How to Do Your Part to Prevent Animal Extinction

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: April 8, 2021 References Approved

Scientists predict we're on the verge of the Sixth Mass Extinction. This is a global event in which three-quarters of all species become extinct. Many scientists feel human activity is causing increased extinction rates. If you want to help, there are many small and big changes you can make. Strive for a more environmentally conscious lifestyle, get involved politically, and enlist the help of others.^{[1]
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Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Making Lifestyle Changes

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Pay attention to the products you use. If you want to do your part to curb the animal extinction rate, you should avoid using products that are harmful to the environment. Many corporations harvest food and other resources in a way that negatively impacts the habitats of endangered species.
- Look for products made from recycled materials. They are often marked by a series of green arrows forming a circle. You may also find information on a product's label indicating how much of it is made from recycled materials.^{[2]
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- If you wear make-up, be conscious of which products you purchase. Many cosmetics companies are notorious for animal testing and other environmentally harmful practices. A lot of big companies, like Olay and Garnier, routinely practice animal testing. Read the labels on cosmetics, shampoos, and conditioners to make sure there is no animal testing involved.^{[3]
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- Many products make use of palm tree oil. It's used in foods, cosmetics, and soaps. Many tropical forests are being stripped to make room for palm tree farms. If you see palm tree oil on the label of a product you're buying, make sure that the company harvests the oil in a sustainable manner. You can find a list of companies that support ethical palm oil harvesting on the Union of Concerned Scientists website.^{[4]
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Do not buy products made from endangered species. You should never purchase products made from threatened or endangered species. Many people enjoy bringing home memorable souvenirs after overseas trips. However, many of these trinkets are made from animals in danger of extinction. Avoid products made form things like ivory, tortoiseshell, and coral. You should also stay away from anything made from tiger fur or the fur of another endangered animal.^{[5]
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Buy local food. Many of the agricultural practices used by big food companies are harmful to the environment and endangered species. If you want to do your part to help, strive to buy local food. Be on the lookout for grocery stores that buy from local farmers as well as farmer's markets in your town. Smaller farms generally do less environmental damage and are often more committed to sustainable, ethical farming practices.^{[6]
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Make small energy-saving changes. Reducing your overall carbon footprint can help the environment. This can protect the habitat and welfare of a variety of endangered species. Sometimes, tiny tweaks can have a big impact on how much energy and fossil fuel your household uses.
- Replace your lightbulbs. Switch to compact fluorescent bulbs, which you can buy at most supermarkets. These types of lightbulbs use significantly less fossil fuel than conventional lightbulbs.^{[7]
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- Unplug electronic gadgets when you're not using them. Even if a product is not in use, it saps electricity from an outlet just by being plugged in. Make sure to unplug kitchen appliances, like the coffee maker and the toaster, when they're not in use. You should also unplug laptop cords and phone chargers when you don't need them.^{[8]
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- Turn your thermostat two degrees colder. Chances are, you won't notice the minor tweak in temperature. However, you'll be using significantly less energy if you do so. You may also save a lot on your next electricity bill.^{[9]
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Eat less meat. The meat industry has a huge impact on the environment, harming the welfare of endangered species. Rainforests, home to many endangered species, are often clear-cut to make room for factory farms. You can help by transiting into a more plant-based diet.^{[10]
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- A vegetarian diet means you refrain from eating products made from animal flesh. Products like eggs, butter, and cheese are still acceptable in a vegetarian diet but you would exclude anything like chicken or beef. Protein in a vegetarian diet can come from nuts, legumes, eggs, and cheese.^{[11]
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- A vegan diet excludes any products made from animals, including cheese and eggs. Many people choose to go vegan because farming practices that harvest meatless animal-based products still greatly harm the environment. As a vegan, you would get your protein solely from plant-based options like beans, nuts, and seeds.^{[12]
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- You should talk to your doctor before switching to a vegetarian or vegan diet. Vegans especially may have to take certain vitamins to make sure they get the necessary nutrients when not ingesting animal-based products.
- If animal protein is an important part of your balanced diet, consider hunting for deer or other game animals within season. Although you still have to kill an animal to get the meat, this is more natural and sustainable and does no harm to the surrounding environment.
- If going vegetarian or vegan seems like a massive commitment, consider simply lessening the overall amount of meat you eat. In addition to helping the environment, eating less meat is good for your overall health.^{[13]
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  Research source} You can have one or two nights a week when you try to make a vegan or vegetarian based dinner. You could also try something like only eating meat for one meal per day.
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Recycle and buy sustainable products. You should make an effort to recycle products like cans, cardboards, and plastics. You should also try to switch over to reusable products. Go for cloth napkins over paper ones, for example, and do not buy products made from materials that are not biodegradable.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Getting Involved

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Give your time to nature. The best way to help endangered species is to protect the environments where they live. Give your time to nature by visiting or volunteering at a local wildlife refuge. Such organizations always need donations and volunteers as they often lack adequate funding.
- Simply visiting a wildlife foundation can help. You can leave a donation at the entrance. You may also learn something about endangered species and the importance of protecting the environment which will allow you to better educate those around you. The more people involved with protecting endangered species, the better.^{[14]
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- You can also volunteer. Wildlife refuges often do not have a large budget at their disposal. They may rely heavily on volunteers to keep running smoothly. The next time you're at a wildlife refuge, ask a worker about volunteering.^{[15]
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Create a wildlife-friendly home. Work to cultivate an environmentally friendly home. This can help save endangered species native to your area.
- If you have pets, supervise them when they're outdoors. Do not leave cats or dogs outside overnight as they may fight and even kill birds, rodents, and other animals in your neighborhood.^{[16]
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- Keep your garbage in secured cans or shelters that can lock. You do not want a wild animal to accidentally ingest something poisonous.^{[17]
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- If your garden, be environmentally conscious. Avoid the overuse of herbicides or pesticides. Go for organic pesticides over products made from synthetic chemicals.^{[18]
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Vote for political candidates who support the environment. The biggest issue in protecting endangered species is keeping their habitats safe. When voting in the next election, vote wisely. You should support candidates who run on a platform dedicated to environmental protection.
- You should look for candidates that want to lessen dependence on fossil fuels and support more efficient farming practices. Pay attention to a potential candidate's voting record when it comes to environmental issues. You should give your vote to a candidate that has consistently supported bettering your country's environmental practices.^{[19]
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- Overpopulation of humans is a major cause of environmental decay. Therefore, look for candidates who support education and healthcare for women throughout the world. Women who have access to things like birth control are less likely to have an unexpected or unwanted pregnancy. Providing education and healthcare to women worldwide can curb overpopulation and help the environment.^{[20]
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Join an organization. You can also become politically involved by joining an organization dedicated to animal rights and welfare. Greenpeace, PETA, and the National Wildlife Foundation are a few organizations that strive to mobilize politically to protect endangered species. You can help an organization by simply becoming a member, donating a small fee once a year. However, you can also volunteer your time and services. If you want to help endangered species, look into helping through direct action. Look up local branches of organizations dedicated to animal rights and welfare. See what opportunities there are to get involved.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Educating Others

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Use social media to your advantage. Knowledge can be an incredibly powerful tool when it comes to helping endangered species. Use social media to educate your friends and family members. If people understand the necessity of immediate action, they may be more likely to help.
- Post relevant articles on social media websites. You should both news stories that talk about abstract facts and lists that give people specific instructions on how to help. For example, you could post a list of small changes you can take to reduce your carbon footprint. You could also post recipes and articles and how to makes your favorite foods vegetarian or vegan.
- Encourage people to sign petitions. Online petitions do not often result in direct action right away, but they can help raise awareness of an issue. If politicians, other leaders, and corporations see many people care about something, they may give it more attention.
- Encourage people to call their congressperson when a vote is coming up regarding laws about animal welfare and sustainable environmental practices. If enough people call in expressing concern, you could have a real impact on how your representative votes.
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Talk to your friends and family members. Express your concerns to others. Education can be a powerful tool when it comes to social change. You do not need to be preachy or get insulting with people. However, you can kindly suggest small changes when the opportunity comes up. For example, propose you and co-workers carpool to work. Mention what a positive impact this might have on the environment.^{[21]
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Volunteer for organizations that help raise public awareness. Volunteering your time to organizations in need is one of the best ways to help educate the public. Some of the organizations listed above often do public awareness campaigns. You can see if you can donate your time to running a booth at an event, for example, or handing out flyers on the street.
- If you're looking for a new job, consider seeing if you can work for an organization like National Wildlife Federation. If you have editing experience, for example, you could help write press releases and news stories informing people on issues related to animal welfare and the environment. You would be able to make money while fighting for a cause you're passionate about.

Community Q&A

Question

How does extinction effect the environment

Community Answer

Every animal that goes extinct is removed from the food chain of its ecosystem. This can create a great imbalance in the ecosystem, and cause problems for other species. For example, if an apex predator such as a lion or tiger is removed from the food chain, species that may have been preyed on by that animal can become over-populated and in turn, eat too many trees or grasslands and possibly prevent those plants from regrowing. The effects are often so complex that they cannot be fully known or understood until the damage is done. It is better to not mess with nature and to protect the balance it has put in place than to pretend we're capable enough to patch it all back together again.
Question

What can human beings do to help prevent animals from extinction?

Community Answer

An individual human being can raise consciousness of what is happening to animal species across the planet, helping people to realize how extensive the problem of extinction is. Most importantly, is to help people understand the ways in which human activities are causing most of these extinctions through habitat loss, trade in endangered species, over-fishing, and similar actions committed without thought for our fellow species. Our legal systems do not provide animals with rights, instead considering them as mere objects of ownership, which prevents human beings from seeing themselves as part of the animal kingdom, which leads to abuse and overuse of animals. To this end, petition politicians to get laws changed so that animals are protected, cared for and given back the habitats they need to thrive.
Question

Give me more ways of ways to prevent extinction.

Community Answer

Learn as much as you can about other species, about habitats and about the human activities leading to animal (and plant) extinctions. With this knowledge, you can be a far more persuasive change agent than simply calling out "save the whales". You need to be able to explain in depth to people, in terms that they can understand, why it truly matters that animals and plants are going extinct and how this impacts their lives. It is also important to help people understand that it is perfectly normal to respect other species for their own worth than to always expect animals or plants to only be protected where they can be useful only to human beings.