Allen M. Solomon once said “Once a species becomes extinct no corrective legislation can bring them back, they are gone forever.”


The Nations symbol, the bald eagle, is disappearing. The bald eagle has been our symbol since 1782 and it is disappearing because we are destroying their habitats by building houses and strip malls. In 1972 it was placed on the endangered species list and in 1981 the population was less then 48 in the whole nation. Since then they have rapidly increased their numbers. Their habitats are protected but we continue to kill them. If we kill our nation’s symbol what are we saying about our nation?


The karner blue butterfly, a beautiful and unique species are swiftly disappearing. These butterflies cannot live without a plant called the wild lupine. We are destroying trees which make plains and plateaus and wild fires spread quicker over flat surfaces. Since the wild lupines are being killed, the karner blue butterfly is left without places to live. Over the past 20 years their population has dropped 99%. They are endangered but their population remains the same.


The cutest, cuddliest, and fiercest animal is the giant panda; they are also the most treated animal on the planet. The giant panda lives in southwest China and their habitat becomes smaller as our population becomes bigger. The giant panda’s population was less than 2,500 before they became endangered, but now their population is becoming slowly larger.


Scientists estimate that over 130 species go extinct everyday. That is more that one species every 25 minutes. In the United States alone there are over 400 known endangered species and 130 that are threatened and may soon become endangered.


Even though some animals’ numbers are rising we continue to destroy their habitats and they continue to die. The animals on this planet are out responsibility and we are killing them. I think we need to think twice before we destroy habitats. Our earth would be happier, heather, and more plentiful place to live.