Question

What is the major cause of diminishing wildlife number?

• A. Cannibalism
• B. Habitat destruction
• C. Falling of trees
• D. Paucity of drinking water

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

Habitat loss and fragmentation (habitat destruction) are the most important causes for driving animals and plants to extinction.

The most dramatic examples of habitat loss come from tropical rainforests. Once covering more than 14 percent of the Earth's land surface, these rainforests now cover no more than 6 percent. They are being destroyed fast. Besides the total loss, the degradation of many habitats by pollution also threatens the survival of many species. When large habitats are broken up into small fragments due to various human activities, mammals and birds requiring large territories and certain animals with migratory habits are badly affected, leading to population declines.