Poaching: Pathway to Extinction

Poaching is a huge problem that could have severe consequences in as little as a few years. Some people may not have a very big problem with people killing animals illegally, but by the end of this article, I hope to convince them that it really is a major problem that needs to be dealt with. And quick.

It has been discovered that there are many species of animals that, if nothing is done to prevent it, will go extinct in the next 10 years. It will only take a fraction of our lifetimes for a whole race of animals to be hunted down and slaughtered to the point that there are none of them left. To me, something about that seems horribly wrong. Some of the animals that are facing extinction are the Black Rhinoceros, the Chinese Alligator, and the Sumatran Orangutan.

The Black Rhinos are being hunted down and killed for one little reason: their horns. "Their horns are highly valued for use as ornaments and for their 'medicinal' properties, even though they are simply made of keratin, the same protein found in fingernails and hair" (10 Animals). Just at the start of this century, there may have been as many as hundreds of thousands of this rhino roaming wild in Africa...Now there are only a few thousand. Poaching and loss of habitat are ongoing problems for these poor creatures and soon, there may not be any left at all.

The Chinese Alligator is a small, secretive, mini-alligator that is a native of the wetlands in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Although thousands of these tiny gators have been bred in captivity, it is estimated that as few as 150 to 200 are left in the wild.

The Sumatran Orangutans are being rapidly driven from their homes by logging, fires, and other human activities. There are fewer than 7,500 left in the whole world. This may seem like a large number, but when you think about it, that is a smaller population than most small towns in the U.S. The number of these animals left is also decreasing at a HUGE rate: about 1,000 orangutans per year.

Now, I know that most people don't like animals as much as I do, but I like to think that people would show some compassion and try to help these defenseless creatures. They are on the brink of extinction and they are fighting a losing battle. The animals that I mentioned earlier are only a few of the species that are on the list of animals that are expected to go extinct in the next decade. Think about it; Our children won't get to see any of these beautiful animals unless WE do something about it. Not someone else. US. So next time you go to buy an ivory statue, or tiger-skin rug, think about the animals that had to die to make these pointless decorative items. :)

"10 Animals That May Go Extinct In the Next 10 Years." flushrush.com. FlushRush, 11/04/2009. Web. 22 Feb 2011.

Behind Those Eyes

  I've listened to the band 3 Doors Down for a while now and there's one song that has kind of stuck with me. I looked up the lyrics to the song Behind Those Eyes and realized just how true the lyrics are. In my opinion, this song accurately describes what it feels like to be lied to by someone that you care about. It shows not only how it feels when you know you're being lied to, but also the aftermath left behind when it is over. 
  The song says in the beginning, "You said 'I've got somthing to say', then you got that look in your eye. 'There is something you've got to know'. You said it as you started to cry. 'I've been down the wrong road tonight and I swear i'll never go there again.' I've seen that face once before and I don't think I can do this again". I love this quote because it depicts some of what may be felt when you know that somebody is lying to you and yet, refuses to tell you the truth, even when they know that you know that they have been lying to you. It shows the exhaustion, both mental and emotional, that is caused by the constant battle going on between the liar and the person being lied to.
  Somewhere toward the end of the song, it states:"You say that you're sorry and you say now that it hurts you the same. Is there something here to believe or is it just another part of the game?" To me, this shows that not only is the lie itself hurtful, but the damage that it leaves in its wake is something that does not go away for a long time. From experience, being lied to destroys all of the trust that is had for the person that lies. Everything they say from then on is questioned as to whether or not they are telling the truth, or just telling yet another lie.
  All in all, this is a great song that really speaks a great truth. Many songs have great meaning, you just have to listen carefully and try to decipher it. Behind Those Eyes by 3 Doors Down is a song that I feel many people could improve upon themselves by listening to.

Here are the lyrics to the song: http://www.metrolyrics.com/behind-those-eyes-lyrics-3-doors-down.html