Extinct species are those species that are not alive on earth. They are known from references given over time. Throughout the history of the planet, many have been the species that have become extinct, due to climatic changes, floods, volcanism, droughts and especially by the hand of man.
A species is considered extinct when the last member dies, therefore that group ceases to exist. Because the distribution of a species can be very wide, it is almost impossible to pinpoint the exact moment of extinction. The increase in the human population and its considerable geographic distribution have allowed extinctions to occur more frequently in recent years. According to studies, it is predicted that by the year 2100, more than half of the species today could be extinct.
It is well known that the main cause of extinctions are the transformations of natural environments, these transformations are motivated by: agricultural exploitation, forestry exploitation, pollution, high-impact constructions, poaching, wildlife trafficking, commercial hunting, sport hunting and pest hunting.
The extinction of species causes the following effects to arise: Loss of genetic diversity. The few species that do survive are vulnerable to disease, random hunting, and unforeseen changes in populations. However, the basic consequences of the extinction of animals are:
Local extinction: this happens when a species is not located again in the area where it previously inhabited, however it is still found in another part of the world.
Ecological extinction: it happens when the number of creatures of a species is very small and its intrapopulation genetic component is almost the same. This allows to increase the genetic defects of the offspring, restricting the performance of the functions of the biological community in which they are found.
Biological extinction: it happens when a species is not relocated anywhere on earth. Representing an irreversible loss of a unique genetic makeup and of creatures whose evolution took thousands of years to create.
The extinction of species has always been considered a natural process, which has originated on the planet throughout history, however, as has been observed, man is doing many things that are contributing to these extinctions and that's what to avoid. Here are a series of measures that must be implemented in order to prevent extinctions:
Prohibit hunting of animals, deforestation of forests; delimit protected areas and nature reserves, do not pollute natural resources, promote captive reproduction.
