As humans continue to advance in technology and increase in population it seems to have possible negative effect on the echo system. I am looking at two specific species, The Ivory-billed woodpecker ( Campephilus principalis), believed to already be extinct until resent sightings, (James Owen for National Geographic News April 28, 2005) and Coyotes (Brian Handwerk for National Geographic News June 7, 2005) Animals are forced to adept to changes in there environments or the life cycle will no longer be able to exist.
This possibly is a living example of Evolution in progress. What is the long term effect of the continued destruction of natural habitats? This is a good example of how organisms can evolve due to changes in their ecosystems. I am talking about two different species of animals first being a bird and the second one the coyote. What I have found in my research on this is that an majestic bird, the Ivory-Billed woodpecker that inhabited the lowland forest of southeastern U. S. etween 1880 and the 1940s was believed to have become extinct due to the logging which destroyed their habitat. For sixty plus years the Ivory-Billed woodpecker that was thought to be extinct was once again spotted in 2004. While the data has been authenticated on the sightings, more observations are in the planning. The U. S Fish and Wildlife Service is identifying funds for recovery efforts. This rediscovery has spearheaded efforts to save 550,000 acres of bayous in the Big Woods of Arkansas. The Nature Conservancy has conserved 18,000 acres in The Big Woods.
Coyotes are another animal that is adapting to the rapid changes in their natural habitat. Coyotes which live in a wide verity of environments from desert, mountainous, open country and grasslands, seems that they are also become urbanites. These very smart animals are becoming habituated to are urban environment, changing there behavior to adapt to ours. In California and New York State Coyote’s are becoming more aggressive. This subsidized environment is artificially high in food for these adaptable animals.
At Cornell University wildlife biologist Paul Curtis and his team are starting a five years study of coyote ecology and behavior. Many States have open season on coyote hunting. For years now coyotes have been praying on cats because of abundant supplies. There are some 35 attacks on humans over the last three decades on small children. These are examples of what I believe spurred life as we know it. Something had to trigger or catalyze organisms to trans form or adapt to some change in there environment.
