The Vulnerability of Islands to Animal Extinction

At the present time, species extinction rates are several thousand times faster than observed in the geological era. (Purvis, E., & Mace, 2000) They are minorities of all species, but since 16000 island species accounted for 75% of the extinction of animals. Because of island specific characteristics (Purvis, E., & Mace, 2000) such as isolation and narrow geographical range, the island is more likely to be extinct than the mainland. This led to an imbalance in the ratio of the islands to mainland species extinction.

Plants and animals living on the island are threatened with extinction due to physical boundaries, limited population, and lack of genetic variation. One threat to these island species is invasive species of alien species. An uninvited type of invasive species, also known as an introduced species or alien species, refers to an animal or plant that originates elsewhere and is predominant in a local species or to some extent brought into a new area in the area. The species's environment has a negative impact

Worldwide, fragile ecosystems such as Gough Island are fighting intruders. Unconventional flora and fauna that enter into these environments in some way will suddenly be balanced naturally, causing severe damage to native species, leading to extinction of local flora and fauna and endangering human health and the economy. America 's invasive species are doing billions of dollars each year. All ecosystems are greatly affected by intrusions, but the islands are particularly vulnerable. Many of them are home to species that exist only on these islands.

Birds living on small islands will easily be extinct. When humans come with animals such as mice and cats, these birds have little chance. More than 90% of historically extinct birds live on the island. Volquard Iversen, a sailor who died in Mauritius in 1662, wrote the last witness testimony. He wrote: "They are big but they can not fly, they are not wings but small wings, but they can run very fast." But for human hunters still a specimen It reminds us of this tragic species

Lakes and islands are particularly vulnerable to extinction of the introduced species. In Victoria Lake, the intentional introduction of Nile perch was the main cause of the extinction of about 200 species of Cichlid. In 1950, an airplane from the Solomon Islands to Guam (Figure 4) coincidentally introduced a brown tree snake. And it caused the extinction of three birds and three to five reptiles. Several other species are still threatened. Palm snakes are good at using human transport as a means of transportation; even airplanes arrive at Corpus Christi in Texas. Airport, military and civil aircraft staff need to keep alert to prevent snakes from moving from Guam to other islands in the Pacific, especially Hawaii.