Ess task: Investigate three different named species
A species that has become extinct due to human activity
A species that is critically endangered
A species whose conservation status has been imposed by intervention
Include the factors that contributed to their decline and the impacts of their decline
disappearance/ extinction on ecosystems and societies
conservation strategies that were employed, whether successful or not
Species 1: Dodo bird (Raphus cucullatus)
The dodo was a flightless bird endemic to the island of
Mauritius and became extinct in the late 17th century due
entirely to human activity. When humans arrived on the island,
the dodo had no natural predators and therefore showed little
fear of people. Extensive hunting by sailors for food,
combined with habitat destruction through deforestation,
drastically reduced its population. Additionally, humans
introduced invasive species such as rats, pigs, and monkeys, which used to eat on dodo eggs and
which didn’t allow them to reproduce sexually. The extinction of the dodo disrupted the ecosystem of
Mauritius, particularly seed dispersal, as certain plant species relied on the dodo to spread their seeds.
This led to long-term changes in forest composition’s No conservation strategies were implemented at
the time, as the concept of wildlife conservation did not yet exist, making this a clear example of
irreversible biodiversity loss extinct due to human activity
Species 2: Vaquita (Phocoena sinus)
The vaquita is the world’s rarest marine mammal and is found only
in the northern Gulf of California, Mexico. Its population has
declined rapidly since its not hunted directly due to accidental
capture in illegal gillnets used for fishing another endangered
species, the totoaba fish, they become entangled in these nets and
drown that doesn’t allow them to breathe. Human demand for
totoaba swim bladders on the black market has lead to illegal
fishing, further leading to more decline in vaquita population. The
disappearance of the vaquita shows how the ecosystem is imbalanced in the Gulf, highlighting
unsustainable fishing practices that threaten marine biodiversity. The loss of the vaquita would disrupt
the marine food web, and if this continues, the species could become extinct.
Species 3: Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)
The giant panda was once endangered due to habitat loss
caused by deforestation, farming, and infrastructure
development in China. Because pandas rely almost entirely on
bamboo, even small changes to their environment had a major
impact on their survival. As panda numbers dropped, it
became clear that the loss of this species would also affect
many other organisms living in the same forest ecosystems. In
response, the Chinese government introduced strong
conservation measures, including protected reserves, reforestation, habitat corridors, and captive
breeding programmes. These efforts were successful, and the panda’s status was upgraded from
endangered to vulnerable. The recovery of the panda has helped protect entire ecosystems and has
also benefited local communities through ecotourism, showing that conservation and human
development can work together.