Does it matter if animals become extinct?

Answer 1

Extinction does matter because loss of species can have effects on other species including humans. It upsets the food chain and removes a section of the food web, therefore previous predators would have to depend on another species. This means that there are more predators competing for the same prey, leading to a decrease in the prey and predator. Some of these plants/animals humans may eat and therefore our choice of food would become more limited. Also, many organisms have been found to be beneficial to humans in medicine. An example of this is the plant quinine which is a natural cure for malaria. By more species becoming extinct, we could be losing important resources. :) And animals are cute!

Answer 2

Yes. We eat them.

Yes it does matter if an animal becomes extinct. It affect the eco system that it lives in. If it is a predator (high on the food chain) with them gone the lower food chain flourishes (creating an unbalance on nature).

Answer 3

Every animal has an impression in nature, whether it is a fly (which helps to break down waste) or a tiger (which keeps the population of other animals in check). When any animal goes extinct, the balance of nature is shifted. It may not be apparent immediately, but it will eventually effect the ecosystem.

Answer 4

There are many different reasons for species becoming extinct:

- They may be hunted to extinction by predators. See the Dodo for more information on this.

- Their have to compete with 'foreign' species for food or habitat. This happens on many small islands when new predators are introduced. See rats and cats introduced to Hawaii by sailors.

- They may require very specialised living conditions which dissapear due to a changing environment.

- Disease or inbreeding reduces their numbers to unsustainable levels.

- An outside event may create a catastrophic situation. See the meteor that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs.

It matters because we are all part of the Earth's ecosystem. Imagine all plants and animals on earth linked together in a giant 'web'. Plants are eaten by insects. They are then eaten by larger animals which are in turn eaten by humans. As humans we are at the top of the food chain so may not notice too much as we can eat a lot of different foods. However other may animals depend on very specific prey. Extinction of a species is like removing a section from the 'web'. It has a knock-on effect on everything linked to it.

Also from a different viewpoint, biodiversity (many different species) of the Earth makes the place interesting. It may not affect our ability to survive if species become extinct, but the world would become a lesser place and slightly less entertaining.

Answer 5

yes it maters alot because animals are important

Answer 6

It is theorized that when a species becomes extinct, that it causes abnormalities in the food chain, which can cause other species to either become extinct as well or become overpopulated.

Answer 7

yes