effects air pollution on our animals
Impacts of Air Pollution & Acid Rain on Wildlife. Animals are exposed to air pollutants via three pathways: 1) inhalation of gases or small particles; 2) ingestion of particles suspended in food or water; or 3) absorption of gases through the skin. In general, only soft-bodied invertebrates (e.g. earthworms), or animals with thin, moist skin (e.g. amphibians) are affected by the absorption of pollutants. An individual's response to a pollutant varies greatly and depends on the type of pollutant involved, the duration and time of exposure, and the amount taken up by the animal.
Air pollution is particularly dangerous to animals when in form of the acid rain. Acid rains kills fish in lakes and streams by increasing the acidity of water. Other forms of air pollution such as ozone are also harmful to animals, for instance ozone pollution can cause serious damage to lung tissues of many animals. Water pollution has extremely negative impact on many animals.