HOW DO HUMANS ACCELERATE SPECIES EXTINCTION?
Loss of Habitat Is the Single Greatest Threat to Species: Remember HIPPCO shows the underlying and direct causes of the endangerment and extinction of wild species. Biodiversity researchers summarize the most important direct causes of extinction resulting from human activities using the acronym HIPPCO: Habitat destruction, degradation, and fragmentation; Invasive (nonnative) species; Population growth and increasing use of resources; Pollution; Climate change; and Overexploitation. According to biodiversity researchers, the greatest threat to wild species is habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation. A stunning example of this is the loss of habitat for polar bears. Because the atmosphere above the Arctic has been getting warmer during the past several decades, the floating sea ice that is a vital part of the bears’ habitat is melting away beneath their feet, which is causing a decline in their numbers. Deforestation in tropical areas is the greatest eliminator of species, followe