Extinction Assignment Part 1

Extinction Assignment Your Name Subject and Section Professor’s Name February 11, 2024 Part 1: Little Mariana Fruit Bat In the past, humans and animals coexisted peacefully on our planet. However, as human knowledge has advanced over the past century, humans have come to control every region of the planet, leading to animal population disruptions. Some creatures cannot survive and prosper due to human activity's direct and indirect faults, leading to their extinction. The author of this article will concentrate on a particular species of animal, the Little Mariana Fruit Bat, which was previously thought to be extinct. The study will address the elements contributing to this animal's extinction and the conservation measures undertaken. Pteropus tokudae, or the Little Mariana Fruit Bat, belongs to the genus Pteropus within the family Pterodidae; it is closely related to fruit-eating bats in the Pacific region (U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, n.d.). Unfortunately, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (2023), this animal species is already extinct. It is distinguished by having a black-to-brown underbelly and splotchy gray hair that gives it a grizzled look. Though they might be paler in certain people, the shoulders and sides of the neck are often a brilliant golden brown color. From brown to dark brown, the head varies. In the past, when these animals were still present, they inhabited tropical and subtropical forests within the Mariana Islands. They would gather in colonies numbering from hundreds to thousands; they also have a great sense of social hierarchy and dominance in mating. They are nocturnal; thus, they are most active and hunt at night; they rely on their sight to locate flowers that contain nectars and pollens. These animals have a considerably long lifespan for their size; they can live for up to 12 years in the wild. They have been shown to have a prolonged reproductive rate as when a female gives birth to a pup after a gestation period of around five to six months (Mariana Fruit Bat - Facts, Diet, Habitat & Pictures on Animalia. bio, n.d.). A newly born pup will take two years to become an adult and be ready to reproduce. Its diet mainly includes fruit, nectar, and pollen, and just like any other animal that feeds on nectars, it has a significant role in pollination and seed dispersal in the ecosystem (Brooke et al., 2023). Their keen senses—especially sight and smell—were crucial in helping them find and evaluate ripe fruit and nectar sources in their environment. Part 2: Major Conservation Threats Habitat loss and forest degradation are The primary factors contributing to this animal's extinction. Because there are fewer plants for the Little Mariana Fruit Bat to consume, human activities significantly negatively impact the bats' quality of life (Rebitzke, n.d.). The Mariana Island, where the Little Mariana Fruit Bat lived before, is a tiny island with fast economic growth. More land for residential and commercial buildings is required. With that, the habitat of the local species, such as the Little Mariana Fruit Bat, has been lessening and affected their way of living and foraging food, thus contributing to their extinction. Furthermore, when the local population begins to transform the original forests into arable land, they are compelled to restrict the areas where they may obtain food (Toves, 2023). Humans and animals can live in harmony by respecting their spaces and ensuring that human activity and development do not compromise the needs of these endangered species. Another reason for the extinction of this animal is the presence of invasive species, particularly predatory species. The population of Little Mariana Fruit Bats was seriously threatened by the Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis). In the past, when predatory pieces had not been introduced to the island of Mariana, bats would have a low risk of being eaten or hunted by predators because of the lack of them. They tend to survive, and when a bat dies, it is quickly replaced by a pup, which keeps their population normal. However, with the introduction of invasive species and the urbanization of their foraging area, they have yet to survive and have become extinct (Ayres & Ayres, 2021). These invading predators preyed on adult bats and their defenseless pups, increasing death rates and impairing the ability of the species to reproduce. Part 3: Relevance of Behavioral Ecology to Conservation Threats As said earlier, because the species greatly depend on foraging, it has been affected by habitat loss and land degradation. Losing land means losing native flowers they need to eat to survive. Because of their social behavior of being in a colony, they have been easy prey for predators, just like the Brown Snake. Also, as said earlier, because of predatory animals' introduction and slow reproduction, they cannot survive and eventually become extinct. With a pup taking up to 2 years to be sexually ready, the period is too long to cope with the loss of the population, which causes them to decrease in number. The number of bats dying is more than the number of bats giving birth. To conserve the Little Mariana Fruit Bat's surviving habitat, conservation efforts have to consider its unique behavioral ecology, which includes the requirement for intact forest ecosystems for roosting and feeding and reducing the danger caused by invading predators. The government is protecting this bat's history and ensuring that it is not lost for future scientific research, even if using the word "conservation" about an extinct animal may seem strange. Part 4: Stakeholders and Conservation Efforts The government and international conservation organizations are working to preserve the animal's remnants even though it is now extinct so that scientists may learn more about its existence. Also, students and future professionals in the field of animal preservation can gain insights into what causes the extinction of a particular species. With the same similarities, they can be prevented in the future. Aside from conserving it in textbooks, the remains of these species can be used to examine genetically. These organizations undertake a variety of initiatives, such as creating reserves and protected areas to preserve vital habitats for the species and launching public awareness campaigns to inform the community about the value of bat conservation and the threats the species faces. Conservation efforts also involved implementing public awareness campaigns that focused on conserving and protecting this animal to educate local communities that live near its natural habitat—it also taught locals the importance of these bats in their livelihood and community, whether they can ...