| 1. |
Many plants and animals, well-adapted to their habitat, cannot survive sudden
changes in their environment. They must have adequate time to develop new survival mechanisms and/or skills. Among the animal species most affected by change are:
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| • |
Large-bodied herbivores that require extensive spaces and ample resources to sustain them (e.g. elephants, bison, gorilla). |
| • |
Animals that have specialized diets (e.g. koala, panda, Everglades kite). |
| • |
Top carnivores with relatively small populations that are susceptible to overharvesting and/or changes in prey availability (e.g. wolves, tiger, bears). |
| • |
Species adapted for a stable environment that live long lives, breed slowly, and consequently take a long time to recover if their populations are reduced (e.g. blue whale, rhinos, hyacinth macaw). |
| • |
Island species, as well as other geographically isolated species, that are frequently adapted to predator-free or competitor-free habitats (e.g. Galapagos tortoise, Nene goose, lemurs). |
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| 2. |
Even seemingly common and widespread organisms are facing rapid extinction. Many animals, especially reptiles, are threatened by trade exploitation, extermination because of human fear or traditions, and habitat degradation. |
