Photo Credit: Crow Girl
While you go about your daily routine today, our oceans and planets are experiencing what scientists are calling the “Sixth Extinction”.
The mass extinction that most people think of is when an astroid plummeted to earth and killed the dinosaurs. That disaster led to the death of 75% of all life on earth.
Today it isn’t an astroid that is causing the mass extinction of animals, but humans.
Scientists estimate that over the past 200,000 years, humans have caused the extinction of over 1,000 species. We have seen the disappearance of the Steller’s Sea Cow, Tasmania Tiger, Great Auk, the Baji, Passenger Pigeon, with new animals being added to the endangered species list everyday.
IUCN Red List now has over 20,000 species on the threatened and endangered species list. In fact, scientists estimate that of the 5,000,000 species on our planet, every species has seen an average 28% decline in it’s population.
Some of the most magnificent animals on the planet – elephants, tigers, Southern Resident Killer Whales, polar bears, and blue whales – are threatened or endangered.
Humans are the cause of this Sixth Extinction … but all is not lost.
Humans can be the solution for the Sixth Extinction. Awesome Ocean’s mission has always been to celebrate the men and women who are on the frontline of conservation.
Even as protestors stand outside accredited zoological facilities like SeaWorld, the Georgia Aquarium and now the San Diego Zoo, these organizations continue to work tirelessly despite the criticism and unfounded allegations to turn the tide on Sixth Extinction.
Real scientists are working to make a positive change in our planet and the thousands of species being affected by the Sixth Extinction, instead of promoting book tours.
These scientists are using artificial insemination and managed populations in human care to help species like the Andean Condo, chimpanzee, Giant Pacific Octopus, jellyfish, polar bear, penguins, shorebirds, river otters and many more.
The pressure on our wild spaces, our oceans, and wild animal populations is real. The idea that zoos, aquariums and marine parks are the villains is irresponsible and flat-out destructive. No other industry employs people who are are actively engaged in species preservation.
Accredited zoos are the ones funding conservation.
Accredited zoos are the ones employing life-saving animal care professionals.
We can prevent the Sixth Extinction, but it is going to take a lot of hard work, and it is going to take the dedicated men and women who are working and running accredited zoological organizations to make it happen.
Read more on the Sixth Extinction from Scientific American.