"Madagascan Bird Declared Extinct"

According to BirdLife International, a small diving bird, known as the Alaotra Grebe, which is native toMadagascar has been classified as extinct. The birds used to be found on the largest lake in Madagascar, Lake Alaotra, but the population decreased quickly after carnivorous fish were put in the lake and when the local fishermen started using nylon gill nets. This species is gone and there is no hope for them anymore, and the extinction of this species was due to the work of humans. This is not the only place where invasive alien species have caused extinctions. In Southwest Cuba, the Zapata Rail was upgraded on the endangered list due to mongoose and exotic catfish put into the marshland. In Asia and Australia, the Great Knot and Far Eastern Curlew are suffering due to pollution. The Great Knot is also suffering due to the destruction of a migratory site in South Korea. There have been a few recent cases of conservation projects helping out some bird species, but according to a BirdLife International employee, "The overall state of the world's birds is getting worse year on year." This employee also informed that, "We have the skill and the expertise, so these things can be prevented. But we need commitments from governments to provide money to help birds and animals to survive."

It's always disappointing to hear that a species no longer exists on our planet. It really makes you wonder and think about what we are doing to our planet, how it's changing and how deprived the future will be. For those people who never saw those birds that are now extinct, they will never see them in their life... well not in person at least. It's just sad to hear this news. Just think of how even we who are living on the planet right now will, and have missed due to our own impacts on the world. The really sad part about all of this is how, like that employee said, we have the skills to do things to make things better, to conserve, to save species and the planet, however, the government doesn't provide them with enough money to use those skills. Just think... we could be saving thousands upon thousands of species and providing the future with the same opportunities that we have been offered, but the government says no. For example, right now, the president wants to do some drilling in the ocean, but of course those plans have been put on halt due to the massive oil spill occurring as we speak. I say, instead of using all of our money to drill for oil in the ocean so we "aren't dependent on foreign oil," let's use that same money to pay for research on ways where we won't have to use oil anymore. We have the skills, we just need the government support. I feel this transfers to a lot of categories, such as cures for cancer, and like I said, the ending of the use of oil and gasoline. Just to think of the potential, the possibilities are right at our fingertips, but with no support (no strength), we will never see progress that will make a difference.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/05/26/bird.extinction.red.list/index.html?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+%28RSS%3A+Top+Stories%29