Introduction
Movies, books, and toys expose children to dinosaurs, wooly mammoths, and saber-toothed tigers. They amaze, frighten, fascinate, and ultimately lead children understand that these creatures were once alive, but no longer exist on Earth. Most elementary school curricula do not cover the concept of extinction, even though it is a natural and expected part of the Earth’s history and Earth’s future. Extinction is so common that between 99% of life on Earth has already disappeared from existence.1 2 There is currently a sixth mass extinction at work unique from the five previous mass extinctions Earth has experienced. The past mass extinctions, known as the Big 5, are believed to have by been caused by slow global climate change or natural catastrophes. No one species has caused any of these mass extinctions. However, the ever-increasing human population has sent us into an era known as the Anthropocene, in which the extent of human impact is altering ecosystems and biodiversity at a rate that no other species has done in the past. This impact is causing biodiversity losses that are hurdling us towards an entirely human-caused sixth mass extinction.
However, humans are becoming increasingly aware of our own impact. We have not stopped the exploitation of earth’s natural resources and biodiversity, but some efforts are taking place around the world to promote a beneficial “caretaker” role towards ecosystems. These methods are conserving the biodiversity left on our planet, while building a better livelihood for local communities and preserving indigenous cultures. This approach of community-based conservation and recognition of indigenous practices provide us with strategies to replenish and preserve biodiversity with an ecosystem. Since humans as a species can so heavily impact the Earth, prioritizing basic human needs over strict conservation legislation provides a pathway forward for a more positive role that humans can take in an ecosystem.
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