Open classification: biology, species, wild, natural environment, animals.

Wild animals refer to all kinds of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, molluscs, insects and other animals that live in the natural state without artificial domestication.

Wild animal classification

1. Endangered wild animals, such as giant pandas and tigers;

2. Beneficial wild animals refer to those that are beneficial to agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and health care, such as carnivorous birds, frogs and beneficial insects.

3. Economic wild animals refer to animals with high economic value that can be used as fishing and hunting industries;

4. Harmful wild animals, such as mice and all kinds of animals with bacteria.

There are more than 794 kinds of wild animals in the world. Due to lack of proper environmental protection, more than 300 species of plants belonging to 76 families are on the verge of extinction.

At present, only humans know the above information, and I don't know how many unknown species are disappearing.

Animal extinction record

Duoduo (Mauritius, India, 178 1 year),

Blue antelope (South Africa, 1799),

Marion elephant turtle (Tongsayer, 1800),

Great auk (Atlantic, 1844),

European wild horse (Europe, 1876),

Spotted donkey (Asia, 1883),

White-rumped langur (China, 1893),

Travelling pigeon (North America, 19 14),

Florida monkey (North America, 19 17),

Carolina parrot (North America, 19 18),

China rhino (China, 1922),

Caucasian bison (Europe, 1925),

Bali (Indonesia, 1937),

Red Duck (India, 1942),

Platts Wild Horse (China, 1947),

Pocket wolf (Australia, 1948),

Guan Ma Duck (Asia, 1964),

Java tiger (Indonesia, 1972) ...

There are also information about endangered animals in China, such as elk (3* in the world! 000), South China Tiger (50), Snow Leopard (1*! 000~2*! 000), Chinese alligator (1*! 500), baiji dolphin (100), giant panda (1*! 000), black rhinoceros (3*! 500 monkeys (9), woolly spider monkey (100), Yunnan golden monkey (1*! 000), wild golden monkey (700), white-browed long-armed monkey (70).

1 Animals are good for human beings

In the vast history, the time between the origin of human beings and the origin of animals on earth is not too long. After the formation of human beings, they lived and evolved by fishing and hunting forest fruits. Later, agriculture (the first social division of labor) and animal husbandry (the second social division of labor) developed, and there was still surplus value to be exploited after production, so the primitive society advanced to the slave society.

The relationship between humans and animals is very close and complicated. People and animals compete for food rations in the food chain of the earth, and they are interdependent and have frequent contacts. Generally, it is divided into six categories according to people's needs:

1. 1 Food animals provide meat, milk, poultry, eggs, fish, etc. Provides a rich source of nutrition for human beings.

1.2 working animals: horses, donkeys, mules, camels, etc. Riding, carrying and pulling are regarded as the driving force of "incompetence" and have strategic significance.

1.3 Economic animals produce wool, fur and leather. Such as sheep, rabbits, nutria, weasels, blue foxes, etc.

1.4 LaboratoryAnimals are special animals cultivated directionally for the purpose of scientific experiments. They have strict genetic and biological requirements, and are currently represented by mice, rats, guinea pigs and hamsters.

1.5 raw materials of biological products for animals, such as serum horse and chicken embryos; Detection tools such as rabbits; Traditional Chinese medicine raw materials such as deer (velvet), bear (gall), cow (yellow), horse (treasure), tiger (bone) and so on.

1.6 Ornamental animals (pets, pets) cats, dogs, parrots, canaries, goldfish, etc. Animals in zoos and circuses belong to it.

Animals are also harmful to humans.

There are about 200 infectious diseases and 80 parasitic diseases in animals, half of which can infect people. 1967, the World Health Organization (WHO) named this disease that spreads between animals and people as zoonosis, which originally meant zoonosis, and then the WHO/FAO Joint Expert Committee defined it as "a disease that can spread freely between humans and vertebrates".

Social Investigation Report on Endangered Animals

The global animal protection organization announced that 794 species were on the verge of extinction.

AllianceforZeroEx tinction, composed of several animal protection organizations, recently released a report on "Endangered Species", pointing out that nearly 800 species of animals distributed in 595 locations around the world are about to become extinct, including the Chinese alligator in China, the Malagasy lemur in Africa and the ivory-billed woodpecker in America, among which amphibians called "ecological barometer" account for 65,438+. Some experts pointed out that if we don't lend a helping hand, we will completely "say goodbye" to these animals.

65438+February 65438+February, two cranes soar in the cold winter in New Delhi, India. Many beautiful things in this world are given to us by these precious wild animals, so protecting endangered animals is our due responsibility to nature.

Alliance for zero extinction's mission.

Although extinction is a natural process, the rate of human-induced extinction is 100 times that of natural extinction. Most extinct species in modern times live on isolated islands, mainly due to the massive invasion of new species, but most endangered animals found now live in mountainous areas or low-lying areas.

Alliance for zero extinction is jointly sponsored by 13 international organizations that protect biodiversity, including the Zoological Society of London, Conservation International and the American Society for the Protection of Birds.

The purpose is to identify and protect the place where species live, and then save endangered species. These sites are the last habitats of endangered species confirmed by IUCN. Because all species on the earth have not been carefully studied, these 794 species only include birds, mammals, amphibians, conifers and some reptiles.

The organization divides the world into seven blocks, and each block has many "hot spots" of endangered animals. The selection of so-called "hot spots" follows three principles: first, these sites must contain at least one "endangered" or "seriously endangered" species. Secondly, these sites occupy an irreplaceable position in the survival of "endangered" or "seriously endangered" animals, such as a certain number of species living here, or spending lactation or hibernation here.

Finally, these areas are independent of the surrounding areas and must have definable boundaries with the surrounding areas. The living environment of each biological population in the boundary is similar, but it is not the same as the species in the surrounding areas.

Of the 595 sites listed, only 1/3 is protected by law, and other places are inhabited by human beings, with a population density three times that of the global average. The authors of the study say that protecting these sites is the key to protecting animals from extinction.

On this list of endangered species, Mexico ranks first with 63 endangered species sites, followed by Colombia, Brazil and Peru.

In alliance for zero extinction's list, Latin America's endangered species rank higher than other regions. One reason is that the species in this area are extremely diverse, and the environment in which animals live has been seriously damaged in recent years. The United States ranks eighth on the list.

Butchart, director of the Global Animal Species Project in birdlife international, pointed out: "We must protect these endangered animals. We can't estimate how long these animals can survive, but if we don't step up our actions, they will disappear automatically in a few decades. " Taylor, the main author of the report? Ricketts also said that although biological extinction is a natural process, the current rate of biological extinction caused by human beings is 100 times that of natural extinction. In modern times, although some so-called "giant animals" distributed in North America, Australia, Madagascar or other areas were extinct for some human reasons, especially hunting and burning, most extinct species lived on isolated islands, mainly because of the massive invasion of new species, such as voles. But most of the endangered sites and animals found now are in mountainous areas and low-lying areas.

Taylor? Ricketts said, "We need to know that the urgency of the matter is that if we don't act soon, these species will become the dodo of tomorrow. But the good news now is that we still have time to save these animals. " (Note: The dodo was once the national bird of Mauritius because of its beautiful fur. However, after European colonists came to Mauritius, they began to cut down forests on a large scale and killed dodos with delicate and delicious meat, which eventually led to their extinction around 1690. )

The "ecological barometer" is declining.

Some people may think that amphibians are ugly and have no skills except catching some insects, but this is not the case. If they really disappear from the earth, human beings will not feel better. Amphibians are the best environmental monitors in nature, and their catastrophic decline shows that the earth is facing serious environmental degradation.

On the list of "endangered animals" pointed out in the report, amphibians account for 5 1%, with 408 species.

These reptiles of different shapes, including frogs, toads, salamanders and worms, are extremely dangerous. Amphibians are generally regarded as "high-frequency noise in mines", and their permeable skin is very sensitive, which has become a special early warning device for environmental degradation. Russell, president of the American-based International Conservation Organization (CI), said that amphibians are the best environmental monitors in nature, and their catastrophic decline indicates that the earth is facing serious environmental degradation.

At the end of 1970s, the number of amphibians began to decline sharply, and 1980 and 129 species became extinct. At the beginning of 2005, a global amphibian survey report, Global Amphibian Assessment, showed that 32% of the 5743 known amphibians in the world were in an endangered state. However, scientists still don't know why the number of amphibians is falling so fast. At present, the main theory is habitat reduction.

Amphibians have gradually lost their foothold because of human wanton deforestation, water pollution and wetland destruction. For example, a large terrestrial salamander lives in California, USA. It is named "tiger-striped salamander" because of its light green stripes. However, according to federal officials in the United States, due to urbanization and agricultural development, this salamander has lost 75% of its habitat so far. There are also a large number of human predation for food or medicine. In addition, it is reported that amphibians are also threatened by a fungus called chytrid. This deadly fungus attacks the skin of amphibians, causing water metabolism disorder in amphibians and leading to a large number of deaths.

Amphibians are the "barometer" of the earth's ecosystem. When they die in large numbers, scientists will consider what will die next, animals or plants? According to the investigation of Zero Extinction Organization, birds (2 17 species) and mammals (13 1 species) followed closely.

Alliance for zero extinction's secretary Mike? Parr said: "Although it is very important to protect these sites and species themselves, it means more." Parr said: "Without effective protection, the genetic diversity of the earth's ecosystem will be destroyed in the future, the eco-tourism economy worth billions of dollars every year will be unsustainable, and there will be clean water sources that cannot be estimated by money. We have a responsibility to do so. "

The bad luck of Madagascar lemurs

Sunlight passes through the veil-like mist that permeates the forest. Sunlight sets off the delicate blue sky, and groups of lemurs play happily in the forest. Among the lemurs living in Madagascar, Africa, the big lemur is the largest and has the best voice. "Smooth notes and harmonious melodies are like beautiful scratches left by sound." Writer David? Kuimen described the call of the big lemur like this. However, such a beautiful sound may not be heard again soon.

Madagascar has always been famous for its unusual biodiversity. This is the hometown of primate lemurs; There are also beautiful lizards, geckos or chameleons; Mashima hedgehog with prickly body; There are also mysterious cats and raccoons, who are the original owners of Madagascar. "Madagascar is indeed a godsend for naturalists." Naturalist Joseph? Not libert? Comerson wrote in 177 1, "It seems that the creator intends to take it as his private domain and arrange everything." Before humans set foot on this island, that is, about 2000 years ago, a large number of animals and plants had thrived on this island. Lemurs on the island always like to wander around the island. Giant tortoises and elephant birds (about 3 meters high and weighing 500 kilograms, and their eggs can feed 150 people if they are made into fried eggs, which are extinct) also do whatever they want on the island, but all this has changed since the arrival of human beings, and many species are gradually becoming extinct.

Two thousand years ago, since Indonesians arrived in Madagascar today, a total of 15 species of lemurs were injured and eventually disappeared. Scientists found "evidence of mass murder" on the heads of extinct lemurs. Ventura, an anthropologist at the University of Massachusetts? Perez said that his research team found traces of cutting and chopping with sharp tools, such as peeling, joint loss and slicing.

Perez said: "After carefully examining these cutting marks, we further verified that this animal was slaughtered here, which is beyond doubt." Today, the killing of lemurs is still not over. Although it is considered illegal to kill lemurs and keep them as pets since 1964, the killing of lemurs is still prohibited repeatedly. Moreover, there are no poisonous snakes, deer or antelopes in Madagascar, and there are few large carnivores. In the long evolution process, the agility of lemurs has gradually declined, and humans are more likely to become targets.

At present, the total number of lemurs in Madagascar is estimated to be about 1 1,000 to 1 1,000, but all scientific research results show that the survival prospects of lemurs are extremely severe. Located140km east of Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, it is the location of Ana Ramadza Zhuo Nature Reserve. Ana Ramadza Zhuo is an isolated island where lemurs live and the last refuge of lemurs.

However, compared with its rich biological resources, Madagascar is still poor, and many desperate villagers are cutting thorns to clear the way. The lemur's sanctuary has been violated. Because the local government allows local people to use some protected areas, people are logging and farming more unscrupulously. Therefore, it can often be seen in broad daylight, and lemurs living in trees look at those uninvited guests who disturb them.

For lemurs, the last ecological opportunity may only depend on those tourists who come from afar to donate money or stay and help them. However, all this is obviously not omnipotent. If these forests are cut down one day, it is not difficult to imagine that lemurs will eventually leave us and disappear forever.

The "god bird" is "resurrected" on earth.

Climate change and environmental change show that at least 1200 species of birds will disappear by 2 100, which is only a conservative estimate. Although starting from 1500, there is only 1. 3% of birds are extinct. But in the same period, the number of single birds in the world is estimated to have decreased by 20% to 25%.

The ivory-billed woodpecker, named after its huge ivory beak, is one of the largest woodpeckers in the world, with a body length of 50 cm. The woodpecker in the video has its wings spread 90 cm. They are covered with bright black and white feathers, with white spots on their wings, and the crown of male woodpeckers is bright red. Because they are so beautiful, almost everyone can't help saying "God, what a beautiful bird" when they see them, so bird lovers also call ivory-billed woodpeckers "god birds".

The ivory-billed woodpecker was once widely distributed in the depths of forests in the southwestern United States and was an exclusive species in the United States. However, in the 1980s of 19, human industrial civilization stepped into nature, and wetlands and forests were almost completely replaced by farms, towns and secondary forests. After the habitat was taken away, the number of ivory-billed woodpeckers plummeted. The last verifiable encounter between humans and ivory-billed woodpeckers took place in Louisiana in 1944. After that, there was only the rumor that people "glanced", and then gradually even this rumor disappeared.

February, 2004 1 1 day, bird watchers let? Sparling traveled by canoe and saw a bird he had never seen before along the White River in eastern Arkansas. Sparling recorded the appearance of this big bird. When he went back to check, he found that it was an ivory-billed woodpecker that had been lost for 60 years. After the news was published, it caused a general shock in biology.

A week later, Tim of Cornell Lab? Gallagher and Bobby from Oakwood University? Harrison found Sparling. Under the guidance of Sparling, two ornithologists began their journey to find the ivory-billed woodpecker. Next, more than 30 ornithologists divided into several research groups and launched an action, hoping to find the ivory-billed woodpecker again. More than 30 ornithologists have found the trace of the ivory-billed woodpecker 15 times in the 7000-hour search, and have taken a lot of pictures and videos.

After the examination and approval of many experts from various countries, it is confirmed that the ivory-billed woodpecker is still alive on the earth. Therefore, the Nature Conservancy of the United States applied to the government for protection funds to protect the habitat of ivory-billed woodpeckers and to study their reproduction. Experts from Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology in new york and the Nature Conservancy kept the news secret for more than a year to protect the woodpecker reserve. Recently, protected areas and bird watching areas have been built, and breeding research has begun. In order to let the public better protect this rare bird and attract more private protection funds, experts decided to disclose this news to the outside world.

After getting the news, US Secretary of the Interior Gail? Norton immediately held a press conference and announced a conservation plan called "Hope Corridor". Norton said: "We are here to announce the launch of a multi-sectoral conservation plan worth tens of millions of dollars and taking several years to provide hope for the continued survival of this rare bird.

In my memory, this is the first time to rediscover animals that have been considered extinct. This is the second chance that nature gives us. "The decline of birds may have serious consequences for human beings. For example, 1997, World 3. Among the 50,000 to/kloc-0,000 cases of rabies deaths, India accounted for 30,000 cases, because the number of wild dogs and mice increased sharply after the number of vultures in India decreased. In fact, we haven't seen the terrible consequences of the disappearance of many birds. Some experts commented that the reappearance and protection of ivory-billed woodpeckers will become a landmark event of ecological protection.

Human foraging leads to extinction?

Therefore, although climate change will lead to extinction in the long run, the creatures listed in alliance for zero extinction are facing more immediate threats, including human hunger for food. We don't know whether future technology can reduce the threat of climate change, but unless we act immediately, these endangered creatures will not surround mankind and benefit us.

Hundreds of endangered animals listed in "alliance for zero extinction" are suffering such bad luck. Chinese alligators, Malagasy lemurs and ivory-billed woodpeckers are just some of them. Can these endangered animals survive well? Perhaps no one can answer this question clearly, but for the purpose of protection, there are some misunderstandings that must be clarified.

For the ultimate cause of the extinction of wild animals, many people arm their minds with "global warming", but completely ignore the real danger: the total amount of human food will double in the next 50 years, and this alone will destroy a large number of wildlife habitats. If people are fully aware of this, they should give more money to high-yield agricultural research projects.

Dennis of the Center for Global Food Issues at the Hudson Institute in the United States? Avery said: "Modern climate warming is basically natural. The ice core tells us that the climate cycle of the earth is 1500 years because of the existence of the sun. In the past million years, many creatures have been living in the warming cycle. Generally, plants can't stand the extremely cold climate, but they are rarely too hot. Climate warming will only make forests more diverse, not less. " He added, "So far, no wild species has succumbed to modern climate warming, although the earth has risen by 0 in the past 150 years. 8 degrees Celsius. If the extinction theory is correct, we have caused the extinction of thousands of species. " The only thing biologists can refute is the extinction of the Costa Rican golden toad, but the recent survey results show that the extinction of this species is due to excessive deforestation, not climate warming.

The most critical problem is that human beings have to constantly grab land in order to cultivate land and raise livestock. According to experts' prediction, the world population will reach a stable state in 2040, when there will be 2-3 billion more people than now. By then, about 7 billion people will be rich enough to need high-quality food, but now there are only about 654.38 billion such people. Therefore, population and wealth will more than triple the demand for cultivated land. In the next 200 years, we will clearly see whether low-productivity agriculture will drive away all wild animals.

Sometimes, some green organizations want to stop using any nitrogen fertilizer and use pure natural raw materials. But if commercial nitrogen fertilizer is abolished, the world will need to get natural fertilizer from an additional 7 million cows. In that case, all the forests in the world may be used to feed them. Returning to primitive farming can only lead to human famine all over the world. This can certainly solve environmental problems, but it will also make many wild animals extinct. Many creatures will become people's food, and at the same time, the land on which they live will be less and less, and all of them will be dedicated to cultivated land.

Dennis? Avery also said: "If you really care about wild animals, you should not blindly deny modern mechanized agriculture, such as industrial fertilizers, but should support biotechnology, especially the research of high-yield agriculture." Therefore, although climate change will lead to extinction in the long run, the creatures listed in alliance for zero extinction are facing more immediate threats, including human hunger for food. We don't know whether the future technology can reduce the threat of climate change, but unless we act immediately, these endangered creatures will not surround mankind and benefit mankind.

Status of Endangered Animals Protection in China

China is a country where endangered animals are widely distributed. According to incomplete statistics, there are more than 120 species of endangered animals (species originating in China) only listed in the appendix of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, 257 species listed in the List of National Key Protected Wild Animals, and 400 species of birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish listed in the China Red Book of Endangered Animals, which are listed in various provinces. With the sustained and rapid economic development and the worsening ecological environment, the species of endangered animals in China will increase.

Since 1980s, China has also imported many animals, such as crocodiles, siamese crocodiles, cynomolgus monkeys, chimpanzees and African elephants.

These exotic endangered animals are also specially protected by the state. Due to the large population and wide range of activities, many precious wild animals are forced to retreat and remain in remote mountainous areas, forests, grasslands, swamps, deserts and other areas, with extremely narrow distribution areas. Due to being divided into independent groups that are not connected with each other, the varieties are increasingly degraded due to inbreeding.

China has established hundreds of nature reserves of endangered animal types, effectively protecting a considerable number of endangered animals. The number of wild donkeys, bison, Asian elephants, white-lipped deer, antelopes, red deer, golden monkeys, bustard and so on has increased significantly.

In recent years, although the number has reached the requirements, it is difficult for artificially raised animals to survive in the natural environment. In the long run, it will inevitably lead to biodegradation.

The Chinese alligator in China, which was listed as an endangered animal by the "Zero Extinction Organization", also suffered the same embarrassment.

The survival of wild animals is facing various crises. To achieve "living in peace", it is necessary to "cross" the three thresholds of overall environmental deterioration, ineffective protection measures and insufficient public understanding.

A SARS epidemic has made "wild animals" a hot word in the media, and there are more calls for not eating "game" and protecting wild animals than before. Overeating wild animals is harmful to human beings, and it is also a catastrophe for wild animals. Protecting wild animals needs to start with refusing to eat and cooking, but fundamentally speaking, to change the trend of wildlife species reduction, it is necessary to improve the whole natural environment, which cannot be solved by refusing to eat or cooking. Refusing to eat "game" is only a step to protect wild animals. SARS reminds us to strengthen the protection of wild animals, but the disaster caused by not protecting wild animals is not only SARS.

There are many fields of wildlife protection, and it is necessary to improve the understanding of wildlife protection in the whole society. The management of wild animals can make huge profits, and the profit drive makes some people take risks, but the measures to protect wild animals have not kept up. At present, there are no special wildlife protection institutions in cities and counties of Hebei Province, and there are not many means to protect wildlife and insufficient funds. The scale of the drug market in qi zhou and the fur market in Anguoli County can be counted nationwide, among which there are many problems in the processing and utilization of wild animals, but the wildlife protection department is unable to seriously supervise and manage them. Tian Qiuming said: "Forest police are responsible for cracking down on cases of destroying wildlife resources, but our human and material resources are very insufficient."

Humans who grow up eating animals and drinking blood cannot do without the use of wild animals, but excessive killing of wild animals will harm human beings, because each animal has its ecological status and ecological function in nature. They share the earth home with us, and the real peaceful coexistence is that they live in their own places and do not interfere with each other. Broadly speaking, protecting wild animals means protecting human homes and protecting human beings themselves.

Every wild animal has its natural habitat, which ensures their survival and reproduction. If this habitat is destroyed, the natural survival of animals will face a crisis, even if no one preys, it will be difficult to survive. Protecting wild animals, in the final analysis, is to protect their habitats. Fu Shuo: "Every year, we receive many calls about wildlife protection, which shows that people's awareness of wildlife protection is increasing, but let alone those who deliberately destroy wildlife resources, even those who want to protect them need to improve. For example, raising wild animals artificially and building wild zoos artificially will affect the ecological function of wild animals. These are all people-centered protection concepts. In order to protect wild animals, they should be allowed to live freely in their natural habitats. "