A Brief Understanding of the Roles of Animals in our Ecosystem

WILDLIFE JOURNAL

AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE ROLES OF ANIMALS IN OUR ECOSYSTEM

A collection of numerous roles of different animals

ISSUE 27 | JUNE 2020

WILDLIFE JOURNAL

1 | A review on Harambe 3 | Biomimicry 4 | Tigers 5 | Turtles 6 | Oysters 7 | Elephants 8 | Bees | Sources

The tragic fate we have placed upon animals.

"We patronize the animals for their incompleteness, for their tragic fate of having taken form so far below ourselves. And therein we err, and greatly err. For the animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complete than ours, they are more finished and complete, gifted with extensions of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not brethren, they are not underlings; they are other Nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendour and travail of the earth." ― Henry Beston

An Investigative Report on

Harambe A review on a tragic event

According to a news article by The New

The event also brought a spark in social media,

York Times written by Mark McPhate, a

which led to the mother being blamed for saying

Silverback Gorilla named Harambe was

that she was incapable of handling her own child.

shot dead by animal caretakers in an effort

While a witness said that she had three other kids

to save a 4-year-old boy.

In light of the events, a 4-year-old child had entered the animal's enclosure and was witnessed by many people. As the boy was clinging to the railing he fell into the shallow moat of the enclosure and had been dragged around by the gorilla. After about 10 excruciating minutes, the boy was finally saved but at a cost. Harambe was shot dead and the boy was later hospitalized.

According to a witness, she saw the boy clinging to the railing end tried to help the boy up but was too late. When the boy fell into the enclosure Harambe stood by the boy in what seemingly looked like a defensive stance. But then he suddenly dragged the boy accross the shallow moat. According to the witness, “He wasn’t mauling him to death, which is what I thought was going to happen.”

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and, ''It was literally in a blink of an eye'' said the witness.

Western lowland gorillas are threatened by habitat destruction and poachers. Gorillas play a vital role in the ecosystem and in helping other organism thrive.

A According to another article by The New York

There had been also a petition where over 180,000

Times written by Mark McPhate. The event, once

people had signed calling for the investigation of the

again, had not only brought a spark but enraged a

investigation of the mother by Law Enforcement and

flame in social media. Protesters had started lining up

Child Protective Services.

in front of the Cincinnati Zoo.

Ever since Harambe was killed there has been debate wether the blood of Harambe was on the mother of the 4-year-old boy's fault. Numerous posts in social media had suggested this.

''How the little piggies would grunt, when they hear, how the old boar suffered'' - Ragnar (Vikings 2016)

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BIOMIMICRY

Like us humans, or like animals, humans are very hard working organisms. Many species of many different kinds of animals are very well adapted for survival. The engineering for aerodynamics took some designs from the peregrine falcon, being the fastest bird. Origami, though did not took direct inspiration from animals but has a close resemblance to how insects unfold their wings. The fluid dynamics that the U.S. navy uses took inspiration from shark skin, which contains small teeth like scales and are tough that make vortices in the water to reduce drag.

A medical tape produced by scientists was made with inspiration from spider webs, they made it flexible and would not damage delicate tissue by peeling as an alternative to the traditional tape . AÂ device that collects water from vapor at locations with high temperatures that took inspiration from a beetle that lives in desert areas that collects water with its back shell that has bumps. And many others like architecture designs of bee hives and how water is filtered by nature and better adhesives thanks to the common gecko. And that is why some human accomplishments are creddited to animals.

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TIGERS

THE TRUE KINGS OF THE JUNGLE Though Lions live in the savanna grasslands and have been generally called the kings of the jungle, Tigers are the actual kings since they live in deep forest parts grasslands. These magnificent organisms have played an important role in controlling the population of other animals since their ancestors.

Tigers also have many tools in their disposal, retracting claws for quiet approach upon prey, tongues with small spikes for removing meat from skin and camouflaged striped skin.

Though they are well equipped they can't survive the changes in their environment from deforestation and poaching.

A Tiger has diverse choices for food, from a small antelope to baby rhinos. This variety also Through billions of years of evolution has depends on the terrain or habitat they live in. helped this feline to survive in its original environment.

Tigers hunt differently, instead of smell they hunt by sight. They are also very patient in During these rough times Tiger population have taking the time to search and stalk its prey. been brought to 2,00 to 1,000 from 100,000 mainly duo to poaching.

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SEA TURTLES

THE GARDENERS OF THE SEA Though Sea Turtles don't have anything special in them but they do have a special role in maintaining both plant and coral life.

Just with their normal life habits they are already doing a vital role in the ecosystem.

Different preferences of food can range from different species of turtles. They can also sleep about anywhere above the sea, in the middle of the sea or on the bottom of a shallow reef.

Sea turtles generally control plant life by eating them. They help control the length of sea grass like a sea mower. Not only does this sustain the animal but it helps the control the length of the plant which would

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otherwise bring complications to the plant.

It also helps corals grow by removing sponges since they occupy spaces where corals can continue to grow.

Turtles are only equipped with a beak for snapping of plants and sponges, flippers for maneuvering the water and a shell. But shells can vary from species like the Leatherback Turtle, which is an endangered species, has a leather-like shell rather than the normal hard type.

Many Sea Turtles, especially Leatherbacks, die or are disturbed due to fishing bycatch or being accidentally caught by fishing nets, water pollution (Trash) and loss of habitats especially nesting grounds in beaches.

OYSTERS

THE VACUUM CLEANERS OF THE SEA At first, nobody knew what their role in the used for a variety of fashion accessories. ecosystem was, they just enjoyed them as a delicacy. But they are one of the important Oysters are also sustenance for other wildlife organisms in keeping our bodies of water clean. like starfish.

These organisms filter water down to the microscopic level by feeding on phytoplanktons or algae. By just removing biomass from the water will greatly impact other organisms currently residing with them.

A close related species to oysters are clams.

They too filter water but they also produce the widely priced pearls. Pearls are a must in the fashion industry being

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So why are many waters still polluted?

Many reasons mainly since they are being removed from their natural habitat and being eaten as delicacy, habitat destruction, and diseases that heavily affect their function to filter water.

According to a Chesapeake Bay Program, 1.5 million bushels of oysters were harvested each year historically over-harvesting. Just on the Chesapeake Bay alone.

ELEPHANTS

THE SMARTETS FORAGERS OF THE WILD Generally found in sub-saharan and rainforest tended by farmers. Which is why protecting the areas. These a magnificent animals forage when crops can be a bit of a hassle considering giants food or water is running low. For that reason are trying to eat them. other animals depend on them.

Elephants, in time of drought they forage, they These animals prefer to be in a herd that is can dig for water that is under the ground and matriarchal or the herd is led by a female that drink from it with its long trunk. Other animals is both large and the eldest. And the leading follow them for this reason. female provides for her herd and members of the herd can form their own groups that roam These animals are also in danger of poaching, on their own. their ivory tusks are highly priced for medicinal and for items like piano keys, combs and billiard Elephants have a big space inside of their belly. balls.

They tend to eat a seasons worth of crops in just one night. Just this reason they come into Ever since the colonization of or Europeans their contact with crops that are 26 million population drastically fell to around 1.3 million.

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BEES

THE LOVELY PRODUCERS OF THE SWEETEST TREAT

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The producers of honey that everybody loves.

But they are also the only mode of fertilization for some flowering plants. These magnificent honey producers have a very important role in the ecosystem. Producing honey is not just what they do best, they excel in fertilizing other plants as well.

The population of bees has been declining since the last several years mainly due to pesticides, climate change or anything that would directly affect their food source. Since some bees come into contact with industrial farms which the crops are being sprayed by pesticides that also affect the bees that are trying to help the crops.

Pollination is a critical job that they do. While they extract the sweet nectar and pollen from flowers, some pollen is caught by their hairy bodies and as they transfer from flower to flower they are actually fertilizing the flowers allowing the flower to produce food for other organisms.

Since the 1990s, beekeepers have reported the declining population of bees. If the declining of the population of bees were to suddenly increase to the point of near extinction of different species of bees, it would spell a disaster for us humans. Since if we follow the food chain everything is a cycle if one were to suddenly disappear the whole thing would come crashing down.

SOURCES:

HTTPS://WWW.CHESAPEAKEBAY.NET/ISSUES/OYSTERS

HTTPS://WWW.NYTIMES.COM/2016/05/30/US/GORILLAKILLED-AFTER-CHILD-ENTERS-ENCLOSURE-AT-CINCINNATIZOO.HTML

HTTPS://WWW.NYTIMES.COM/2016/05/31/US/ZOOSKILLING-OF-GORILLA-HOLDING-A-BOY-PROMPTSOUTRAGE.HTML? ACTION=CLICK&MODULE=RELATEDCOVERAGE&PGTYPE=ART ICLE&REGION=FOOTER

HTTP://WWW.THENEWECOLOGIST.COM/2014/06/IMPORTAN CE-OF-BEES-IN-OUR-ECOSYSTEM/

HTTPS://WWW.BLOOMBERG.COM/NEWS/PHOTOESSAYS/2015-02-23/14-SMART-INVENTIONS-INSPIRED-BYNATURE-BIOMIMICRY

PHOTOS WERE TAKEN FROM CANVA.COM CREDITS TO THE PHOTOGRAPHERS