40 species that could disappear :(

[danandgaye]

40 species that could disappear

 

[outbackstorm]

So sad,what a mess we have made as a species. Thanks for the link, there are some great photos there of some very rare lifeforms. The majority of them are frogs!

 

[SteveNT]

Isn't it interesting that some of the longest surviving vertebrate creatures (amphibians) are on the goodbye list.

My bet is they'll still be around long after we've poisoned ourselves and finished our brief stint of world domination. (dont tell the insects!)

We may "destroy the world" for US but life will go on with or without us.

Extinctions occur naturally because this is a dynamic planet. And we have only just arrived. What arrogance to think we control the destiny of the planet. We dont even control our own.

 

[danandgaye]

some awesome species...very sad to think they will be no more

 

[longqi]

Isn't it interesting that some of the longest surviving vertebrate creatures (amphibians) are on the goodbye list.

My bet is they'll still be around long after we've poisoned ourselves and finished our brief stint of world domination. (dont tell the insects!)

We may "destroy the world" for US but life will go on with or without us.

Extinctions occur naturally because this is a dynamic planet. And we have only just arrived. What arrogance to think we control the destiny of the planet. We dont even control our own.

Rerenet just posted a question about snake venom
More than 25 million years our mates have been around

Puts our fragile existence a bit more in perspective

 

[moosenoose]

41 species if you include the dinosaurs

 

[Raymonde]

there is far more than just 40 species that are in danger of disappearing..... These are probably just some of the most critical, but there are hundreds, even thousands of others. It is sad to be living in the time of the sixth major extinction event.

Yes species have gone extinct through out the ages but this is the first time that a mass extinction has been cause by one species (humans), usually its something big like an ice age or meteorite....

 

[apprenticegnome]

When I opened this thread the first thing I read was 1 wife,6 kids,1 dog,2 cats,4 beardies,2 coastals,2 spotteds,1 Albino Darwin,1 black headed monitor,1 Cockatoo. I thought someones seriously getting right out of the hobby. HAHAHAHA.

 

[SteveNT]

there is far more than just 40 species that are in danger of disappearing..... These are probably just some of the most critical, but there are hundreds, even thousands of others. It is sad to be living in the time of the sixth major extinction event.

Yes species have gone extinct through out the ages but this is the first time that a mass extinction has been cause by one species (humans), usually its something big like an ice age or meteorite....

I agree Ray but extinction events make space for new experiments. Look at the mammalian species explosion after the end Cretaceous event. Each disaster spawns a resurgence of diversity, life recovers. It is much tougher than we think.

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41 species if you include the dinosaurs

The dinosaurs are doing really well. Birds are dinosaurs. Straight evolutionary line, backed up by the palaeontology, no question. Dinosaur species have become extinct but dinosaurs are still here. There is advocacy for a change of the Class "Aves" to "Dinosaura".

Think about that next time you look a magpie in the eye

 

[Renenet]

I agree Ray but extinction events make space for new experiments. Look at the mammalian species explosion after the end Cretaceous event. Each disaster spawns a resurgence of diversity, life recovers. It is much tougher than we think.

Life is tenacious. What people mean when they talk about saving the planet is saving Homo sapiens. We will make the planet uninhabitable for ourselves long before we could ever extinguish life entirely. Life will continue after we are gone and judging by what's happened after past mass extinctions, it will blossom.

That doesn't diminish the tragedy of the current rate of extinction. Every time a species vanishes, a line that persisted through millions of years of evolution, natural selection and struggle comes to an end. Sadly, celebrity animals like Lonesome George aside, we don't even notice.

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Think about that next time you look a magpie in the eye

I do.

 

[SteveNT]

Ha ha, you're a gem Ren.

I pulled up today to look at 2 dozen Bustards gathered on the Carpentaria Hwy, no food in sight so I assume a pre breeding aggregation. They are big birds with lots of fluffy display and posturing.

For once my camera was not on the seat next to me and when I opened the door to get it they all took off.

Still ..... I have that memory of a dinosaur aggregation and very speccy it was too.

 

[Chanzey]

Did any of you guys watch Inside Natures Giants a couple of weeks ago? They showed a cassowary and how similar it is to a species of dinosaur (can't remember name) that was found in Australia? foot bone and claw is almost identical except for size.

 

[SteveNT]

That's because it is one................................

I generally try to avoid tv, except sports. Preference is for DVD doccos or music.

But real world is best......if you can find it.