|
|
 |
 |
Worldwide Extinction of Plants and Animals Alarms the United Nations
The United Nations reported that animal and plant species are disappearing at a rate of three an hour! That's a thousand times the normal rate! And the worst part is that human activity is mostly to blame.
This permanent loss of life is called extinction. Extinction occurs naturally throughout our planet's history. But not since the age of dinosaurs has it happened so fast! That was over 65 million years ago!
This is why the United Nations, or the UN for short, is stepping up its pressure to preserve the variety of plant and animal life. This variety is called biodiversity. It's asking for countries to stop creating so much pollution. The UN is where most of countries gather to talk about problems.
The UN says that global warming increased by pollution is one of the causes of the loss of biodiversity. It's causing the rain forests to dry up and the arctic ice to melt. Animals and plants find it harder and harder to survive in these places. The species that can't find a way to live become extinct.
Animals that are in danger of becoming extinct include the Arctic Fox, the Grizzly Bear, the Tiger, the European Beaver, and the Monk Seal. But the list includes plants, too! Wild varieties of potatoes and peanuts, among others, are also endangered.
I'm Michelle and that's what happened in the world this week!
Play my Match Game and identify some endangered animals!
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
