Did You Know This?
By Alice Henry
@IreneVincent (15962)
United States
January 2, 2016 10:33pm CST
If you had a pencil and paper, how many different species of mammals could you name? The average person can name less than 100.
But, did you know that there are actually about 4,500 species of mammals. There are also about 9,600 species of birds, and close to 8,000 species of reptiles, nearly 4,700 species of amphibians and would you believe that there are 25,000 different species of fish.
But, in addition to that, scientists agree that there are over 10 million species (that means different kinds) of insects and many have yet to be discovered.
The biggest threat to all of these living things is extinction, the dying out of a particular species and this tragic event happens every single day. Tragic because extinction means that a unique life design is gone FOREVER.
Do you know of any animals that are on the endangered species list, which means they are facing imminent extinction. (All life forms are actually on this list, including humans.) The balance of nature has been interrupted and the food chain has been disturbed to a point of no return.
What do you think that means for the future?
2 people like this
2 responses
@IreneVincent (15962)
• United States
3 Jan 16
Yes, how little we know about the living things around us. I read a lot and try to learn as much as I can and I love to share what I learn. The problem with sharing is that someone might accuse you of plagiarizing if you "quote" from a book without giving credit, so you have to be very careful about where you get your information and how you present it on a site like this.
1 person likes this
@T_gray (7774)
• Salina, Kansas
3 Jan 16
@IreneVincent oh I know about plagiarizing. That's kinda why I avoid sharing my information like that unless I am super careful. But I like reading about it from others. I think others know what they are doing with it better then I do
1 person likes this
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
3 Jan 16
I am not well versed in science, so I really do not know much about the animal kingdom.
The few that I wish are extinct include mosquitoes, rats and cockroaches.
These are the ones that nobody can eradicate.
I think we pollute the earth too much to save the animals by now.
1 person likes this
@IreneVincent (15962)
• United States
3 Jan 16
Yes, wouldn't it be nice, if all the pest type of living things could be eradicated. Mosquitoes, which by the way, cause more human deaths than any other living thing. Thousands each year from malaria alone.
I would also vote to eradicate rats and cockroaches, along with ticks and fleas and wasps and spiders, although I know they must have some value.
