Enough politics, let's talk about something that really matters, a 6th mass extinction

[Sheik Yerbouti]

More than two thirds of the world's wildlife could be gone by the end of the decade if action isn't taken soon, a new report from the World Wildlife Fund revealed on Thursday.

Since 1970, there has already been a 58% overall decline in the numbers of fish, mammals, birds and reptiles worldwide, according to the WWF's latest bi-annual Living Planet Index.
If accurate, that means wildlife across the globe is vanishing at a rate of 2% a year.
"This is definitely human impact, we're in the sixth mass extinction. There's only been five before this and we're definitely in the sixth," WWF conservation scientist Martin Taylor told CNN.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/26/world/wild-animals-disappear-report-wwf/index.html

jesus fucking christ. I am sure there will be those here who don't believe this in any way, think it's mass levels of hyperbole, and I will agree to a point. We are seeing extinction of wildlife at an a rate that has never been seen before.

In the past 16 years we have seen all of these animals go extinct

• 2000 - "Celia", the last Pyrenean ibex, was found dead on 6 January 2000. However, in 2009, a female was cloned back into existence, but died shortly after birth due to defects in the lungs.
• 2003 - The last individual from the St. Helena olive, which was grown in cultivation, dies off. The last plant in the wild had disappeared in 1994.[citation needed]
• 2006 - A technologically sophisticated survey of the Yangtze River failed to find specimens of the baiji dolphin, prompting scientists to declare it functionally extinct.[32]
• 2011 - The eastern cougar was declared extinct.[33]
• 2011 - The western black rhinoceros was declared extinct.[34]
• 2012 - The Japanese river otter (Lutra lutra whiteneyi) declared extinct by the country's Ministry of the Environment, after not being seen for more than 30 years.[citation needed]
• 2012 - "Lonesome George", the last known specimen of the Pinta Island tortoise, died on 24 June 2012.[35]
• 2013 - The Cape Verde giant skink is declared extinct.[citation needed]
• 2013 - The Formosan clouded leopard, previously endemic to the island of Taiwan, is officially declared extinct.[36]
• 2013 - The Scioto madtom, a species of fish, is declared extinct.[citation needed]
• 2014 - Acalypha wilderi has been declared extinct.[citation needed]
• 2014 - The Bermuda saw-whet owl has been declared extinct.[citation needed]
• 2015 - The Eastern cougar was confirmed extinct.[37]

Compare that to the entire 19th century

• 1800 - The last known bluebuck was shot, making the species the first African antelope to be hunted to extinction by European settlers.[14]
• 1825 - The mysterious starling died out.[citation needed]
• 1826 - The Mauritius blue pigeon becomes extinct due to excessive hunting.[citation needed]
• 1827 - The Tonga ground skink dies out from its only home in the Tongan Islands.[citation needed]
• 1852 - The last sighting of a great auk was made off the coast of Newfoundland. The bird was driven to extinction by hunting for its fat, feathers, meat, and oil.[6][15]
• 1860 - The string tree from the island of St Helena becomes extinct because of habitat destruction.[citation needed]
• 1860 - The sea mink becomes extinct because of hunting for its fur.
• 1875 - The broad-faced potoroo was last recorded.[5]
• 1876 - The Falkland Islands wolf became extinct.[5]
• 1878 - Labrador duck declared extinct after last appearances in Long Island three years earlier.[citation needed]
• c. 1879 - The last known Atlas bear, Africa's only native bear, is killed by hunters in Morocco. The bear was heavily hunted and used for sport in the Roman Empire.[16]
• 1883 - The Quagga, a sub-species of the plains zebra, goes extinct.[citation needed]
• 1886 - The red alga known as Bennett's seaweed from Australia disappears because of the massive human activities.[citation needed]
• 1889 - The last Hokkaido wolf dies from poisoning campaign.[17]
• 1890 - The eastern hare-wallaby was last recorded.[5]
• 1896 - The eastern elk, a subspecies of elk in the US and Canada, dies out in Minnesota.[citation needed] They were over-hunted for food, clothing, sport and decoration for the Jolly Corkers who used their teeth as symbols.[citation needed]

Our invasive behaviour and carelessness will likely cause more extinctions, but why should we care? We're the alpha, we're the very apex predator, well the apex predators' survival depends on all those below them surviving and thriving. Here's hoping we can avoid stupid partisan rhetoric and realize this isn't an issue that just affects liberals or conservatives or just US citizens, but a global issue that needs a global resolution.

 

[PJFrylar]

I agree, biotic diversity is one of the greatest resources our planet has, and it is on a steady decline. You would think we would be interested in preserving it - if only for selfish reasons such as potential use in future medications. However, left unchecked many people and businesses go right for the short term economic gains with no regards for long term environmental stability.

 

[slightlyhuman]

we're fucked.

sad when humans are capable of so much more.

 

[Sonikku]

This shouldn't even be a political issue yet it always seems to boil down to party lines.

 

[glenn1]

I would give a sh!t but it's a "collective action problem" which relieves me of any individual responsibilities, eh progressives?
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=how+to+donate+to+charity+to+fight+climate+change
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=how+to+donate+to+charity+to+fight+climate+change

 

[GagHalfrunt]

99.9% of all the species that ever existed on Earth were extinct before we got here. Hell, that's HOW we got here.

 

[PokerGuy]

I agree, biotic diversity is one of the greatest resources our planet has, and it is on a steady decline. You would think we would be interested in preserving it - if only for selfish reasons such as potential use in future medications. However, left unchecked many people and businesses go right for the short term economic gains with no regards for long term environmental stability.

There is only really one solution, and it boils down to only one single uncomfortable truth: there are too many people on the planet, and the human population continues to grow exponentially. Without stopping (or significantly slowing) the growth of the human population, we're pretty much inevitably screwed in terms of protecting the natural resources of the planet. It's not a popular position, but I don't think logically anyone could argue otherwise. As the human population continues to explode, it will continue to crowd out other creatures by destruction of habitat and consumption of resources.

Of course the real slowdown (or stopping) of the growth in the human population would have dire consequences for all sorts of things, not the least of which is the world economy.

Bottom line, we're screwed in the long run (barring some extraordinary human catastrophic event). We can only take some steps to postpone the problem.

 

[PokerGuy]

This shouldn't even be a political issue yet it always seems to boil down to party lines.

I don't think the issue boils down to party lines. The approach we take -- how we choose to tackle the problem and what the solution might look like -- are more likely to come down to party lines.

 

[kage69]

I don't think the issue boils down to party lines.

Given the GOPs issues with science, particularly with climate change and pollution, I have to ask: did you type that with a straight face?

 

[PJFrylar]

99.9% of all the species that ever existed on Earth were extinct before we got here. Hell, that's HOW we got here.

I would say the concern is that species are dieing off faster than new ones are replacing them, and humans are certainly a factor. If the trend continues there will be a loss in biotic diversity.

There is only really one solution, and it boils down to only one single uncomfortable truth: there are too many people on the planet, and the human population continues to grow exponentially. Without stopping (or significantly slowing) the growth of the human population, we're pretty much inevitably screwed in terms of protecting the natural resources of the planet. It's not a popular position, but I don't think logically anyone could argue otherwise. As the human population continues to explode, it will continue to crowd out other creatures by destruction of habitat and consumption of resources.

Of course the real slowdown (or stopping) of the growth in the human population would have dire consequences for all sorts of things, not the least of which is the world economy.

Bottom line, we're screwed in the long run (barring some extraordinary human catastrophic event). We can only take some steps to postpone the problem.

Yeah, no argument from me about population growth being an issue.

 

[Jaskalas]

How many species will you kill in North America, with a policy of dramatically increasing our population through immigration?
Human population is a huge factor to this mass extinction event.

We would struggle to find equilibrium with HALF the global population we have today.

 

[zinfamous]

There is only really one solution, and it boils down to only one single uncomfortable truth: there are too many people on the planet, and the human population continues to grow exponentially. Without stopping (or significantly slowing) the growth of the human population, we're pretty much inevitably screwed in terms of protecting the natural resources of the planet. It's not a popular position, but I don't think logically anyone could argue otherwise. As the human population continues to explode, it will continue to crowd out other creatures by destruction of habitat and consumption of resources.

Of course the real slowdown (or stopping) of the growth in the human population would have dire consequences for all sorts of things, not the least of which is the world economy.

Bottom line, we're screwed in the long run (barring some extraordinary human catastrophic event). We can only take some steps to postpone the problem.

We really do need to get our asses to Mars!

 

[glenn1]

How many species will you kill in North America, with a policy of dramatically increasing our population through immigration?
Human population is a huge factor to this mass extinction event.

We would struggle to find equilibrium with HALF the global population we have today.

Fortunately birth rates for progressives are well below replacement rates (1.61 for self-described "extremely liberal" people vs. 2.62 for "extremely conservative"). It's as if they instinctively know their beliefs make them unfit and they shouldn't reproduce. In a few generations we may be blessed not to have any left.

 

[PJFrylar]

I think they made a movie on how that would turn out.

 

[repoman0]

Fortunately birth rates for progressives are well below replacement rates (1.61 for self-described "extremely liberal" people vs. 2.62 for "extremely conservative"). It's as if they instinctively know their beliefs make them unfit and they shouldn't reproduce. In a few generations we may be blessed not to have any left.

Just like idiocracy.

 

[bshole]

Fortunately birth rates for progressives are well below replacement rates (1.61 for self-described "extremely liberal" people vs. 2.62 for "extremely conservative"). It's as if they instinctively know their beliefs make them unfit and they shouldn't reproduce. In a few generations we may be blessed not to have any left.

You do realize that conservatism is not a genetic thing don't you? The replacement rate for conservatives is not determined by parentage, although it may be influenced by it. Progressives are not your enemy. The wealthy oligarchy that have poisoned your mind and sold you a lie are your enemy as well as mine. You took the wrong pill my friend....

 

[glenn1]

You do realize that conservatism is not a genetic thing don't you? The replacement rate for conservatives is not determined by parentage, although it may be influenced by it. Progressives are not your enemy. The wealthy oligarchy that have poisoned your mind and sold you a lie are your enemy as well as mine. You took the wrong pill my friend....

They aren't my "enemy" either and the wealthy aren't oligarchs. Although people like me and them are your enemy because you think you deserve what we have.

 

[bshole]

I would bet everything in the world that man is extinct within the next 10,000 years. I simply don't believe it is possible for intelligent life to survive long after finding a means of self-destruction. After we are gone, the universe won't care about the bio-diversity of the earth.

 

[Sheik Yerbouti]

I would bet everything in the world that man is extinct within the next 10,000 years. I simply don't believe it is possible for intelligent life to survive long after finding a means of self-destruction. After we are gone, the universe won't care about the bio-diversity of the earth.

man's extinction would be the best thing to ever happen to the planet

 

[glenn1]

Just like idiocracy.

Quakers didn't bother to breed either and are nearly extinct, likewise the world won't be any worse when progressives take the same path. Maybe we'll keep a few of you around in museums as an oddity, sorta like the bearded woman.

 

[cbrunny]

http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/26/world/wild-animals-disappear-report-wwf/index.html

jesus fucking christ. I am sure there will be those here who don't believe this in any way, think it's mass levels of hyperbole, and I will agree to a point. We are seeing extinction of wildlife at an a rate that has never been seen before.

In the past 16 years we have seen all of these animals go extinct

• 2000 - "Celia", the last Pyrenean ibex, was found dead on 6 January 2000. However, in 2009, a female was cloned back into existence, but died shortly after birth due to defects in the lungs.
• 2003 - The last individual from the St. Helena olive, which was grown in cultivation, dies off. The last plant in the wild had disappeared in 1994.[citation needed]
• 2006 - A technologically sophisticated survey of the Yangtze River failed to find specimens of the baiji dolphin, prompting scientists to declare it functionally extinct.[32]
• 2011 - The eastern cougar was declared extinct.[33]
• 2011 - The western black rhinoceros was declared extinct.[34]
• 2012 - The Japanese river otter (Lutra lutra whiteneyi) declared extinct by the country's Ministry of the Environment, after not being seen for more than 30 years.[citation needed]
• 2012 - "Lonesome George", the last known specimen of the Pinta Island tortoise, died on 24 June 2012.[35]
• 2013 - The Cape Verde giant skink is declared extinct.[citation needed]
• 2013 - The Formosan clouded leopard, previously endemic to the island of Taiwan, is officially declared extinct.[36]
• 2013 - The Scioto madtom, a species of fish, is declared extinct.[citation needed]
• 2014 - Acalypha wilderi has been declared extinct.[citation needed]
• 2014 - The Bermuda saw-whet owl has been declared extinct.[citation needed]
• 2015 - The Eastern cougar was confirmed extinct.[37]

Compare that to the entire 19th century

• 1800 - The last known bluebuck was shot, making the species the first African antelope to be hunted to extinction by European settlers.[14]
• 1825 - The mysterious starling died out.[citation needed]
• 1826 - The Mauritius blue pigeon becomes extinct due to excessive hunting.[citation needed]
• 1827 - The Tonga ground skink dies out from its only home in the Tongan Islands.[citation needed]
• 1852 - The last sighting of a great auk was made off the coast of Newfoundland. The bird was driven to extinction by hunting for its fat, feathers, meat, and oil.[6][15]
• 1860 - The string tree from the island of St Helena becomes extinct because of habitat destruction.[citation needed]
• 1860 - The sea mink becomes extinct because of hunting for its fur.
• 1875 - The broad-faced potoroo was last recorded.[5]
• 1876 - The Falkland Islands wolf became extinct.[5]
• 1878 - Labrador duck declared extinct after last appearances in Long Island three years earlier.[citation needed]
• c. 1879 - The last known Atlas bear, Africa's only native bear, is killed by hunters in Morocco. The bear was heavily hunted and used for sport in the Roman Empire.[16]
• 1883 - The Quagga, a sub-species of the plains zebra, goes extinct.[citation needed]
• 1886 - The red alga known as Bennett's seaweed from Australia disappears because of the massive human activities.[citation needed]
• 1889 - The last Hokkaido wolf dies from poisoning campaign.[17]
• 1890 - The eastern hare-wallaby was last recorded.[5]
• 1896 - The eastern elk, a subspecies of elk in the US and Canada, dies out in Minnesota.[citation needed] They were over-hunted for food, clothing, sport and decoration for the Jolly Corkers who used their teeth as symbols.[citation needed]

Our invasive behaviour and carelessness will likely cause more extinctions, but why should we care? We're the alpha, we're the very apex predator, well the apex predators' survival depends on all those below them surviving and thriving. Here's hoping we can avoid stupid partisan rhetoric and realize this isn't an issue that just affects liberals or conservatives or just US citizens, but a global issue that needs a global resolution.

hold on there brother. I'm as alarmist as the next guy. but i'm pretty sure that in the 19th century, there were parts of the world that weren't even colonized, much less had sufficient habitation to facilitate tracking of organisms at the Genus level in order to maintain an encyclopedia of extinct and endangered animals.

Yeah, we're stupid. Yeah, we should change things. Yeah, we are probably stupider than ever before. Yeah, we are doing more damage than ever before. but lets not pretend this is new.

 

[bshole]

They aren't my "enemy" either and the wealthy aren't oligarchs. Although people like me and them are your enemy because you think you deserve what we have.

I think I deserve what you have..... um. Not sure that you have anything I want. The oligarchs certainly do though... the power they have to taint the judgment of our politicians to make laws that hurt American engineers. That is something I want taken from them and given back to the voters.

 

[zinfamous]

They aren't my "enemy" either and the wealthy aren't oligarchs. Although people like me and them are your enemy because you think you deserve what we have.

Believe me, I really do not want whatever it is that you "have."

 

[glenn1]

Believe me, I really do not want whatever it is that you "have."

The money to fund your social welfare fantasies is certainly something I and other people have that you want.

 

[bshole]

man's extinction would be the best thing to ever happen to the planet

I don't think it matters much to the planet one way or other what happens on its surface. Long term it is going to get eaten by the Sun.

Man's extinction would certainly be beneficial for many animal/plant species BUT.... it would be devastating for most of the domesticated animal/plant species. The earth would certainly be more picturesque when humanity goes extinct but there would be no species alive that would give a shit.

Given the amount of suffering that humans go through in a lifetime, I think it might be a net gain in total human happiness if we went extinct. Sentient life seems like a cruel joke...