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The New Age of Extinction

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The New Age of Extinction TIME April 13, 2009 43 HERE ARE AT LEAST 8 MILLION unique species of life on the planet, if not far more, and you could be forgiven for believing T that all of them can be found in Andasibe. Walking through this rain forest in Madagascar is like stepping into the library of life. Sunlight seeps through the silky fringes of the Ravenea louvelii, an endangered palm found, like so much else on this African island, nowhere else. Leaf- tailed geckos cling to the trees, cloaked in green. A fat Parson's chameleon lies lazily on abranch, beady eyes scanning for dinner. But the animal Imost hoped to find, I don't see at first; I hear it, though-a sustained groan that electrifies the forest quiet. My Malagasy guide, Marie Razafindrasolo, finds the source of the sound perched on a branch. It is the black-and-white indri, largest of the lemurs-a type of small An Island Apart Madagascar split from India 80 million to IDa million years ago. All that time in virtual isolation meant that wildlife on the island followed its own evolutionary path. This helped produce unique species like thefossa, a catlike carnivore with the agility of a squirrel and the attitude of a wolverine. 44 SPECIAL REPORT I EXTINCTION CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: INGO ARNDT-MINDEN; PETE OXFORD-MINDEN; DANTE FEN OLIO-PHOTO RESEARCHERS; ZSSD-MINDEN: DANIEL HEUCLIN-PHOTO RESEARCHERS; S. JANSSEN-MINDEN; FRANS LANTING; PIOTR NASKRECKI; PETE OXFORD-MINDEN; CENTER: ALBERT LLEAL-MINDEN SPECIAL REPORT I EXTINCTION A 2004 study estimated that global warming could drive a million species to extinction by midcentury when an estimated 70% of all terrestrial animals and 96% of all marine creatures vanished, and, most recently, the Creta- ceous event 65 million years ago, which ended the reign of the dinosaurs. Though scientists have directly assessed the vi- ability of fewer than 3% of the world's described species, the sample polling of animal populations so far suggests that we may have entered what will be the planet's Dead forests Madagascar has.zost more than 80% of itsforests, chiefly to the slash-and-burn sixth great extinction wave. And this time style of ricefarming know as tavy, which exhausts the soil as it destroys habitats the cause isn't an errant asteroid or mega- volcanoes. It's us. Through our growing numbers, our primate found only in Madagascar. The mining, logging and energy exploration thirst for natural resources and, most of cry is known as a spacing call, a warning to threaten those that remain. "You have an all, climate change-which, by one reck- other indris to keep their distance, to pre- area the size of New Jersey in Madagascar oning, could help carry off 20% to 30% vent competition for food. But there's not that is still under forest, and all this in- of all species before the end of the cen- much risk ofinterlopers. The species-like credible diversity is crammed into it," says tury-we're shaping an Earth that will many other lemurs, like many other ani- Mittermeier, an American who has been be biologically impoverished. A 2008 as- mals in Madagascar, like so much oflife on traveling to the country for more than 25 sessment by the International Union for Earth-is endangered and dwindling fast. years. "We're very concerned." Conservation of Nature found that nearly Madagascar-which separated from Madagascar is a conservation hot I in 4 mammals worldwide was at risk for India 80 million to 100 million years ago spot-a term for a region that is very bio- extinction, including endangered species before eventually settling off the south- diverse and particularly threatened-and like the famous Tasmanian devil. Over- eastern coast of Africa:-is in many ways while that makes the island special, it is fishing and acidification of the oceans are an Earth apart. All that time in geographic hardly alone. Conservationists estimate threatening marine species as diverse as isolation made Madagascar a Darwinian that extinctions worldwide are occurring the bluefin tuna and reef-forming corals. playground, its animals and plants evolv- at a pace that is up to 1,000 times as great as "Just about everything is going down," ing into forms utterly original. They in- history'S background rate before human says Simon Stuart, head of the IUCN's clude species as strange-looking as the beings began proliferating. Worse, that species-survival commission. "And when I pygmy mouse lemur-a chirping, palm- die-off could be accelerating. think about the impact of climate change, size mammal that may be the smallest it really scares me." primate on the planet-and as haunting Price of Extinction Scary for conservationists, yes, but the as the carnivorous fossa, a catlike animal THERE HAVE BEEN FIVE EXTINCTION WAVES question arises, Why should it matter to about 30 in. long. Some 90% of the island's in the planet's history-including the the rest of us? After all, nearly all the spe- plants and about 70% ofits animals are en- Permian extinction 250 million years ago, cies that were ever alive in the past are demic, meaning that they are found only gone today. Evolution demands extinc- in Madagascar. But what makes life on the tion. When we're using the term extinc- island unique also makes it uniquely vul- tion to talk about the fate of the U.S. auto nerable. "If we lose these animals on Mad- industry, does it really mat.ter if we lose agascar, they're gone forever," says Russell species like the Holdridge's toad, the Yang- Mittermeier, president of the wildlife tze River dolphin and the golden toad, all group Conservation International (CI). of which have effectively disappeared in That loss seems likelier than ever be- recent years? What does the loss of a few cause the animals are under threat as never species among millions matter? before. Once lushly forested, Madagascar Desert of '-ife For one thing, we're animals too, de- has seen more than 80% of its original veg- The spiny desert of Madagascar's pendent on this planet like every other etation cut down or burned since humans south is brutally hot, but it's home to form of life. The more species living in arrived at least 1,500 years ago, fragment- a unique population of animals. About an ecosystem, the healthier and more ing habitats and leaving animals effective- productive it is, which matters for us-a ly homeless. Unchecked hunting wiped recent study by the World Wildlife Fund out a number of large species, and today (WWF) estimates the economic value of 46 TIME April 13, 2009 SPECIAL REPORT I EXTINCTION the Amazon rain forest's eco- director of the climate, energy system services to be up to $roo and air program of the Center per hectare (about 2'/2 acres). for Biological Diversity (CBD). When we pollute and deforest "But it's slamming shut." and make a mess of the ecologi- cal web, we're taking out mort- To Save the Species, gages on the Earth that we can't Save the People pay back-and those loans will MADAGASCAR, WHICH MITTER- come due. Then there are the meier calls the "hottest of the undiscovered organisms and hot spots," is where all the new animals that could serve as the strategies can be road-tested. basis of needed medicines-as In 2003, after decades when the original ingredients of as- conservation was barely on the pirin were derived from the government's agenda, then- herb meadowsweet-unless President Marc Ravalomanana . we unwittingly destroy them announced that the govern- first. "We have plenty of sto- ment would triple Madagas- ries about how the loss of bio- car's protected areas over the diversity creates problems for following five years. That deci- people," says Carter Roberts, sion helped underfunded parks WWF's president. like Andasibe's, which protects Forests razed can grow back, some of the last untouched polluted air and water can be forest on the island. "You can't cleaned-but extinction is save a species without saving forever. And we're not talking the habitat where it lives," says about losing just a few species. WWF's Roberts. In fact, conservationists qui- Do that right, and you can etly acknowledge that we've even turn a profit in the process. , entered an age of triage, when In Madagascar, half the revenues we might have to decide which from national parks are meant species can truly be saved. The to go to the surrounding com- worst-case scenarios of habitat munities. The reserves in turn loss and climate change-and help sustain an industry for local that's the pathway we seem to The upside-down tree The Dr. Seussian baobab is a symbol of guides like Razafindrasolo. In a be on-show the planet losing Madagascar, one the government hopes to use to attract ecotounsts country aspoor as Madagascar- hundreds of thousands to mil- where 61% of the people live on lions of species, many ofwhich we haven't animals to migrate in order to escape less than $1 a day-it makes sense to give even discovered yet. The result could be changing climates, conservationists are locals an economic stake in preserving a virtual genocide of much of the animal looking to create protected corridors that wildlife rather than destroying it. "If you world and an irreversible impoverishment would give the species room to roam. It's don't get the support of the people living of our planet.
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