Protect Our Species
Many of us have fond memories of listening to frogs croaking at night, watching seemingly countless fireflies light up the evening as we sat outside with family and friends.
You might remember the need to clean the insects from your windshield at the gas station after a long drive. This was a sign of the abundance of insects but when is the last time you had to stop to clean your windshield of bugs?
But when was the last time you saw countless fireflies at night or heard a loud chorus of frogs?
It is known that a large number of animals and plants have gone extinct in recent centuries and especially since the industrial revolution due to human activity. The number of individuals across species of plants and animals has declined affecting genetic variation and biodiversity.
“Today’s unprecedented global destruction of wildlife populations is of great concern,” said Earth Day Network president Kathleen Rogers. “Climate change, deforestation, habitat loss, trafficking and poaching, unsustainable agriculture, pollution and pesticides all take their toll. The impacts are far reaching, which is why we need to spread the word.”
“If we don’t act now,” noted Rogers, “the next extinct species may be our own.”
We have seen images depicting open prairies covered by massive herds of bison that no longer exist, huge flocks of birds congregated in marshes and lagoons that have seen their numbers reduced dramatically, or awe-inspiring images of our big cats, elephants, giraffes and whales which are now in danger of becoming extinct.
Panthera reminds us that wild cats are vital to the health of our planet. Yet these amazing predators are rapidly disappearing from their natural habitats. We can help stop the devastation of these species by standing up for strong policies that seek to tighten restrictions on the illegal wildlife trade, toughen sentences for wildlife criminals, and end the legal trade in wildlife parts.
You can Stand With Wild Cats this this Earth Day by pledging to:
- Speak up for science-based policies that protect wild cats and their habitats
- Speak out against the use of products containing wild cat parts
- Spread the word about the threats wild cats face
- Support on-the-ground conservation actions and the people implementing them