Dodo Bird
The Dodo Bird was flightless bird which was found on the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. Dodos stood about a meter in height (3.3ft), and weighing about 20 kilograms (44lb). It had a large hooked beak, stubby wings, and thick legs. They lived off fruit and nested on the ground. The Dodo Bird developed ion near isolation. Since it could not fly it could not spread its population to the surrounding islands.
Portuguese sailors were the first Europeans to come across the Dodo Bird. Sailors, settlers’ populations of cats, dogs and pigs, destroyed the dodo's habitat. The Dodo was also used as a supply of food. 175 years after their discovery, the last dodo died. Due to the Dodos isolation it had no natural defense to save itself. Since it had no natural predator it approached the humans without fear which made them easy prey. Because of its lack of natural defenses and the introduction of natural predators the Dodos population rapidly declined.
Many Steps could have been taken in order to prevent the extinction of the Dodo Bird. The settlers could have tried to settle far enough so they could avoid interference with the Dodo Bird. Since much of the Dodos habitat was destroyed the settlers could have attempted to restore it to a near natural condition. Once the humans realized that the Dodos population was decreasing they could have tried to save it by raising them in captivate.
Kemp Ridley
The Kemp Ridley Turtle is the world’s most endangered sea turtle. It is 24-28 inches long and weighs 100 pounds. It has a grayish green circular shell with a pale yellow bottom shell. It eats crabs, fish, jellyfish, and mollusks. The Kemp Ridley is an "arribada" nester, which is where large groups gather and come ashore and nest all at once. It has a worldwide female nesting population of about 1,000 individuals. Kemp Ridley is located in the Gulf of Mexico and the U.S Atlantic seaboard (including North Carolina). Kemp's Ridgley’s face threats on both nesting beaches and in the marine environment. Turtles can become entangled in gillnets, pound nets, and the lines associated with long line and trap/pot fishing gear. Once they are tangled up they may drown and often suffer serious injuries to their flippers from constriction by the lines or ropes, which ultimately lead to death. Egg collection was historically a major threats the population but since laws were placed in 1966 these has seized to be an issue.
Kemp's Ridley turtles are protected by various international treaties and agreements. Some of these protection laws include the Endangered Species Act of 1973, Annex II of the Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW ) Protocol of the Cartagena Convention, and the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles. Ways to protect the turtles include not purchasing turtle products such as turtle leather and tortoiseshell items.
Rafflesia
The Rafflesia is the largest flower on earth. It is a parasitic flowering plant. It has an average diameter of about 106cm (42.5in) and a weight of 10kg (22lb). They are located only in Southeast Asia, with only 15-19 known species. Rafflesias are technically part of the plant kingdom although they don’t have chlorophyll which means they are incapable of photosynthesis. Rafflesia is dependent on a vine called Tetrastigma, which is related to the grapevine. They grow as thread-like strands of tissue embedded within the surrounding host cells from where they receive their nutrients and water. The flower has a repulsive smell like rotting meat and many of the locals call it the ‘corpse flower’.
The Rafflesia plant has become endangered due to its loss of habitat. Much of its habitat has been converted to farm land or timber concessions and in some parts of its range, the buds are harvested and sold for their medicinal qualities. Once Rafflesia individuals become visible as flowers, these only survive a few days before decomposing. All these factors contribute to the plants endangerment. Tourism has also lead to the decline of the Rafflesia species.
Environmentalists have attempted to recreate the species' environment in an effort to help it recover but this has proved unsuccessful so far. Steps are being taken in order to preserve the forest. Residents that have Rafflesia on their private property are encouraged to save the flowers and charge a small fee to see them.