The definition of an extinct species is the termination of life on earth for a particular animal or species of plant life.
During the earth’s lifetime and beginning over 100 thousand years ago, an extinction of a species did not occur as frequently and as quickly as today’s rates of expiration. The truth be told is that as the human species population increases there are more extinctions. An extinct species is the termination of life on earth for a particular animal or species of plant life permanently.
Biologically speaking it is considered the death of the last remaining member of that group for the rest of time. However, the progression of extinctions can now be tracked and classified broadly to include the pre-stages of extinctions.
The definition of Extinction is a species that no long exists anywhere on earth and is graded by different circumstances. The next level is extirpated whereby a species that does not exist in the wild, but occurs elsewhere in the world, is nearing extinction. The Endangered species progresses to face extirpation or extinction unless intervention takes place.
Further down the list is the Threatened category, in which a species is likely to become endangered if allowed to progress to that state. Lastly is the Vulnerable classification, in which is a species of concern that makes it sensitive to human activities or naturally occurring events.
Indeterminate is the last category of extinction, which is a species for which there is limited scientific information to support a designation. In the 17th century this happened to the dodo bird, which was a large bird living on the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean.
An example of an extinct species is the dwarf Pygmy Borneo Elephant, which is the oldest species of a mammal living in the wild and genetically different from their Asian cousins. These tiny giants are facing extinction through the loss of their habitat forests, which are being used for the bio fuels industry. A recent survey numbers the remaining Borneo elephants at 1,000, and their only hope for survival is for mankind to protect their forests.
The Barbados raccoon, Guam Flying fox, Jamaican monkey, Short-horned Water Buffalo, West Indian Monk Seal, Desert Rat Kangaroo, Wooly Rhino, and Red Colobus monkey are now extinct. The Bengal tiger of India one of the largest tigers and a subspecies has a remaining population of 3,500 and is on the way to becoming extinct within ten years.
As much as the dwindling population has its toll, the greater threat is that by its own extinction it becomes more valuable. A person in India can earn five years’ wages for one Bengal Tiger skin that sells for thousands of dollars.
Other tiger species have already gone – namely the Balinese Tiger in 1937 and the Persian Tiger in 1968 became extinct on earth. As mentioned, the rate of extinction of species is accelerated as we have lost 3 of 8 subspecies in the last century.
Siberian Tigers are to become extinct within the next thirty years. As most conservationists agree we must take action now for in twenty years it will be too late to save many of the species. The cutting down of rain forests for palm oil and rubber plantations must cease.
Hundreds of thousands of rainforests around the world are slashed and burned, which fragments the habitat of theses animals, until it threatens their very survival forever.
