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Persuasive Essay On Panda

Decent Essays

Each day the news covers a different tragedy. A crime or natural disaster there always seems to be something new. Yet there also exists a more subtle tragedy. One that is often under-covered yet seems to grow more and more serious each passing day. With species vanishing each day, it’s time for people to come to terms with the dying environment. Last summer, the International Union for Conservation of Nature officially upgraded the giant panda from ‘endangered’ to ‘vulnerable.’ This good news, though, came on the same day that four of the remaining six great ape species were listed as ‘critically endangered’ while the other two teeter on the brink of extinction. Though I have real fears about the rate of animal extinction being driven by …show more content…

Studies on the animals that were in the 'good group' mainly looked into anatomy and physiology, while research into animals in the 'bad group' mainly looked at ecology and population control techniques. While animals that were larger and more iconic to the tourist landscape were getting large grants and donations for research, there is a clear lack of funding for the preservation of either the rodents or native bats of Australia. And yet, these animals are also quite vital for the maintenance of particular ecosystems and our broader biodiversity. Ultimately, the phenomenon of animals that are less attractive or appealing to the public being ignored is a greater reflection on society as a whole. Too often, it’s easy to overlook the “ugly” in favor of the more attractive option. In 2010, the UN released figures stating that anywhere from 150-200 species go extinct every day around the world, and while these numbers may vary, the general message is the same: we are losing animals at an alarming rate. In fact, scientists refer to the “Anthropocene” –the era of humans- as the sixth mass extinction. Most of the endangered species are ones that people have never heard of, but are nonetheless just as important to preserve as are pandas, dolphins, apes and other more sympathetic creatures. Witnessing this problem breaks my heart, and I want to do something. I am utterly perplexed that the word “extinction” does not

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