Natural History Wanderings

Defender or Wildlife has an article on the five primary drivers of wildlife extinctions:

• Overexploitation is a common reason for global species decline; unsustainable harvesting negatively impacts many species, from grizzly bears and gray wolves to right whales and sea otters.
• Land- and sea-use change leads to the loss of important habitats, exemplified by the disappearance of mangrove forests and sea grass beds due to coastal development.
• Climate change is altering our environment by shifts in average and extreme temperatures and precipitation.
• Pollution from pesticides, heavy metals, plastics, noise and light pollution threaten species’ health.
• Invasive species, non-native organisms (animals or plants) introduced to a new environment, can cause ecological damage and compete with native species for resources.

Read article at  The Five Drivers of Extinction: Invasive Species | Defenders of Wildlife