One time, me and my grandpa went fishing and noticed something odd in the water. It was a mako shark with a large piece of thread wrapped around it. My grandfather and I were heartbroken and disappointed to see this, and I couldn’t stand to watch our animals get killed off because of our human nature. Many of Hawaii’s animals are endangered and we need to do something about it before it’s too late.
Animals such as the Green Sea Turtle, Hawaiian Hoary Bat, Hawaiian Hawk, Hawaiian Monk Seal, Crested Honeycreeper, Nene Goose, Oahu Tree Snail, and many more are all at risk of being extinct due to habitat loss, pesticides, illegal hunting, insufficient food, pollution, invasive animals, and even stress from humans bothering them. Pretty soon we won’t see anymore Monk Seals wash up and chill on the beach. We also probably also won’t see any more sea turtles swimming and migrating through the open seas. These are reasons why nearly one-quarter of the nation’s endangered species of animals, birds, and marine mammals are in Hawaii, making Hawaii the most endangered capital in the world.
This is bad for Hawaii’s ecosystem and can affect us negatively. For instance, if the Green Sea Turtle goes extinct, the productivity and nutrient content of seagrass blades will decrease because the Green Sea Turtle plays an important part in the ecosystem, and the Hawaiian tree snail eats the fungi that grow on trees which protect animals and us from disease.
We also need to be mindful of our trash and pollution. Pollution is the main reason for endangered marine life in Hawaii. The U.S. The Environmental Protection Agency has found the waters around Hawaii’s beaches to be impaired by plastic pollution and ordered state officials to take corrective actions under the Clean Water Act. Plastic pollution can absorb environmental toxins and be eaten by +arine life or can incapacitate marine life which can lead them to extinction.
Although this has happened there are some precautions we can take to keep our environment safe. Using your own reusable bag instead of plastic, taking care of the environment and its animals by leaving them alone when they don’t want to be bothered, and cleaning the environment are all good ways to save the environment and animals in Hawaii. These animals are relying on us, let’s save them before it’s too late.