By Charles Q. Choi, National Geographic News, 2/8/11
Summary: Wolverines are carnivores that live in the tundra and northern forests with cool temperatures that do not rise above seventy-two degrees Fahrenheit. Wolverines’ insulating fur keeps them warm throughout the frigid winters, while they stay in snow dens during the warmer seasons. While there are roughly 15,000 wolverines living in Canada, less than a few hundred are surviving in the United States. They cannot survive the heat and much of the wolverine deaths have been caused by global warming. Studies show that if there is a continual swell in the use of greenhouse gases, the spring snowfall that wolverines rely on to form dens, will cease and temperatures will increase during the summer. “Although it's unclear exactly how wolverines would respond to such changes, the new simulations suggest that the very low numbers of wolverines currently living in the contiguous U.S. would likely decline further in response to habitat deterioration.” If the patterns of global warming continue, the wolverine population may rapidly decline, causing possible extinction.
Reflection: I was not surprised by how the wolverine is being affected negatively by human life. Although, the wolverine is a very strong predator in the tundra biome, it cannot live in the hot conditions that humans are causing due to greenhouse gases. I find it extremely disappointing that even seeing all of the negative affects greenhouse gases are having on our environment, there are still tons of people who do not even care, and are not seeking alternative energy sources.
Questions:
1) How do humans affect the way animals live?
2) Why do scientists believe that the wolverine population may be in danger?
3) What are ways humans ensure the safety of wolverines?
I did not feel very superized about what is happening to the wolverines. There are tons of animals who are endanger of exstinction because of the green house gases. Polar bears, seals and walruses are all affected by the same situation and people still seem not to be doing enough.
ReplyDeleteHow do humans affect the way animals live?
People affect the way animals live buy the way people live. We destroy trees and other habitats of animals to make our own, or make some other kind of building or land structure.
Why do scientists believe that the wolverine population may be in danger?
Scientists believe that the wolverine population is in danger because of global warmining and everything that humans have contributed towards the melting of the polar caps.
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ReplyDeleteIt doesn't surprise me that the wolverines are being affected by humans. Many people are being so careless about what they do to the environment. And, global warming is because of many people too. There are so many ways to save our environment and help wildlife and hardly anyone does anything about it. I think that people need to think about how the future could be if we don't start caring about what is going on out in the wild.
ReplyDeleteHow do humans affect the way animals live?
Humans affect the ways animals live in so many different ways. We make the animals move to all different places because we demolish their habitats. We also make it hard for many to survive because we keep polluting the air.
If I had to ask a question pertaining to this article it would be:
What are the other energy sources humans could use instead of what they are using now?
It honestly doesn't suprise me that wolverines may go extict in the US, due to global warming. I don't think it's right, what global warimng has done to worlverines, allong with many other species. Knowing that I have a part in the warming in temperatures because of something simple like throwing a water into a thrash can rahter than a recycling bin disturbs me, no matter how small the impact is. I think it's pointless to worry about the future, when we could be doing something to fix it now.
ReplyDelete1) Humans impact the way animals live in both positive and negative ways. A positive way is try to protect certain endangered species. A negative way is that we contradict those attemps with polltution and cutting down forests.
2)The pollution causes greenhouse gases and which creats a rise in temperature that the wolverine can't survive in.
3)Humans can try to be greener, we can recycle and reuse watet bottle and such more often.
it does not suprise me that the wolverines may come extinct due to global warming. i agree with jack saying that it is not right what global warming is doing to wolverines and many other species. It is the humans fault all this is happening because people are lazy and do not look for an alternative resource. people can do the easy things to save the enviornment like recycling, riding a bike, or even carpooling. people need to think not only about themselves.
ReplyDelete1) positive- help endangered species
negative- pollution, deforestation
2) It may be in danger because of global warming. They are not going to have the spring snow that they rely on to keep their habitat
3) we can try to stop global warming by the easy things like recycling, riding bikes, and carpooling.