four were endangered. The critically endangered species are the Silvery Wood-Pigeon, the Chinese Crested Tern, the White-rumped Vulture and the Christmas Island Frigatebird.
According to the Malaysian Nature Society Penang Branch chairman, Kanda Kumar, rapid development has led to the loss of bird habitat and protected areas, and breeding programmes were needed to save the populations.
No one can say for certain what effect the lost of our fauna species might have on the whole ecosystem. But changes in the population level of one species can have far-reaching and often unexpected effects. It is also important to conserve the diversity of life for medical and economic reasons. Fauna may provide us with additional foods, medicines and other products which could someday save human lives and benefit society.
In order to overcome the problem of extinction, human attitudes towards creation very important. In a plural society like ours, there should be a conscious attempt to access our diverse spiritual traditions for the kind of knowledge and wisdom which would allow us to realise a genuine appreciation for the living component on Earth. There is common wisdom in our religious and spiritual traditions pertaining to the relationship between man and other living things on our planet.
Apart from that, environmental conservation is important in order to save our fauna, and it can only succeed with a change in attitudes and perspectives and this can only be achieved by educating every level of society with regard to their ethical responsibilities towards the environment. If environmental conservation succeeds, we can also save our fauna for the next generation.