Discussion The Ridgway’s Rails, as discussed previously, are a highly endangered species living in saltwater marshes and mangrove swamps in the Bay Area. They are especially important to the tidal marsh ecosystem as they are an indicator of tidal wetland health. If they were to go extinct in Bay Area’s marshes, such as the marshes in the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, naturalists will not be able to tell whether the marsh is healthy or not. (“Clapper Rail”). Without knowing this, the marsh cannot be observed and cared for, resulting in habitat degradation for the Rails and many other endangered species. This infers that the extinction of this one important specie can eventually result in the decline of an entire …show more content…
The main reason for why invasive plants should and must be removed because invasive species reproduce faster than regular plants, causing them to take up space faster than native plants can reproduce. June also mentioned why this increases the possibility of the extinction of endangered species, saying that, since “the rail finds itself surrounded by mustard and even though it can fly, it prefers to walk, so it stays in one small area instead of being able to feed in the entire marsh. It may not find enough food or it may begin eating the other endangered species” (Smith). So, it is predicted that if the invasive plants continued to inhibit the rails’ spaces that allow the birds to escape from predators, the rails’ population would decrease even more, and there is a possibility for them to become …show more content…
To solve this problem, awareness should be spread in our communities and that others should be persuaded to volunteer at parks that deals with the Ridgway’s Rails for fun and for protecting our environments. The first step towards spreading awareness is to educate the public about the current situation of the Ridgway’s Rails. An association can be created, like WWF, that help protect endangered species including the rails. By doing this, the message can be passed to the public and also money can be raised for restoring habitats and purchasing resources that may help the species. This can help solve the problem that naturalists have, allowing them to have enough money to restore the habitats for the rails. After people have some understanding in these species’ situations, they can then help by taking part in the volunteering opportunities and spreading the messages to their friends, family, or