What causes animals to become rare, vulnerable or endangered and what exactly do those words mean. The answer to these questions are few, but happily the solutions are many. Sometimes just one of these factors is the major contributor to population declines, but more often they work in concert to wreak havoc on wildlife.
Habitat destruction is ever on the increase as the human population expands.
Man, to provide homes, workspace, classrooms and recreational places for himself, has overtaken much wildlife habitat in this century. For example, throughout the world, wetlands have been claimed by man for agriculture thereby displacing cranes, waterfowl and many other animals. In Africa, the Kafue lechwe has become endangered because the water and the wetland grasses on which its survival depends have been replaced by three hydraulic plants that provide electricity for the burgeoning human population. One of the most amazing sagas of the 20th century involves near extinction of the peregrine falcon over much of its range. Heavy pesticide use promised larger crops, but song birds were not deterred by the poisons.