According to the Fish and Wildlife Service of the U.S. Department of Interior, there were 1,046 species classified as "endangered" in the United States with another 305 classified as "threatened" as of September 2007 (U.S. 287). Increasing globalization and its impact on the environment are increasing the number of extinct and endangered species the world over. The World Conservation Union provides the most comprehensive data on the world's threatened species in what is called the "Red List," which currently lists 41,415 species as "endangered" and 16,306 as facing "extinction" worldwide (Urgent 10). An anthropocentric view of nature and increasing development due to globalization continue to have a negative impact on species in both developed and developing nations.
One of America's most prominent scientists, E.O. Wilson, maintains that the continued loss of plant and animal species is not only monumental for humans but of unknown proportion with respect to impact on the environment. As Wilson argues, significant loss of species will "decrease the stability of the world environment," while leading to a scenario where humans "lose living libraries of genetic information that could be enormously useful to humanity in the future" (Glassie 1). This analysis will discuss endangered species and the threat of extinction, including causes and potential remedies. A conclusion will address some proposals regarding education and awareness measures related to extinction and endangered species.
Due to a litany of threats, from drilling for oil in the Arctic to rapid industrialization in China, the number of species that are endangered and threatened with extinction continues to rise. In many countries, like China or India, wildlife conservation policies are few or largely unenforced when such efforts conflict with economic growth and development. In the United States, the current administration has favored e...