New Zealand’s threatened species list is very long. Thousands of the unique plants and animals of this island country are at risk of becoming extinct.
Similar to many islands throughout the world, such as the Galapagos and Madagascar, New Zealand has a high percent of endemic species. These are species that evolved on these islands over millions of years and now can’t be found elsewhere in the world. When people arrived to New Zealand about 750 years ago the natural world began to change. Since the arrival of people many species have gone extinct and thousands of others are now threatened and at risk.
What Is The Cause Of New Zealand’s Threatened Species?
Throughout the world species are going extinct. The list of reasons for this is very long and includes things like destruction of habitat, over harvesting, and introducing pests.
In New Zealand people have cut down native forest, drained wetlands, and introduced species. The introduction of species to these islands by people, such as rats, possums, and stoats, has changed the natural world drastically. The native species of New Zealand are vulnerable to these introduced mammalian predators because they evolved over millions of years in the absence of those predators. Thus, they don’t have any natural defenses.
New Zealand’s Threatened Species
The introduced species, such as grasses for pasture and mammalian predators, have had a huge impact on the natural world. Nearly 40% of the native species of New Zealand are now at risk or threatened with extinction.
Recent research shows that nearly 4,000 of the 10,500 known native species are at threat of extinction. The major cause of this is yet again people and our activities. We have cleared wetlands, introduced species for various purposes, and are destroying native forest.
The Extinction Of Species
Unfortunately, since the arrival of people many species have gone extinct.
Since the arrival of people about 750 years ago at least 75 plants and animals have gone extinct. Some of the more noteworthy ones include the Haast Eagle, and all of the species of Moas.